What type of packer are you?

So there are three different types of people when it comes to packing for a trip.

1. Over packers. You know those people, the ones who pack everything in sight because they can think of some crazy reason why they may need it.
2. Strategic packers. These are the people who make lists and check (and double check) that they have everything there and accounted for before they put their things into a suitcase.
3. Under packers. Those are the people who just bring what they need and hope for the best.

I'm an under packer. So here my bag for the week.

I pretty sure I got all the important things I need, but I'm really not too worried that I forgot something. Also there are something I just didn't worry about packing. For examples night shirts to sleep in. Normally I just sleep in Sam's previously worn shirts, so he'll be there wearing t-shirts so there was no need to pack those. Maybe it's just me, but I like sleeping in shirts that smell like my man.

This morning I hit the store for one more important thing I needed for my trip...

That's right. I'm that girl. I didn't get it at midnight, but it was important to pick it up and download it to my phone before I left. I'm excited! The sad thing is that this will only take up 1/12 of the car ride.

Well the bag is packed, the movie is downloaded, and it's time to hit the road!

Too Cool for School

Happy Friday Everyone! And Happy Vacation to me! (and all my other friends going on our trip!) So I was too cool for school so I left work early. I got everything done that I needed to so I booked it out of there. Peace out people! See you in 10 days! But it was a good thing I left early because I had 4 loads of laundry waiting for me at home to fold...

Things you got to get done before you leave for a week. But at these I got to enjoy this while folded.

 

In other important road trip preparations, we had to go food shopping! Road trip staples... water, pop, chips, cookies, candy, Lunchables... you know hitting all the important food groups.

We still need to packs your bags, but I'm not too worried about it. I'm a little worried about leaving the fur baby. I know that the kitty is going to miss his daddy. Did you know cats can hug?

Aren't they cute? Shamrock will just have to make new friends with his uncle Joe because he'll be his babysitter for the week. Well, I better get to packing!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

MyFitnessPal

One of the things I told myself is that once I finally broke down and got a smart phone is that I would use it to help me try to lose weight. I have never been good about calorie counting. I've tried it in the past, and even brought a Weight Watchers calculator so I could have it with me. However, it's never worked out. So I wanted to give it another try so the very first app I put on my phone was MyFittnessPal.

I haven't been working out or really watching what I have been eating for a few months now, so I wasn't surprised when I finally got back in the gym last Saturday and saw this number staring back at me.

So the timing of getting my phone couldn't have been better. And I'm happy to report that when I stepped on that same gym scale today it read 190.1. Two pounds in one week! Now like I said in the past, I don't really trust scales so I'll believe that what I'm doing is working when the number keeps coming down every week.

Currently I have the MyFitnessPal app set to lose one pound a week. I feel like that is a realistic goal, so that what I'm going with. Also, the calorie counting isn't too hard. The only issue I keep running into is when I make a meal, (for example I made chili this week) it asks how many servings the recipe makes so it can calculate the calories and I never know what to put in. I just take my best guess and hope it's close enough.

So being that I'm new to this "MyFitnessPal" thing- is anyone else using this app? Has it help you lose weight? I haven't posted it to my Facebook, because I'm not sure I want everyone knowing my business (just the people who take the time to read my blog). However, I'm thinking it would be nice to have "friends" on MyFitnessPal, so you can look me up by my email- ssdarke@yahoo.com.

I really would love it if anyone has opinions about the app or suggestion on other apps you like or use, just leave me a comment. The more information and support I can get the better. Thanks!

Frosty Friday!

Happy Friday Everyone! I hope everyone has been keeping warm, because it's a bit of a "Frosty Friday" here in Chicago. Here's the view I woke up to...

It's sad when this is consider the "big storm" in Chicago (but I'm not complaining). I wasn't lucky enough to have my school close, but the snow has kept the major of students at home and leaving me to get important paperwork. It's important that I get this project completed by next week, because I'll starting my vacation in 7 day!

(These can in today! It means I'm really going on vacation!)

