Hello! This morning I wanted to share a delicious sangria recipe that we made over the weekend. It was my first time ever making sangria (I know, I know, I'm late to the party) and it turned out really tasty! We polished off most of it on Saturday and finished it up on Monday evening while watching the latest episode of the Bachelor!

I know Sangria usually calls for either a standard dry white or red wine, but I chose to use a Moscato because I like my wine sweet and fruity. I also made this on the cheap - using a $5 bottle of wine and a $8 bottle of brandy (and a re-purposed Crystal Geyser water jug as my pitcher - BAM!) Also, I kicked up the brandy a notch, well maybe a few notches and used a full 8 ounces.... like the title says - it's SASSY!

Without further ado.... the recipe!

6. Add the frozen blueberries to the wine/fruit mixture and give it a
    stir (oooooh! pretty colors!)
7. Pour about 1 cup of brandy into the mix
8. Cover with plastic wrap and let it chill and marinate for at least
    30 minutes in the fridge
9. Top off with about 3 cups of fizzy soda, give it a final stir to
    combine
10. Enjoy!

I'll be back in with some more fun later, but for now enjoy your Sangria! :) 

Anyone else have an amazing sangria recipe to share?

Just wanted to pop back in quickly to show everyone my Valentine's day surprise. I was working away as usual and my boyfriend showed up at the office with beautiful Valentine's flowers, and a yummy cupcake!!

Totally made my day :)

That up there my friends, is my morning Valentine's art! Feels like elementary school all over again when you make Valentine's day cards for all the kids in your class. Ah, the simple joys of childhood!

Do any of you have any major plans for Valentine's Day? I'm stuck at work til 5 pm then hopefully off to dinner and a nice long romantic walk. We shall see :) 

I am so. happy. that yesterday is over! I am definitely feeling a little more optimistic today than I was yesterday, and I thankfully made it through the day yesterday without any major confrontations with you know who. She did repeatedly try calling my work station with the tone of a thousand evil wizards (seriously... picture Gollum from Lord of the Rings' voice, and make it 3x more rude and nasally) - but I chose not to reply/respond to that. It isn't worth it. And you know what? If there was something important that needed to be discussed for work (there wasn't) she absolutely could have emailed me (she didn't). 

Anyways, today is a new day and the weather outside is beautiful. It's also already lunch time and I haven't had anything unpleasant. I've actually been pretty productive :). I'm also expecting a package either today or tomorrow (I'm hoping for today), fingers crossed! I've noticed I've been drinking far too much coffee in the mornings, so I'm trying to wean myself off. I ordered some "mocha" protein/fiber shakes that will hopefully help me kick my Starbucks habit, and provide me with a more nutritious breakfast.

Time to figure out what to eat for lunch... soup I packed vs ??? 

Be back in a bit :)

Hello blog world! Today I'm feeling a little down - hence the Tuesday Blues-day post title. I woke up in a good mood, and it is beautiful outside, but as soon as I got into work it seems like my spirits took a major nosedive. S0 - prepare yourselves for a little bit of a downer post today...I just feel like maybe writing it all down might help me feel better. And hey, maybe you guys might have some good ideas for me on how to overcome the issues.

It's not like my job is horrible, for the most part I enjoy it (minus the forced meetings with my least favorite person). It's just that I wonder about the long-term. I know I want to move up, I really want to be a "Marketing Director" by the time I'm 30, and I would love to be made management soon, as in yesterday. The problem is, we already have a "Marketing Manager," and while she isn't my boss (I work directly for the CEO), I feel that she's kind of  major roadblock on my path to success here. I feel like I can't really be promoted because shes been here forever, so I'm sure there'd be some political type backlash if for some reason I was given a higher title. And if I were to be promoted, what would it be to? We don't need 2 marketing managers, and if I was promoted to manager, would they make her director? That would be about the worst possible outcome for me because she is AWFUL to work with. 

When I came back to this company I did it with the explicit guarantee that I would not work for her - only with her in limited capacities. She has driven multiple people to quit, gets in screaming matches with anyone (including founders of the company) who doesn't agree with her outdated ideas, and is generally unpleasant and I really do sometime just wonder about the whole situation...

Lately I've been doing anything I can to avoid having to work with her at all. I'll go out of my way to do extra work just to avoid having to collaborate. When she pages me on my phone I honestly get an upset stomach. I just don't know what to do. I wish I could grow here into a higher management position - I could see myself being a really successful "Director of Sales and Marketing." I do a great job, and get along with and work great with every single other person here. 

I guess maybe it is something I should bring up again during my review? I mean, I've had talks with my boss about the unpleasantness of the situation before and he's been very good about it, given me tips on how to stand up for myself and really helped at minimizing the number of projects we have to do together. This time I guess I should just pose the question more in terms of my long-term growth here, see how he sees my career path progressing in the near and mid-future. 

