Vacation pics. Catch Up, cont.

Hey dudes. Glad to be back in the swing of things. I've been vacationing, driving around with my family dudes and doing a ton of yoga.

I got up Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday last week for 6am and 7am yoga classes. I didn't want to cut into family time or be more of a burden in his solo baby pursuits. I've been subbing a bunch too at Deliver Me Yoga so that's been good.

When I pulled up at 5:45 there was a smell of crunchy hippies all the way out in the parking lot. Right after class, I went and got me some of this incense. It brought be right back to college. When I lit it yesterday Todd said, "I'm just really confused, I thought you hated that smell." Me, "I've come around." PS- wearing my Tibetan Buddhist 108 Sandalwood Beads Prayer Necklace Meditation Mala too. Work is causing me to slide into bad thoughts/feelings. Beads are a distraction...that I'm becoming a crunchy hippy. 

Below are some pics and hilarious captions about them all. Big ups to Shannon for winning the Gotein Giveaway. She was the only entry (I can hear the playing of the smallest violin in the world)- but you know what? WHO CARES! Don't we all want to rig giveaways so our friends win them anyway? This way, at least it's honest!

This was EXACTLY the kind of vacation I like. We had a destination but in between, we got to ride in and out of towns looking for diners, drive ins and dives- and mostly sandwiches with french fries on them. Oddly enough, we found one of them along the way in Virgina Beach visiting my old roomie Nicole.

I need to know why he was there though...everything was just meh. 

Around 1985, North of New York City.

2011, South of the Border.

I'm totes using this as a bookmark. Making me smile every time I look at it. 

panorama of Woody's done with Blackberry.

@ Woody's Eatery

Woody's Eatery, continued.

Lawn games @ Woody's. 

Hammock's @ Woody's. 

Park in Chincoteague, VA.

Chincoteague Horse joint.

BBQ joint next to Jiffy Lube.

Sports Clips. I've been cutting Todd's hair since 2006. This was his  first real hair cut since.

More park.

I like the half buttoned shirt on that baby. And the mix-matched prints.

This daddy looks like his daddy here. 

ándale!

Maks HATED this car- I can't blame him. It's basically like driving down Walnut after all the snow has cleared. and potholes are revealed. He's a good sport. 

Todd making sure Maksim didn't drown.

Family port. 

RAAAAWR!

This is why I'm hot. 

Aye, aye. 

The captain.

Todd thought this was funny. 

We had a really good time. Reason for vacay- it was a time share jawn. We got a great deal on the hotel for a  4 day, 3 night stay- only about $120 and we only had to sit through the time share meeting and get insulted once. It's JUST like a car salesman. "Let me go get my manager and see if he has a deal that works better for you." When I flatly refused again and again he said  to me, "Those look like Maui Jim's (sunglasses)." Me: "They are. I work outside and have sensitive eyes." Him, "Well, just saying that you can't hide money." Me: "Oh, really? That's enough." 

On another note- say a pray for my mom. 

Grandmom was in the hospital last week for a UTI- VERY common in the olds. She's having plumbing issues. Meds make her pee a lot, causing accidents, she's embarrassed so she drinks less water. Less water and not peeing = UTIs. Doesn't want to take meds because she's doesn't want to get a yeast infection.

Gram is 92. She's NOT going to change. Things are happening to her body that are beyond her control and I say g'head, gram! b/c she's holding on to whatever independence and ego that she thinks she has. This is driving my mom bonkers. 

So pray for mom. Maybe she can find strength and just be at peace knowing she's doing all she can. 

Playing the catch up game...

...and reflecting on happy times.

I'm really optimistic this week. Not sure what it is- the mantra I've been repeated for a few weeks (calm, appropriately assertive, confident) or just that playing catch up after a week's vacation.

Whatever it is, I appreciate the distraction from matters at hand. I don't have time to post vacay pics today but have I told you dudes how much I love a good deal?

TBone send his mom a belated birthday/mother's day present. $50 at one of those online picture sites. Awesome, right? We never  have to send pictures. Just upload em and that's that.

So, as a result...she reminded us that WE don't post enough pictures. We = me. I guess.

I was sifting through pictures to make sure they were all up to date and I came across a few wedding pics.

Got me thinking about ma'dress that's sitting up in my mom's attic- preserved and sealed but still just sitting there. That got me thinking about what a GREAT deal it was. $120, soup to nuts including the hoop skirt and a shawl. All shipped to me at work. I got it at lunch time and stood on a student's desk to try it on so it wouldn't drag on the filthy floor. Fit like a glove. I got it on Ebay from a nice, concise lady in China. 

These thoughts reminded me of how upset I was about finding a dress that didn't break the bank and I had to feel like a rock star and princess all at once. 

I didn't want to spend too much- I didn't want to feel guilty all day or get worried about spilling some junk on ma'dress. When planning a wedding (or having a baby, or raising children, or buying a house...), it's SO IMPORTANT to examine what you want. I didn't want to pay a lot for my dress.

Most times, I just want bragging rights about what a GREAT DEAL I found. 

If you're anything like me and hopefully you appreciate the links I post from time to time about said deals. And if you don't appreciate it, four finger flick from under my chin to you! 

(just kidding!!!! please don't leave!!!)

