Inversion Fun

No, these pictures are not upside down. The people in the pictures are!

Me (below)

My dad recently bid on an inversion machine at a silent auction, in the hopes of it helping out his back..... well, Christmas Eve Eve at my parents house was spent hanging upside down! Who cares about the benefits the machine has on your back - we wanted to see who could hang upside own the longest!

Mr. Accountant (above) My younger cousin (below)

My brothers girlfriend (above) My brother (below)

My twin brothers (above and below)

and yes, you can drink wine upside down.

Bloglines Help

I just created a bloglines account, but I think I may be doing it wrong. I created 'feeds' for all of the blogs I read, but when I read the posts, everyone's blog looks the same. I thought you could still see someone's layout??? Also, how do you post comments on other blogs, if you are reading them in bloglines?

Holiday Lessons Learned

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas!

Here are a couple of things that I learned over the holidays:

1. Let Martha Stewart be Martha Stewart.

As much as I love Martha, I am going to let her stick with creating the holiday cards. I started off with a great idea, but ended up with a coffee table covered in paint pens, glue sticks, paper cutters, photos, and scrapbook paper. After work I am going to stop by Crane's and pick up next year's cards and eliminate the headache for next year.

2. Things appear bigger online.

Kind of like the mirrors on cars - things may appear closer than they actually are ---- things online may appear larger than they actually are! Specifically, jewelery. Two rings are being shipped back tomorrow, to make room for these lovely David Yurman bracelets. I have learned my lesson.

3. Budget...what budget???

Mr. Accountant decided we should set a very reasonable budget for our gifts to each other this year. I tried to stick with the budget, while Mr. Accountant did not. I could try and say that I was upset with him for going over the decided amount, but as soon as I saw the package and learned that my gift was from the jewelery store where they know us by first name, I was delighted. (No picture yet.... will take one of the necklace and post later.) The Foo Fighters tickets I got him are great, but jewelery always wins!

4. It is fun to give AND it is fun to receive.

My mom has taught me many great things, one being how to give a great gift. I like to give things that someone would love, yet would not go out and purchase for themselves, something that is a surprise, something that is thoughtful, something that the recipient wants, but never realized they wanted. This year, I was extremely happy with how all of my selections turned out - there is nothing like seeing the look on that persons face when they open THE GIFT!

Must be the water.....

As if this is a big suprise. Part of me feels sorry for her. The other part, well pop that pill and wear a condom!



And Miss Allen -- QUIT SMOKING! Your baby is going to be born with black lungs!

Increase Vocab = Feeding the Hungry

This is the time of year where everyone wants to do something to help those less fortunate. I stumbeled upon a site today that allows us to help feed the hungry with a click of the mouse!

Free Rice is a fun, addictive (and FREE) website that tests your ACT vocabulary knowledge while feeding the hungry.

Everyone around me, at work, was hooked within seconds.

Red Bow Headband

I loved the Blair Waldorf red bow headband when I first saw it, but I has to settle for the Erin Featherston Target version .....

..... until I found this! Now, if I could just find the navy blazer with yellow trim.....

Smashbox vs Monistat

I found this product tip over at So Frugalicious and I had to try it out. I have used the Smashbox primer in the past, but hated to shell out the $36 for less than an ounce of the precious primer. So, when I read her post about comparison between this and this, I had to try it.

The ingredients are the same, plus you get more for less than $10! I have used it all weekend and have been pleased with the results.



Ingredient comparison:

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer
Smashbox photo finish (original): Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isopropylparaben, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Carthamus Tinctorium (Safflower) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera(Grape) Seed Extract, Cola Acuminata Seed Extract, Propylene Glycol, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Water.




Monistat Soothing Care
Dimethicone 1.2%(silicone), cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone/vinyl dimethiconecrosspolymer, silica, tocopheryl acetate, trisiloxane.

The main difference is that the Monistat does not have all of the "extras and extracts." It leaves my face smooth, non greasy, and make up stays on all day. I got mine at Wal Mart in the condom and pregnancy test aisle. (I have always thought it was funny these 2 products were paired together.....)

I slept with a ghost in NYC

Well, not literally.

I stayed with a friend at her place in the Upper West Side Saturday night, and then headed over to The Hudson Saturday night. All was great, until I tried to go to bed. I turned off the TV then it came back on in 10 seconds. Turned it off again, again it came back on. I tried to mute the TV and just shut the cabinet that it is in…. but even on mute, this possessed TV still had sound coming out. This went on for about a minute, until I called the front desk. They assured me that maintenance would be up to check it out… but, they never showed up. I ended up calling the front desk about 5 times, only to be told that someone was on their way up. (Nobody ever showed) I tried to just unplug the TV, but since it was built into the mini bar / dresser area, there was not much room to dig around for cords. By this point, it is after 12, I have to be up early for my presentations and I am pretty annoyed. I end up just yanking all of the cords I could get my hands on and finally the demon possessed TV shut off.

I am checking out the next morning and I tell the gentleman at the front desk about my TV issue from the night before. He asked what room I was in, I told him and here is his response… “Yeah, we have had some odd things happen in that room.”

My response – “Good thing I am checking out.”

From The Hudson's website:

The Hudson Hotel is hip — yet, some say, haunted.

Greetings

Brrr.... I was not thinking when I only packed heels for this trip! Woke up this morning to a snow covered ground, only to take a walk in Central Park, wearing my high heel black boots! Not only did I look like a complete fool, but I almost busted my a** about 20 times. Oh well.

