Tasks

Does anyone else write notes on their hand? I do it all the time. I hate to admit it but usually it is the only way I can remember to accomplish personal things that I need to get done. I am great (or at least pretty good) about remembering things to get done at work(thank god for EAS) or for others. I have tried other ways of being organized. I carry around a brown notebook and write down my personal list everyday, my grocery list, my budget and anything to come. But I always forget to look at the brown notebook... I guess I need to write 'brown notebook' on my hand below everything else.

I wish I was one to be super organized and on top if it all and while being on top of it all make everything look cute an easy. But I'm not. If only... But here are a few things that are on my hand, in the brown notebook, on a post it...somewhere... or just in my head to get done this weekend:

1. bank - check
2. vet apt.
3. run
4. 2 bday presents
5. pick up: Off, Calamine Lotion
6. Dry cleaning
7. Rent...that is a biggie, I just remembered that while I was typing...
8. send netflix back
9. clean the house
10. pick up shower cleaner
11. church...yes I forget church. I tend to forget it is Sunday by the time it is Sunday
12. Greenies and treats from pet store
13. Grocery shopping
14. Order plane ticket

I know I am forgetting something... Shoot!

8wks and counting

Last night Potter lifted his leg for the first time! I was such a proud mom. I wish I had had my camera ready. When I took him out again, he squatted.But at least I know we are moving in the right direction. Also, he has only had 2 accidents in the house this week! Hurray! Although he did throw up this morning. It was just water. I think he drank it to fast. Poor little guy.
Tomorrow we go in for his 8wks shots. he is getting so big!

Pavement Pounding Day 2

Day 2 went really well. We went about 4 miles in all and probably ran about a full mile of that. I cannot express how much better it is to have a running buddy. It allows me to look forward to training and it motivates me. The running forum has also been a motivation as well. Not only does it keep me accountable, but it is inspiration reading the success that others have during their training. It is a boost for sure.

I need to cross train today but I dont think I can. I need to be home with Potter as much as possible at night. SO I think cross training is going to have to wait till he is a little older.

I will be back out there for day 3 on Friday and I plan on doing a walk/run on Sat morning as well, hopefully... :/


First 5k: Sept 5th
1/2 Marathon: Feb 14. Mercedes Marathon

28 wks to go!

3 Things a month... Maybe :/

I kind of want to take on a challenge... A challenge of getting rid of three things a month. That may seem like very little. But when I started to think about it (and I am ashamed to admit) I didn't want to let go. But really The key to living is to, "Live Simply and Simply Live". I need more of this in my life. I have never been one who defines myself my 'things' or really even 'has to have' a lot of things. My problem is buying things on a whim that I don't really need and that I don't really use. How many purses do I have that just sit in my closet. I have so many old T-shirts that I hang onto because I might wear them one day. I think it is time that I shuck the random andthe useless from my life.

I also want to take on another challenge... Eating healthy and organic as much as possible. Those of you who really know me know I (again, I am ashamed) Love McDonalds. Really, I know it is gross. I don't eat it all the time, but enough. After My friend Blake told me about Food, Inc. It got me thinking about the process that places like Mcdonalds and all other pre-packeged, fast food companies use to give us what we want when we want it. It is disgusting and as you can see if you just open your eyes and look around, it's not healthy for us. Although it is satisfying in the moment, I always HATE how I feel after I eat that junk. It is time for a change. I really want to start cooking with natural oraganic fruit, veggies and especially chicken and beef. I feel overwhelmed when I start thinking about changing because those labels can be daunting and there is so much confusing information out there, but I know I can do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2sgaO44_1c

Ok... so We'll see how it goes. As it always goes when I take on new things, It will be slow going, some failures in-between, and perhaps (once again, ashamed) some complaining. But it will be for the best in the end right?
Just have to keep repeating that mantra "Live Simply and Simply Live... Live Simply and Simply Live..."