I just know I can't be stuck in this feeling forever, and I'm too driven of a person to just settle. 

Have you guys ever had an experience like this? A job you love, with one person who just seems to ruin it for you?  

Hello! I know I'm a little behind on the Washington recaps - I've been having some trouble getting the pictures off of my camera, I think it might be on it's last leg. I thought I'd still pop in to share a quick, fresh, salad recipe that can help you start to week off right with a nutritious bang!

Say hello to Rainbow Carrot and Broccoli Flower Salad.

This morning I took a leisurely stroll through the local farmer's market looking for some fun, fresh veggies to incorporate into tomorrow's lunch. I decided on a nice bunch of Organic Rainbow Carrots and a beautiful bouquet of Chinese flowering broccoli.

Once I got them hone, I rinsed off about 7 carrots (a few purple, two orange, and two yellow) and about half of the bunch of Chinese broccoli. Then it was time to get to work! I used a standard vegetable peeler to slice the carrots into tiny thin strips of colorful carrot confetti. Then I sliced the broccoli diagonally with a knife. Last, I assembled the salad with a mix of carrots and greens at the bottom and the beautiful yellow flowers on top as a garnish. Tomorrow at lunch I'll just add a little Italian dressing and have a fresh, tasty, carrot salad!

Hello!! I am so sorry for the long delay in posting! I know you guys must have missed me so much (yea..right!). I didn't really have internet access for most of my trip (staying on a boat will do that to ya!) and then I didn't get home till 1 am yesterday and had so much work (and sleep) to catch up on!

Today's post will recap my flight on Friday and my first full day in Seattle (Saturday). Either later or tomorrow I'll recap Super Bowl Sunday which was OFF. THE. CHAIN. in Seattle - mayhem I tell you!

After work on Friday I headed straight over to the airport for my flight. Luckily, it wasn't too busy and I made it through security in about 15 minutes. I am super jealous about the people who have the new TSA Pre-check status. You get to keep your jacket and shoes on and go thru the metal detector instead of the whole body scanner. I of course had knee high boots, jacket, and scarf that needed to be dealt with before passing through. Oh well, at least I didn't have to get a pat down!

The flight itself was pretty uneventful. I was lucky to get to sit next to a really nice women and we shared a few stories and workout tips throughout the flight. I was a little anxious during takeoff (we had some turbulence) and wanted the flight to be over NOW, but I calmed down after about 15 minutes and enjoyed the rest of the flight. 

The picture above is the beautiful view as we began our descent into Seattle. So many pretty lights!

On the drive from the airport to my dad's boat we passed tons of "Twelfth Man" signage including this cool building with "12" all lit up in the windows! Sorry the picture is a little rough, I was taking these as we were driving!

Once we arrived to the boat, I was shown to my sleeping quarters - which were actually pretty cool. I got to sleep in the main living area next to the furnace/stove (thank goodness, because it was FREEZING!). As you can see, my parents surprised me with a Wells Fargo pony, which also kept me slightly warmer.

The next day we went downtown to check out the sights and sounds of Pike Place Market and the shops around the area. I fell in LOVE with a beautiful Michael Kors purse, but sadly couldn't convince my dad it was a necessity and I didn't really have the $400 to snag it myself :( (See it below!)

After walking about 4 miles we were tired, cold, and hungry. So we headed off to the Cheesecake Factory for a quick lunch. I was pulling for a cool sushi place around the corner that has sushi on a conveyor belt, but my dad decided he wanted cheesecake factory. I had one of their lunch specials that included a small salad and this awesome pizza that I shared with my parents. Highly recommend it! It was loaded with delicious toppings.

After walking around and sightseeing some more downtown, we decided to head back to the shuttle pick up before it got too dark (and cold). After that we checked into out hotel for the night which was in the U district. It was hip and trendy and the beds were super comfortable. We also had dinner at Costa's Greek Restaurant which was AMAZING!  I'll include those pics with tomorrow's recap! See you then!

...don't know when I'll be back again. Well, actually - I do know.... Wednesday, but I can't help but sing that song almost every time I'm about to go on a trip. Which isn't that often anymore. I used to travel a TON for work. I'd be over on the East coast for about a week every month. My months went by so fast because I was either travelling, catching up from travelling, or in the process of planning my next trip.

Things are much calmer now. I haven't been on a plane for almost 2 years! Which is crazy, it doesn't really feel like it has been that long. Either way, I'm all packed up, checked in, and ready to head off after work today.

