Something New and Blue for my office

I am so excited to share with you all a photo of my new office addition! I have been patiently waiting a whole week. Drum Roll………………………………………………………

My New Custom Fit Balance Ball Chair from Gaiam!

I have always thought of myself as somewhat active, Paul may say otherwise, but since I have been working a desk job for the last three years, every night I leave noticing my poor posture, tense shoulders, and that my backside continues to grow/flatten. I am going down hill quick. I am worried I will start to look like the little elderly lady with the hump back in no time.

At my previous employment I was always up and down the stairs or running around a race track, so I was able to be active. Now my daily activities include getting up to go to the printer, bathroom, or the lunchroom! The only true activity I get when working is when I am going through the airport security and running to catch my flight.

After researching and sitting in another colleague’s balance ball chair I decided that I too would make the transition. Thanks to my great friend at Gaiam, I am now the proud mother to my very own Gaiam Custom Fit Balance Ball Chair!

I do admit that I have had to change the way I sit completely, but so far I love it! I can tell a big difference in my posture. It forces you to sit straight, the correct way. The chair will help relieve stress on the spine, prevents health issue related to poor posture, and has little exercises you can do while in your office. I am also hoping the chair will help prevent me from growing an office butt (where your butt starts to spread wide and looses all resemblance to J-Lo or Kim Kardashian).

Anyways — anyone who sits at a desk all day, I highly recommend visiting the web and purchasing your own balance ball chair! Here is another photo via Barnes & Noble


Via Barnes & Noble



Sick

This week has not been any fun. I have been so sick. Hopefully with two different types of antibiotics I will be back to health very soon!

PS Chicago is freezing... I can't wait to get back to 70 degree weather!

Weekend Recap(s)

With June 1st around the corner and tax season in full swing, my husband has been MIA working and studying for the CFA. Although I enjoy the alone time to relax or clean house, I usually end up missing my playmate and calling him several times during the day just to chat. From now until June 1st I have made Saturday evenings, mandatory date night!  The last two weekends have been great.

Last weekend Paul got off work early – 4 to meet me at one of my favorite furniture stores in Charlotte to pick up our new bed. We have been in our house for over 3 years and still had not purchase a bed. We have our hearts set on this beauty from Ethan Allen, but a couple months ago I fell in love with fabric headboards. So last Saturday when I was window shopping I found a king size fabric/nail head headboard for the perfect price! Here is a photo after we set it up, I will update later with a finished picture of our Master Suite.



Thanks to Rodney at The Furniture Connector!


After relaxing Saturday night, we got started on dinner! A couple months ago we decided to introduce one vegetarian meal a week in our diet. While on my trip to SLC I came across a recipe for Egggplant Parmesan. What makes this recipe special is frying is not in the directions! We normally fry our eggplant, which makes it super unhealthy. It was very delicious and will more than likely become part of our monthly menu.

Recipe:
1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/4 in rounds
1/2 tea kosher salt (I used regular)
2 tea olive oil
3/4 cup of whole-wheat panko crumbs
6 tbsp of parmesan
3/4 tea garlic powder
1/2 tea dried basil
1/2 tea dried oregano
1/8 tea blk pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups of marinara sauce
2 ounces (1/2 cup) mozzarella


Slice eggplant, sprinkle with salt. Lay eggplant on paper towels and place your glass baking dish on top to draw out moisture. (let sit 30 minutes)
While eggplant is resting, heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add panko stirring often till golden. Transfer to smaller dish, cool for 5 minutes. Add 3 tbsp of parmesan and the rest of the spices and salts - toss. Arrange in separate bowls, egg white and flour. Preheat oven to 425. Take eggplant, brush off salt and blot with paper towel. Dredge slices on one side in first the flour (dust off excess), then egg white then crumbs. Place crumb-side up, on two foil-lined baking sheets. Spritz with cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes or until tender.
Spoon 1/4 cup of marinara over the bottom on an 8 in square pan. Add half the eggplant slices. Pour another 1/2 cup marinara over the eggplant; top with remaining 3 tbsp parmesan. Dot the final 1/2 cup marinara; sprinkle mozzarella over the top. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy with your favorite wine!

This weekend we were on the move. On Saturday, Mom and I went to Hickory to celebrate Valentine’s Day early with a pedicure. Paul got off work early and we took a quick trip to the mall to return some makeup. I recently purchased a wonderful foundation from Dior, but after a couple of weeks I notice that my skin started to get very irritated. After a quick trip to the Nordstrom Laura Mercier counter I learned the Dior foundation I had purchased was very hydrating – I have oily skin, so it wasn’t a good fit for me. So now I have a new foundation by Laura and I am super excited!

After the mall we met up with Casey and Blair for dinner in Gastonia. We decide to give Olive Garden a try, but with an hour and forty-five minute wait we moved on to the next option a new Italian restaurant. Our wine was delicious, but the meal not so much. Paul and Blair ordered a wedge salad! When it showed up at the table, I kid you not it was a half of head of iceberg lettuce, two slices of tomatoes on the side and that was it, no bacon, no cheese! We all had a good laugh and vowed never to return!

Sunday Paul and I skipped Church and Sunday school “we missed everyone though” to celebrate my grandmother’s 95th Birthday…yes 95. She looks absolutely amazing and hardly has a wrinkle on her face! We all met at K&W and celebrated her Birthday, so all of her friends could stop by for a visit. Here are two photos from the luncheon. 

Baby Hunter and Naomi

Slacker!!

Okay, I feel terrible! I have been such a slacker with my blog. Since my last posting I come home every night with the best of intention of updating my blog and I fail. I am back and promise to try harder.

Since I am several weeks behind I will just cover the January highlights.

Let is Snow!
This winter has been very unusual. We have had tons of cold weather and more snow than we have had in years. This last snow was the biggest / deepest thus far. It snowed all day Monday and then we had freezing rain that night. We ended up snowed in for two days, it was great! We tried to make a snow man, but the snow was too dry and we gave up after five minutes, because Paul was using his bare hands; at least he had a coat, toboggan and scarf. And Molly and Nola love the snow! Molly sticks her whole head in the snow and digs like crazy. It is hilarious!

Grab your dancing Shoes
Over the holiday season we received the fantastic news that our friends Chris and Emily got engaged! I think I speak for all of our friends to say, it’s about time and YAY! Emily’s roommates threw her a wonderful engagement party with her friends. I am so excited for Emily and Chris’s big day.

Baby Boy

Over next big event was a baby shower for Christi and baby Langdon. Kellen, Lauren and I hosted the fantastic shower. Actually Kellen and Lauren did most of the work! The shower turned out super cute! And Kellen’s decorations were adorable; she gets the prize in my opinion.

SLC & All the Wanna Be’s

I work in the Sporting Goods Industry and each year, twice a year I travel to Salt Lake City. The best part is of the show is every day at 4:30 the major booths have parties! These parties often include swag give aways, plus free beer, wine or champaign. Here a couple of photos from the show parties. One is from the Columbia Booth and their fashion show. The other is of Tom at the IceBreaker party with the underwear models. Tom, he is a writer and lives in NYC with his fabulous wife Rhonda and their adorable dog Trixi! The other best part of the winter show is the Airport and seeing all the Hollywood Wanna Be’s fly into town for the film festival in Park City. I didn’t make it into town this year, but next year I am staying an extra night and catching a couple of films!