Reading Rainbow

I love to read. And on top of loving to read I am a picky reader. I love a random assortment of books so I am always on the hunt for a great read. But I am hard to please for sure. I don't know why this is. But either way it is. SO I have learned to scrounge when it comes to finding a new book.
I love to go to book stores, but I get totally overwhelmed. There are so many displays and so many pretty and interesting book covers and the fiction section never ceases to intimidate me.

My God Send: Amazon. I love shopping for books on Amazon. They are 1. so Cheap(literally I have paid 1 cent before) 2. Once you have picked out the book you are looking for they offer suggestions on other books based on your purchase and 3. You can save items in either your shopping cart (save for later option) or on your wish list. I cannot tell you how many books I have found through their suggestions. It is so much easier than shuffling through the book store (although I really really love bookstores) and the prices are so much more affordable than at a book store.

When it comes to me and books, I enjoy a lot of them but I don't love them. I only really love a few books:
1. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
2. 1984 George Orwell
3. The Kite Runner
4. A Thousand Splendid Suns
5. Harry Potter
And most recently The Time Travelers Wife. I absolutely loved this book. It was one of those that I dreaded so much because I knew it was going to end at some point but I couldn't put it down!

It is beautifully written and such a wonderful story. There is a movie coming out in a few weeks. I always get nervous when books are turned into movies. The movies are never as good as the books and I really hate it when I see the movie with people who either don't read or haven't read the book. When this happens I get frustrated because I can't seem to adequately explain how much better the book really is than the film. I also hate to be disappointed when I see the movie and find that the characters, scenery and overall feel of the movie doesn't quite ad up to my imaginations version. It is always a little even if it is a well done movie.

That is what I am worried about with this movie. I can handle the mediocre-ness of a movie I "like" but I don't know about a movie that I love. Having scene the previews I am already iffy about the actor that plays Henry. I imagined him so different in my mind. But, I'm hoping for the best.

For anyone who loves reading, definitely pick this book up before you see the movie. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Running: Day 1

Day one of training went well. I have two running buddies which is SO nice and keeps me motivated.
We went 2 miles on the Homewood track interchanging running and walking. I am ready to get back out there!

28 weeks till the Mercedes Marathon!


first race: Butter Bean 5k Sept. 5
1/2 Marathon: Mercedes Marathon Feb 14. 2010

He's a Talker

He's a Feroucious Boy!

I have had Potter for a week and what a week it has been. He is so sweet but at the same time he is very independent which is the nature of Westie's. I can already tell that he is growing. He is so adventurous too. he loves to climb the porch steps but can't get down and so he barks and barks at those steps as if his barking will suddenly move the steps to allow him down.
Potty training is coming along slowly but surely. I have been trying to pick up the signs of when he needs to "go" but there are accidents every now and then.
He is also teething so he has been quite the chewer. I bought him one of those Greenie bones and he LOVES it, which is a plus since it distracts him from chewing on my hand.

The only thing that makes me a little anxious is the crate. I have read up on this and all the sources say that the crate is the best and safest place for the puppy to be while your away. I just hate it though for him. At night he sleep in his crate and it isnt a problem. He will whine on occasion when I first put him in there or when he hears a noise or what not but for the most part the nights are great. But I hate putting him in there during the day. We play together for an hour in the morning and then I put him in his crate when I leave for work and he cries and cries. I come home at lunch and play for an hour and then again he cries and cries when he is put back in but in the afternoon I give him a little treat in his crate which helps occupy him but I still hate it.

I also noticed when cleaning out his crate that he has had a couple of accidents in there. I think this is probably due to the fact that he is only 7wks old and just cant hold it that long. But still it worries me.

Any advice on crating would be greatly appreciated.

I think I just have to remember that he has only been with me for a week... we still have a long ways to go :)





This is Potter and the neighbor dog, Hubble. It is so funny because Hubble is about 80 pounds bigger than Potter but he gets so scared of him!

Gotta Start Saving...

Jcrew just put out their fall 1... and of course I want a few things...



How Amazing is this coat! I need a new coat anyways so I will be saving for this beauty!



I love jcrew cords and I really love this cut. For anyone looking for a great cord check out Jcrew's matchstick cord.