This morning I packed the last of my clothes into my new duffel and gathered all of my travel size toiletries into a ziplock bag. I planned on watching some episodes of "The Lying Game" on the plane via Amazon Video on my ipad but for some reason that is the only show it wont let me download even though I've purchased it, what gives?! 

I guess I will just have to read a couple of magazines, play some mindless games (I'm on level 92 of candy crush now!), and maybe listen to some music. I'm pretty sure I have a few unread Kindle books I can dig into as well. 

I don't land until around 10pm so I imagine it will be a quick reunion with my parents and then off to bed! We're planning a pretty action packed Saturday so I want to make sure to get enough sleep. Sunday should be pretty fun too, with the Seahawks being in the Superbowl and everything. My dad is pretty excited about the game so I'm sure we'll be watching it somewhere fun. 


I'll be dropping in with daily recaps of my hopefully super fun adventures, so be sure to stop on by. Happy Friday everyone!

As promised yesterday, here are my responses to the 39 questions survey that seems to be making its rounds!

1. Were you named after anyone?
Nope. My parents debated on what to name me for awhile but my name doesn't have any legacy that I'm aware of. I do know that if I was a boy they were going to name me Cody. I really can't picture myself as a Cody (or a boy for that matter!) 

2. When was the last time you cried?
Last Tuesday when I backed my new car into a concrete wall. Still not over that by the way...

3. Do you like your handwriting?
Sometimes. It can be really nice, neat, and pretty if I try. But usually I'm writing things down so quicly that it looks pretty messy and awful. I like it when I try.

4. What is your favourite lunch meat?
Roast beef. It has to be rare though - nice and red in the middle. There is nothing worse than dry, gray-looking roast beef (I'm looking at you Subway!).

5. Do you have kids?
No, not yet. and to be honest I'm not sure when/if I will. A part of me really wants to, but another part of me just isn't so sure. I'd definitely want everything to be in place first (stable home, job, etc.).

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
Absolutely. But, it might be hard to get to know me because I can sometimes tend to be shy around new people. I think it would be worth the wait though, I hear I'm a pretty loyal awesome friend to have!

7. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Yep. Not everyone seems to get it though. 

8. Do you still have your tonsils?
Unfortunately, yes. I sometimes wish I had gotten them taken out when I was younger because they cause me so much trouble. I get tonsillitis a lot, and they swell up all gross and crazy and hurt so bad. I'm too scared to get them out now though - I hear the procedure is pretty risky as an adult.

9. Would you bungee jump?
Maybe, the right person would have to convince me. It wouldn't be something I'd be aching to try on my own and actively pursuing.

10 What is your favourite cereal?
That's a tough one. Depends on the category I guess? I really like Fruit Loops for a sweet cereal, Multigrain Cheerios for an average semi-healthy cereal, Cinnamon Toast crunch for another sweet cereal, I used to also love French toast crunch but they don't make that anymore. I guess I like a lot of sweet cereals. On that note, I recently picked up a box of Poppin Fruity Pebbles. They have pop rocks in them that crackle in your mouth as you eat them. Weirdly Amazing I Promise You!

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Absolutely not. And it drives my boyfriend crazy.

12. Do you think you are strong?
Physically, yeah. I used to have to routinely carry around a 50-plus pound case of equipment for work and I have super strong legs from swimming competitively. Emotionally, nope. I am a super emotional softie.

13. What is your favourite ice cream?
Cake batter flavored soft serve. And the caramel cookie crunch flavor of Talenti Gelato. YUM.

14. What is the first thing you notice about other people?
I notice hair a lot. My hair never likes to cooperate so I always notice when people have such nice, shiny, perfectly curled/styled hair. Mine is either plain straight or in a pony tail. 

15. Red or pink?
Pink! Can't you tell? Just like this super cute duffel bag I picked up at Ross for my getaway this weekend. (Ignore my messy bedspread in the background!)

16. What is your least favourite thing about yourself?
Probably my super sensitivity (see my emotional softie comment above - and yes I know that isn't the correct way of spelling softy). I have a tendency to take things personally sometimes or easily have my feelings hurt by things that would probably be no big deal to other people. I'm working on it though. 

17. Any tattoos?
Nope, and I doubt I'd ever get one. I'm pretty sure I'd change my mind and hate it about a week later.

18. Do you have any hobbies?
Yes, of course. A lot of them are kind of introverted activities (I told you, I'm shy sometimes!). I like to read, watch my favorite TV shows, go on nice long walks, go to the movies, write, daydream, dance, sing (especially to Taylor Swift songs... I know, I know).

19. What colour shoes are you wearing?
Black. Black riding boots to be exact.

20. What was the last thing you ate?
A Halo mandarin orange (or three).

21. What are you listening to right now?
The sounds of my computer humming, no music at the moment. I was listening to the 90s on 9 satellite channel earlier though.