Legally Blonde was a blast! We had a wonderful time and I am so glad the strike ended just in time for me to see the show.

Also, I have been a vegan for the past 24 hours. My friend is a vegan, therefore as her houseguest I was a vegan. It was not that bad.....

OMG You Guys!

That’s right --- I get to go channel my inner Elle Woods this weekend when I am in NYC. Lucky for me, the Broadway strike just ended and I can squeeze in this show while I am up there. I saw part of it on MTV, but it is going to be even better in person!

I am going up early tomorrow morning; I wish I was getting to go for a longer period of time, but I have meetings all day on Monday then head back to Big D late that night. I do get to see a an old friend from college and we are going to relive the ol’ college days.

7 inches...

… and more in some places! That is how much I just had cut off of my hair. I had had enough of the loooooong hair. It was heavy, had no movement, and took forever to dry. I finally went to my hair guy and had him chop it off! The longest layers needed to reach the top of my bra strap, but other than that…. I wanted some big, sexy hair! (Maybe not as big as just hair that moved...)

No telling how much I am now going to save in conditioner costs!

His place becomes OUR place

The lack of posts over the past week has been due to moving. After being married for a month, we decided it was about time to move ALLLLL of my stuff into his place. It is absolutely amazing how one can accumulate so much stuff in such a short period of time. I am a product whore, but not until I had to share the bathroom with someone else did I see the ridiculousness in having 10 bottles of half used hair serums, gels, creams, sprays, volumizers….. etc. All of those bottles are now in the trash! There is no need for me to have John Freida Sheer Blonde volumizer – I never have had and never will have blonde hair. I am going to begin trying to curb my addiction to hair products. All I end up using is the same thing everyday; therefore all of the excess is gone! It felt kind of nice to trash all of that stuff last night.

There is nothing like having the in-laws over to dinner to make you get your butt in gear to finish unpacking and decorating. (They are coming over tonight) I decided this was just the push we (I) needed. So, for the past couple nights we have been up until almost 1 unpacking, organizing and last night we put up the tree. After realizing that I suck at putting on the lights I decided that this tree is going to the dump after Christmas. No more messing with a tangled mess of lights for me. (I love the smell of real trees, but my allergies disagree with the smell of real trees)

Crate & Barrel has the cutest stockings and tree skirts… and now Mrs. Preppy and Mr. Accountant have the cutest stockings and tree skirts.

I have been collecting ornaments for years… but not just any ornaments. They are all round. Any material. Any size. Any color. But they all have the be round!

Wedding Pictures

I love how our pictures turned out! She was really able to capture all of the special moments...

Dear J.Crew

Dear J.Crew,

Since your cake was the inspiration for my cake, can I get a discount for life? Just wondering.

Sincerely, Mrs. Preppy

Time to shop!

Many of you may have already received this, but below is an Ann Taylor , Ann Taylor Loft, Ann Taylor Factory Store 25% coupon!

Ann Taylor is a staple in my business attire wardrobe.

Blueprint Crafts

I was browsing through the new issue of Blueprint last night to find these really neat (and easy) craft projects.









I love this business card holder template, but I also think it would be really neat to hold photos. The site says it can be blown up, depending on what you are going to use it for. I am not sure if craft stores carry the leather and metal brad piece... I will report back on how these turn out.









This is also a neat calendar. I am not a fan of the big wall calendar for the office, but this one would look sleek on a desk without looking too over the top.

Run The Rock

I may be certifiably crazy for what I am about to embark on. Who in their right mind would willingly run 26.2 miles – for the fun of it? Mrs. Preppy is sure going to try.

I have read that you gain about 10 – 15 pounds your first marriage and I do not want to fall into that trap. Therefore, I am going to begin training for a marathon. I figured this is a great place to announce my plan and you all can help keep me on track.

I think I am going to start local, with the White Rock Marathon in Dallas. It is held every December, so I am thinking that should be good running weather. Wish me luck….. Right now my goal is going to beat Oprah’s marathon time. (She even beat Katie Holmes) I have a good feeling about this one.

If anyone has any tips, suggestions, words of advice, please pass them along. I have no idea what I am getting myself in, but I am jumping in with both feet!

My List

I am a huge list maker. I have lists at work, at home, in my car…. All over the place! I would like to think that having all of these lists would help me be more organized, but as Mr. Accountant can testify to, that is not always the case. I love the satisfaction that comes from crossing something of a list. Even if I have already completed a task, I sometimes add it to the “list” – just so I can cross it off.

Here is a list of 5 things that I like right now. (In no particular order)

Pandora.com
It is an online radio station that creates stations, customized to your music tastes. Put give it a song or artist you like, then a station is automatically created with similar music. Right now I really like the Josh Kelley station and the James Taylor station.

Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara
You may have seen these ads – Drew Barrymore’s lovely lashes are pushing this product. I am a sucker for mascara, so one that promises to plump and not clump is right up my alley. I also love the brush – before it is covered in black mascara, the orange bristles remind me of a sea urchin.


Britney Spears – Blackout
I know she is an absolute train wreck right now, but the CD has been playing nonstop since I got it yesterday.

Crate & Barrel
How mush fun is it to clean out your cabinets and give everything away to your brother and replace it with all new stuff! Our everyday pattern is Staccato and the flatware is Mesa.


Gossip Girl
Yes, they are in high school and I am a working adult.
Yes, they live on the Upper East Side and I live in Dallas.
Yes, they are trust fund kids and I am not.

I love it.