I think these little pixie pants are so chic!



I loved the look of the fabric of this shirt and though the color was perfect for fall.

All of these items can be found on jcrew.com

Magic City on My Mind

After reading this article http://gardenandgun.com/article/big-heart-birmingham?page=0%2C0 in Garden and Gun magazine I thought I would write about the reasons I love Birmingham. Besides the obvious commercial reasons... The Summit and everything else commercial that comes with living a large city, my list is composed of only things that are found in Bham. Some of them are found in the article above but with the reasons why I love them.

1.Homewood: I love this little suburb of Birmingham so much. Having gone to Samford I have been familiar with Homewood's charm since day one. But having been here for 5 years, I truly have come to love Homewood. I don’t think I can ever live anywhere else in the city. I love all the little cookie cutter houses, the young family atmosphere, how central it is to everything else in Birmingham and its uniqueness. It is unpretentious which only adds to its sweet uniqueness and charm.



2.The Alabama Theatre: This venue is amazing. Again, this place has been a part of my life since my first days in the city. My first experience was watching Hook within the historic walls of this “days gone by” feeling theatre. Since then I have seen, Ryan Adams, The Decemberists, Ray Lamontagne, Rent, Ben Harper and Amos Lee at this place. The historic feel of this theatre only added to the memories I have made while at these shows. Whenever I hear that one of my favorite artists is coming to town I am excited but when I hear that they are playing at the Theatre I am ecstatic. Another bonus of this awesome venue is their summer movie series. They show old time classics during the summer months. Gone with the Wind, Chariots of Fire and Breakfast at Tiffany’s are just a few shows I have caught during the summer months.



3.Jackson’s In Homewood: this restaurant and bar is definitely one of my favorites in the city. It is right in the heart of downtown Homewood which makes it even more appealing since I live in Homewood and most of my friends do to. But it’s real appeal is found in its outside porch and “Tuesday Nights at Jacksons” which boast great drink specials and a packed house. It also must be said that they have great food (especially those cookie dough egg rolls).

4.The J Clyde: This is another great bar in 5 points. It has a laid back feel, although crowded at times. But that is to be expected when you have a wide range of specialty beers on tap. There is an artsy feel to this place although it doesn’t boast hippie décor, it’s the people that give it that eclectic feel. This place too has a great porch.

5.Downtown Homewood Shopping: Shoe Fly, Socca, At Home, Three Sheets… There is an abundance of specialty shops in my little suburb of the city. I love to spend Saturday mornings walking the streets and stopping in each shop to see what is new and on sale.

6.Stars Karaoke: Enough said. Go there if you are in town. It is an experience you will never forget. (perfect for bachelorette parties).

7.Bottega Café: I have so many college memories and many of them started at this restaurant. My friend was the hostess at this amazing restaurant for a time and so, needless to say, we frequented a lot. They have great drinks , great staff, and a great atmosphere.



8.Myscoop.com This little website is so great! It hosts articles about what is hot in Birmingham. It has a fashion section, food section, travel section and a ton of other great stuff geared towards hip Birmingham women. Check it out if you haven’t already. They even offer a My Scoop discount card good at some amazing local retailers!

9.My friends: I saved the best for last. This may be cheesy, but it is true, without Birmingham I wouldn’t have such amazing friends. I have been blessed while living in this city to have accumulated a group of friends that will transcend location and time and the plus is that they live in Birmingham! Here’s to you Bunny, Beth, Kerra, Liz, Laura and so many others!

This is a Steal!

I am taking a not from Meg over at Pretty and Pink Megan and going to post an item for sale on my blog. My friend Kerra is moving into a new house and is trying to clear out some clothes and accessories before the big move. She is selling a pair of her Chanel Sunglasses.

They are brown tortoise shell with gold CC on the side. The lens are brown as well.
Below are some pictures:







She is asking for $165.00 or best offer. To purchase or to make an offer just contact me at cebell270@gmail.com in the subject line print GLASSES or Kerrakillingsworth@gmail.com with the same subject.