22. If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
Probably a light pink or purple shade, not too bright/neon more of a subtle pastel color.

23. Favourite smells?
Laundry in the dryer is my #1 favorite for sure! Some others...coffee, new car/leather smell, cookies or cake in the oven, turkey in the oven, surfboard wax.

24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
My mom, we're brainstorming activities for when I come visit this weekend. I am so excited :)

25. Mountain hideaway or beach house?
Since I live near the beach now, I'd definitely have to go for Mountain Hideaway. I've always loved mountains and the woods, so I think that would be so nice. However, living by the beach has its perks too - like this cool pirate ship I saw sail by on Sunday:

26. Favourite sport to watch?
Basketball, or volleyball since they are so fast paced and exciting. I like watching football too but there are so. many. commercials.

27. Hair colour?
Dirty Blondish/brownish. Lighter in the summer, darker in the winter!

28. Eye colours?
Blueish green. Some days they look more blue, some days green. And sometimes they have yellow in them. Today, they are more greenish-gray I guess? You tell me... 

29. Do you wear contacts?
Unless I forget in the morning. One time I started driving to work and couldn't figure out why all the signs were so blurry. Oh...right.... my contacts...*turns car around*. That doesn't happen anymore because my eyes have gotten a little worse so it is painfully obvious when I'm not wearing them.

30. Scary movies or happy endings?
Depends on my mood. Sometimes I love to watch scary movies, or even have a scary movie marathon (not if I'm going to be home alone at any point in time for the next week though). But who doesn't love a happy ending?

31. Last movie you watched?
In the movie theater, Paranormal Activity "The Marked Ones," it was pretttttyyyy cheesy. But I enjoyed it. At home? I don't remember what it was called but it was on the Lifetime Movie Channel and was about this family that buys a foreclosed house and the previous owner/tenant is a psycho that wants his house back.

32. What colour shirt are you wearing?
Navy Blue.

33. Summer or winter?
Winter. Although it seems to almost always feel like summer here. 65 degrees today, I cannot imagine what some of you guys are going through with all of the crazy winter storms and serious subzero temperatures. Stay warm!

34. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs. They're more universally appealing. Kisses are tricky - like if you don't want the one someone is trying to give you. Although kisses from the right person are pretty awesome!

35. Computer or television?
Television (or TV shows on my computer). I love getting sucked in to a good (or funnily bad/mindless) TV show. My current rotation includes: Revenge, Once Upon a Time, the Bachelor, Biggest Loser, Mindy Project, Trophy Wife, Real World, Teen Mom 2, Greys Anatomy, Breaking Bad (I'm on season 4), Pretty Little Liars, and Ravenswood.

36. What book are you reading right now?
Right now nothing, sadly. But I will probably either download one or borrow one for my plane ride this weekend. Any suggestions?

37. What’s on your mouse pad?
Don't have one :) who uses those anymore?

38. What colour is your house?
Well I rent it, not own it... but the outside is a tan stucco/plastery looking color.

39. What colour is your car?
Phantom Black (basically a deep black with some sparkles in the paint).

Last night was an interesting night food wise. Neither myself or my boyfriend were in the mood to cook dinner and we really couldn't agree on what to order for take out. What's a girl to do?! Why, have bubbly wine and snacks for dinner of course!

Looks fun right? I looooove love love Dill Pickle chips. I was basically hooked on them as a kid, but it seems like they are almost impossible to find here in the USA. The only ones I've ever found are these Pringles ones - man would I love to find a bag of Old Dutch ones laying around! On another chip note - I also LOVE Ketchup flavored chips which are also a no-go here in California. Sigh.

We spent the night watching the Juan-derful Juan Pablo and snacking and sipping - ended up being a fun Monday night. I felt super bad for Lauren though, when she went in for that kiss and got turned down, what a jerk move. He's totally already kissed almost all the girls in the house. Anyyyways....

Here's another shot of that tasty Moscato, complete with a slice of mandarin orange. Which brings me to my next newest obsession - Halo Mandarin oranges. So. good. I swear I have been eating like 6 a day (or more...). They're kind of expensive, but oh so worth it. they're sweet, easy to peel, and seedless!

That's all for now - tomorrow morning I'll be posting my responses to this 39 questions survey that I saw on RunningWithSpoons (hi!). It'll be a fun way to get to know me a little better, hope to see you all there :) After that it will be time to start packing for my vacation to Seattle! I still have to figure out what to bring, I honestly just don't have any winter coats or real cold weather clothes!

If you have any good suggestions on what to pack for a 4 day trip feel free to let me know in the comments!