Blonde Ambition

The friday before Hubby started his new job, I took the day off so we could spend some time together. We decided to go up to Hollywood and roam around since I had never really done the whole touristy thing. It was pretty rainy so we didn't get to do much but we did hit up the Guiness World Record Museum:

Mann's Chinese Theater:

And the Hollywood Wax Museum:

We parked at the Hollywood & Highland Center and on our way to the car what did I spy with my little eye? I spotted a Beard Papa's! Or Bearded Papa's as I like to call it since that's what FGD first told me.

So.effing.good

We took our cream puffs to go and enjoyed them in the car. After that we went to downtown LA and found the Grand Central Market. We got some good produce and ate some yummy Chinese food.

Hubby had never been to China town so we headed there in search of some tortugas as we call them.

He kept calling my SIL to ask where she got her turtles and the best way to ask for them. I was so confused and I finally told him to just ask someone in one of the stores. Little did I know, they are illegal. After wandering a little marketplace, we found someone selling them and picked out our new pets, Byong Sun (the kid from kicking and screaming) and Beam (Hubby's friend from Japan, because it's all the same right? j/k). After that we headed home and the next day was Valentine's day, and you know how that went :)

Posted by Laura at 4:00 PM 2 comments

Labels: My Husband is Awesome

This

On Saturday morning, Hubby rushed off because he had to take care of an errand. I didn't think much of it and lounged around. He called me like 2 hours later and said we had to go somewhere. So I got ready quickly and we headed off. As we were pulling off of the freeway, he made me close my eyes. We were getting off the 55 at Harbor so I figured maybe Ikea? We need a few inexpensive pieces for our living room so I would have been fine with that! After a few minutes we pulled in somewhere and he led me out of the car. All of the sudden I heard a car start(remote start!!!) and he had me open my eyes. There was my beautiful new car in front of me! Then I opened the center console and the Itouch was in there. He engraved it on the back, "Happy Valentine's Day Mrs. Brock 2009. I love you." That night we went to Roy's in Newport Beach and had an awesome dinner. It was seriously the best Valentine's Day ever.

BTW, I'm not in some retro marriage where he makes all of the decisions. We have been car shopping for awhile and he knew this was exactly the car I wanted.

Posted by Laura at 4:30 PM 5 comments

Labels: My Husband is Awesome

I haven't blogged in awhile...Things were pretty crappy during the end of 2008/beginning of 2009 and so with a lot of weight on my shoulders, I didn't feel like talking about it. So as to not ramble, I will make a list of all of the wonderful things in my life.

1. Hubby has a job! He got the offer a few weeks ago but it was contingent on him passing the state's insurance license exam. He starts Monday. Woot Woot!!

2. I got promoted! It's bittersweet because it's due to a co-worker losing her job. She had some serious issues to work and luckily her family has kept us in the loop. She is getting the help she needs.

3. My parents found new renters for their house. The previous renters moved out at the end of December without paying December's rent. What makes me the most angry is that these people moved into this house because the home they owned was being foreclosed on. Some how after many months of not paying their mortgage, the bank is letting them keep the house. So they screwed my parents and just moved. Ugh, it's so disgusting how some people have no sense of responsibility. My parents were really stressing but thankfully they had new renters shortly after. I swear if I ever see their previous tenants I will kick them in the shins.

4. My parents have a new adorable little puppy, Holly. We had to have our family dog, Sierra of 13 years put to sleep in April, which was terribly traumatic for all of us, especially my mom. Now that us kids are grown, her dogs are like her children. They have another dog, Tessa who is five and she really needed a friend. She was so lonely without Sierra. So they were finally ready to bring a puppy home. They got her right before Christmas and she is the cutest thing ever. Bailey already loved going to my parents' house to play with their older dog. So now he has two dogs to play with and he LOVES it. Although now that the puppy is bigger than him, he's realizing he needs some new moves.

5. Our new house is fabulous. We are finally feeling settled and loving how much space we have.

6. I'm back in a workout routine and feeling so much better. I was really down on myself and ready to throw in the towel a few weeks ago.

7. Our dogs are the best. Well that has never changed. They have been the one constant that always comforted us when things got tough. Sorry that wasn't very brief! So in a nutshell, life is good. I feel rejuvenated and refreshed for what lies ahead. I plan on blogging more frequently now that I have some normalcy in my life. Cheers to 2009!

Posted by Laura at 10:28 AM 6 comments

Labels: Doggies

I've started reading a new book, Refuse to Regain. It's all about helping those looking to maintain weight loss. Since I have found support for maintaining so difficult to come by, I was excited to find this book. In the first chapter, the author presents some statistics that are pretty crazy.

So I basically have a better chance of getting into medical school than keeping this weight off. Rather than let those statistics scare me, I'm going to use it to motivate me. I am determined to be in that 20%.

Posted by Laura at 6:31 AM 1 comments

Labels: Weight Woes

So the last few days I have had a familiar feeling that fills me with dread and reminded me how much I slacked on my workouts. My thighs are rubbing together again! It’s only ever so slight but it makes me so mad. How could I have let this happen? It’s not like I went off the deep end. I still worked out a few times in the last month and still watched my food intake some of the time. Ugh, I guess it’s just a reminder that this is never going to be easy and I’m going to have to be careful for the rest of my life. This blows.
So I wallowed in self pity for a short while and then realized that all that will do is make me fatter. I had so many excuses for myself and it is time for them to stop. From now on I have to get back into my routine and stick to it. We are all moved so there is no reason not to get to the gym four times a week. I started back yesterday and did the first day of Couch to 5k and rode the bike for 20 minutes. I wanted to cry at how slow I was. Some people can not work out for months and then go run a few miles no problem. Not me. Working out is never something that has come easily to me. It took a long time before I didn't curse the gym whenever I went there.
I have to stop beating myself up for how out of shape I’ve gotten in these few short weeks and start fresh. Instead of focusing on what I can’t do that I used to be able to do, I need to start fresh and then focus on my improvements.

Posted by Laura at 10:56 AM 3 comments

Labels: Exercise, Weight Woes

Saw these at Target today. I seriously thought about buying them. Jeans have always been my enemy because of my muffin top and I long for the day I can wear maternity jeans. I'd do the untucked shirt though, I didn't know any one tucked their shirts in at all anymore, let alone into elastic.

Posted by Laura at 1:48 PM 1 comments

Labels: Life and Such, Shopping and the Likes

The only thing we have really done is paint and get some furniture. The next step is to get some stuff up on the walls!
The living room:

The kitchen:

It's hard to tell but the walls are light green. I'm doing shabby chic with pink and green.The dining room:

This is the kitchen table I had growing up. My parents gave it to us a few years ago but this is the first pace we could actually use it. I'd really like to have it refinished in a dark brown.Hubby's office:

It drives me nuts but he wanted the desk in the middle of the room.

Or bedroom:

I thought I had outgrown Ikea furniture but I loved this bed and it was only $149.

Posted by Laura at 10:31 AM 5 comments

Labels: Life and Such