I hope this is a hit!

Pavement Pounding

Thank God it is Friday.. but what a crazy day it is here at the office! I hope I can make it home for lunch to play with little Potter :/

On another note, I start training for a half marathon on Monday. I have always, always, always wanted to be a runner. My brother is a huge runner and I am so jealous. I think it is such a cheap way to be healthy and relieve stress and there is such a community out there for runners. But my only problem is that I hate it, but I want to love it. I hate the starting out part, how you can't just get up and go 4 miles, instead you huff and puff through a 1/2 mile and then just feel bad about yourself that you want to quit and that you can't go farther. All those other runners make it look so easy!

I am following "from the couch to the 5k" plan to start out. I plan on running my first 5k race on Sept. 5th and then I will start training for the half. I will be following the 5k plan on MWF and doing spin on Tues and Body Pump on Thursday. Quite a plan. But I have 2 running buddies which should help keep me in track and I also joined a beginners running forum on runnersworld.com for accountability and support.

I also think that jogs will be a great activity for Potter and I once he has mastered the collar and leash!

Happy Weekend to Everyone! I plan on being super lazy and living it up since Monday is dooms day!

He's here! He's Here!

He has arrived. Potter is here! He is so tiny! I thought he was 8 wks old, obviously I cant do math, but he is actually 6 wks old! He is so tiny I don't even know what to do with him! But he is the sweetest little thing. He loves to play play play and he is quite brave too. His first night home he slept soundlessly till 6 in the morning in his crate, or his "home" as I like to call it. The second night was a little rougher but we made it through and last night he was perfect!
Until he is potty trained I am keeping him in his crate during the day while I am at work. This morning I put him in there 10 min before I left and I could hear him crying all the way in the living room, it sounded like a dying cat. I felt so bad. But I have been assured that with persistence he will learn to love his little "home". I hope this happens soon and I hope he gets the hang of this potty thing soon too.
Everything makes me nervous with him. I mean I am prone to nerves, so this is nothing new really. I am constantly a little nervous that he feels bad or isn't breathing right or he has a belly ache. I also am nervous that he is going to pee and poop on everything all the time. I get nervous that he is sleeping to much or to little or that I am going to give him an anxiety disorder by leaving him when I go to work. I think I have watched to much, It's me or the Dog lately. I just have to remember he is just a dog when it comes down to it, and they are pretty resilient.
But either way he is great and I love him.
I wil be posting updates on this little guy regularly. But for now here are some pics taken by my friend on her iphone. This weekend I will be dragging out my camera which I never use.

I just inherited this:

HP, books, countdown

Saw Harry Potter last night. I was so excited all day leading up to the movie and I wasn't disappointed. Although it was somewhat of a 'filler' film to help lead up to the seventh and final installment, I still loved it! It was really funny and the man that plays professor slug horn is incredible. All that to say it was really worth the wait.

On another subject, I am reading Julia and Julie. I saw a preview for the movie version a couple of weeks ago. It is a story about a woman who vows to cook every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year and blog about it. Obviously for their to be a movie about it starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, her blog turned out to be a success and of course her book was a national best seller. I always like to read books before seeing the movies, it never fails, the books are always better, so naturally I picked it up. And I am really really enjoying it. I am pretty picky about books and I haven't read one since the Time Traveler's Wife (which you must read...right now) that I can't put down. It is an easy read and the way she writes is very entertaining. I recommend it for anyone looking for something fast and entertaining to take up some time.




I received Potter's collar in the mail today. It is going to be just right for him! again, the countdown is on for the new little polar bear. It has been delayed somewhat due to a family situation, but non the less, he will be here in a matter of days! I think this may be a bit of a shock to both of our systems at first but, in time, I am certain we will be the best of friends.

Confessions

I am addicted to shopping.
I only buy things I love... granted.

But do I need them?
Do I have enough money for them?
Do I need to put them on a credit card?
Is it wise to check daily at anthropologie.com to see if my wish list items have gone on sale?
The answer to all these is No.