So, in honor of wedding nostalgia and finding great deals, here's a linkie poo that I found about getting a great deal on a wedding gown. It's really similar to the deal I struck- custom made, and gorgeous. AND REALLY, really reasonable wedding dresses on Simply Bridal. 

Good luck Brides. Don't listen to people when they tell you how to plan your day. Get a dress, DJ, theme, or whatever you want to make your day rule. 

Tuesday

Guess who la-la-la-loves the beach?

Vacay.

I can't wait to get to South of the Border to buy crap we don't need.

Pumped.

PS- Gotein giveaway ends tonight. I'm blogging from my phone so dig back a few to find the post.

Or...Shannon can just win them by default.

It's my LUNCH in a box!

I saw this lovely little blog last week and I was drooling all over my keyboard.

Since I've been 4 Hour Body-ing, I've been doing a decent job bringing lunch everyday and these little buddies had everything I like in a lunch box- organization (I don't like my foods to touch) and smart design.

But the price tag? Yetch.

Sure, I'd be making an investment and use them every, single, day....but I get a little gun shy when it comes to higher prices.

A little search on the old amazon brought me to these by fit fresh:

Compartments AND a removable ice pack. 

Each of the little cups that come out are actually measuring cups so when nutritional labels ask you to actually measure your portions...no need to get two household products dirty!

I got the whole set from amazon for 25.61 since they suggested after I put one in the cart that most peopleeeee bought the bundle. Amazon, you know me so well. I'm really glad I got the three since we don't use the dishwasher every day and lord KNOWs I don't handwash. 

Happy weekend, y'all.

Stop by and see my buddy Shannon on her birthday- she threw herself a beautiful little pinterest  party. Let me know if you need an invite.

Not your poppa's protein shake GIVEAWAY!

I'm still trying to catch up from the last weekend. Me and TBone volunteered at the Philadelphia International Beer Festival at the Naval Yard. We volunteer from time to time so we can get in free. Otherwise, it's a $50 ticket to get stuck in amateur hour- 1200 drunks...if I paid, I'd feel obligated to stay. Since we didn't, we didn't stay too long, just enough to catch a decent buzz.

So, about half way into our four hour shift, I found myself dipping into a low sugar blood sugar headache. The food stands weren't open yet so I was about to get really grumpy...but then I remembered I had my Gotein samples they so graciously sent me to try out.

These little dudes come in a handy snack pack and are conveniently portioned to mix with the traditional 16.9oz water bottle.

The first time I tried them, I ripped it too hard and got the powder alllll over my car. I was pissed. The second time through, this weekend at the Beer fest, I ripped it just right and it poured in with ease. I didn't read the directions first...my bad. I drank 1/3 of the bottle like it calls for, dumped the powder in, shook it like a Polaroid picture and voila! Protein shake! My low blood sugar headache was relived in minutes.

Of the three flavors, I think I like the vanilla the best...and walking around with it in my bottle, since it's see trough, makes me think like it's a white russian...so it has that going for it too.

I give this stuff 4 out of 5 Netflix stars- the only thing that's holding me back is the price $24.95 for a dozen...but I'm assuming that's what you need to pay for convenience.

...but...guess what? I have a sample pack to give away!

Comment (and leave a comment for each extra entry) and I'll choose a random comment to send the samples to so you can rate it with your OWN Netflix stars!

...follow my blog and for an extra entry! (don't forget to comment!)
...follow me on twitter for another! @sarahcasarah (don't forget to comment!!)
Enter @sarahcasarah 's #giveaway for #gotein! http://bit.ly/lstUjl
...tweet the following for a fourth! (REMEMBER TO COMMENT!!!)
...BLOG about this and link up! (comment, scheee...)

-PS- comment button has been hard to find for some reason. Check both the top and bottom of this post.


I'll close the comments for the give away on Monday night, June 13th 10pm. Cheers and good luck!

Tip me Tuesday...on Wednesday.

Hey dudes- so much to catch up on.

Let's start with decluttering the pictures in my phone.

Last week, before I found out my LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) was elevated I made these BITCHIN' BURGERS. Also, I got a new phone so my blog pics will be a little less shotty.

If you recall, I'm still doing so form of a slow carb diet so I was LOST in the super market while trying to figure out what to sandwich my burger in between. Then it hit me-

GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS ARE BANGIN'!

Mushrooms scooped, stems sliced off.

Sprayed with olive oil. 

Plopped on grill - note thumb divot in each burger.

Topped with Cooper Sharp (which was always a pain in the ass to slice at  the Wa.)

Notes of importance: 

1. To get a great burger, go with 80/20 meat. 85/15 should work too but anything lower in fat will just dry out on the grill. The thumb divot catches all of the fat that's burning off and evenly distributes. 

2. These burgers were HELLA thick. It was about a pound of meat total. I made 2 large burgers and one little one for BB. Seasoned with sea salt, fresh ground pepper and liquid smoke.  The patties were about an inch thick so for medium well burgs, I opted for 9 minutes each side over the center of the mound of charcoal. If you have a propane jawn- it will probably be less time- gauge the done-ness by applying slight pressure in the middle- what color is the juice running out? The redder, the rarer. Do NOT flatten the burger- defeats the purpose of the grease pool/thumb divot. 

3. Grilled portobello mushrooms are as slippery as a baby learning to walk in an un-matted bathtub. It's sloppy, but it's so, so, so good. 

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