I'm very excited if you can't tell. This is the "dry" season at school- meaning we have no more holidays off until Memorial Day, so the only way to get break from the office is by using your vacation time. And for a fun vacation with great friends- it's totally worth using the vacation time.

I pretty sure I said this before, but I need something to look forward to because it gives my something to look forward to. So right now it's my cruise. But after the cruise, I don't have to wait to long for my next big trip because I'm going to Seattle in April! I've never been that far west, and I heard it's a beautiful! The reason for the trip- my uncle is getting a big promotion in the Army, so majority of my family is going to make the trip for the special occasion.

(He's 2nd on the left)

I didn't think I've seen this much family since my wedding, so it will be nice to have everyone in one place!

Well I hope everyone has a great weekend!

A Big Step for Me

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a nice weekend. My weekend was very uneventful. The only big event (if you even want to call it that) was that I finally got with the times and now I'm a smartphone owner.

So for some unknown reason I've kept all my phones since the beginning of college (so since 2004). As you can tell I had a type- a phone type. I hated flip-phones since my first phone in high school was a flip-phone. Also, I liked small phone. Over the years my phone did get bigger but they got thinner, so that was nice.

So far I haven't done much with my new phone. I'm still working on figuring out how to use all the different functions, but I know it will take some time. I'm excited to start using the different apps, but I'm nervous about connecting all my different social networks to my phone. But I feel like I'll get over that pretty quick.

One of the things I like about my old phone is that it kept me a little disconnected. I'm worried that I'm going check my work email while on my vacation and not enjoy my time off. Or maybe it will be better to be connected, so I don't have to worry about what I missed. It's a damned if you do/ damned if you don't type of thing.

Now that I have joined the smartphone bandwagon- do any of you have any suggestions on apps I should get?  Looking for a little help getting caught up with what everyone else has already discovered.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Oh Valentine's Day...

So does anyone else think Valentine's Day had really bad timing this is year or what? I didn't give up anything for Lent this year, but if I had Valentine's Day would have been no fun. Giving up chocolate the day before Valentine's Day- I DON'T THINK SO!

So I'm total guilty of showing my love through food. Here is what I got Sam for Valentine's Day-

Yeah... he's a guy. Doughnut, beer, and candy works well. No card needed.

Keeping with the food theme... one of my coworkers had the great idea of having a "Chocolate Party" today to celebrate V-Day. I think she just wanted all of us to go into a dietetic coma. I decide to go against the norm and I brought red valet cupcake.

I figure if someone did give up chocolate, this would be a way not to cheat. And being red valet- it seemed fitting for the holiday. 

Sam didn't really get me anything, but he did make dinner. So that counts in my book. He did his fancy cooking and made us a roasted chicken. It was tasty!

 

Now that we are full and enjoying some relaxing time, I find myself having to share my valentine.

I guess it's nap time for the boys. That cat loves his daddy. He spends hours on laying on Sam. Sometimes I even have to kick him off, so I get my snuggles!

I hope everyone had a great day and got to feel a little loved! (Even if it is from a four legged fur ball!)

Happy Monday Friday!

Happy Monday Friday Everyone! Ok- maybe just for me. Today is both a Monday & Friday for me because it was the first day of the work week and I have tomorrow off! Thank you Mr. Lincoln for your birthday being a work holiday!

I know it's been a week since I last posted. And you want know what happen this last week... I got a week older. And that's about it.

(Oh- and a week closer to our cruise! In three weeks we'll be on a boat! Can you tell I'm excited?)

Speaking of getting older- today is also my cousin birthday! I love she is only 2 months to the day younger than me.

I sent her a text welcoming here into the "27 Year Old Club" and told her it's not so bad. This year will be an exciting one for her because she's getting married in September. I'm excited to go to her wedding, so we can be old married ladies together! Also maybe we can be like our moms and have kids at the same time so they can have some to play with at family reunions.

Well- I hope everyone had a nice Monday! My big plans for tomorrow are to going to the mall/ Sears and get my tires rotated. That's exciting stuff around here... (sad but true). Have a good night everyone!