The problem is not wanting, or even making a wish list or checking the sale items. The problem comes in when I realize that the item is on sale, or that I have just enough $ to purchase the item without starving for the next 2 weeks. When this happens, I suddenly feel a rush! I click to make sure they have my size and then it is all down hill from there. I whip out whatever plastic can handle the item and hastily click away till I confirm my purchase.
I feel no guilt when the item is officially in my hands. All I feel is relief that the panicky, rush-to-the-head feeling that I get when I notice I can either afford the item or it is on sale is gone and alleviated for the time being.

Just yesterday this panick hit me for this item:


It had been on my wish list since May and when I saw that it was on clearance, The Rush To The Head hit my like a ton of bricks. I stopped my cubicle work, dug in my purse for my credit card and hastily confirmed that the information that they have stored in their system for me was correct and that this item was now mine.

Really do I need this top... nope. Really do I want it... yes. Really should I have much more self control...yes.

It almost happened again today. With this dress:



I had seen it in the store one weekend in June and have wanted it ever since. I noticed it had gone on sale today and tried my hardest to justify buying it, I even had the rush going as I looked through my check book ledger and almost transferred saving to buy it. But then I remembered that I have a puppy coming and I am going to need those savings!
SO I didnt give into the rush.
But
If...
It goes in lower... I might not be able to resist...

Life Changer

This past week was quite a week. I started the week off with an ear infection, no good, so I hastily slumped my way over to the dr. office where they shot my little booty up with cortizone and prescribed a Z-pack. I thought I was on my way back to health and wellness when suddenly Tuesday night, while catching up on a Gossip Girl rerun, I began itching furiously all over my body. No good. It seems that the Z-pack had hit my body quite hard with an allergic reaction. All week I battled the medication already in my system. By the weekend I was pretty much out of commission, needing to recuperate. Friday I took a Benadryl and fell asleep while watching re-runs of the dog whisperer. Saturday was a repeat of the same only with Dateline Mystery re-runs invading my dreams. Sunday things were starting to look up but it seemed I still needed some rest and I ended up sleeping the day away in my dear friend Kerra's Luxurious bed!
Today I awoke to thunder storms and rain outside my window... If only I could stay in bed... But you cant make lazy days last forever, so off to work I headed surprisingly rejuvenated and ready for a new, healthful week. I've got Spin on the calendar, food for the week in the fridge, and a puppy to prepare for. The countdown to the new member has begun... 5 days and counting!

Oh and what else is there to look forward to this week besides getting back into the routine of my life.... Why... Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, lest you have forgotten!

it's is gonna be a good, life changing week for me!

Up Country Collar

I bought my first purchase for Potter. I know I said that I was done buying non-essential items, even when it come to the pup, but I had to purchase a coming home gift for him.
I bought him a sweet collar from Up Country Inc. It is yellow with blue polka dots. He is going to look so handsome.
I couldnt get my image to upload so I am posting a link to their website.

http://upcountryinc.com/index.cfm

budgets, hiatus, pup

I want this dress very badly...




But I think I may be putting myself on a clothes and non-essential items spending hiatus. I have had some unforeseen costs creep into my wallet that have shown me it is time for me to get on a budget and stick to it... it will pay off in the end right? And on the 18th I will be adding a little furry polar bear to my family:



That's right... Im getting a puppy... Graham "Potter" Bell. I am so excited!

I will keep you posted on the budget, shopping hiatus, and puppy happenings!

All my bags are packed...

I am headed to the beach tomorrow for the fourth of July weekend which is my favorite holiday of the year! Here is a preview of what will be in my suitcase:


(Anthropologie carambola shft dress)
I love this dress so much! I plan on wearing it on the 4th with some blue earings and sparkler in hand!

This little green shift dress reminds of the 1920's and it is a great light and breezy linen, perfect for the beach.


(Anthropologie Peacoat Shift Dress)

And on the beach I could only hope to look as good as this model in this bikini I bought on clearance at Victoria Secret.



What will you be wearing this holiday weekend?