D.J. Tanner and the NFL Draft

After a Thursday night Happy Hour and staying out past our bedtime, I welcomed the idea of a Friday night in. My parents are out of town for the weekend, so Dan and I are dog sitting – hence the reason I am up before the sunrise, saving pens from being chewed and blankets from being torn. They’re lucky they’re so cute.

Last night, I was craving chocolate, surprise, surprise, and something about relaxation and sweatpants seems to call for it. So, I decided to make this cheesecake brownie frozen yogurt concoction.

Dan and I were planning to rent a movie, but instead flipped channels between ‘Full House‘ and the NFL Draft. My favorite childhood show + my favorite sport = win win.

I, of course, lived up to my grandma status and fell asleep on the couch before 10:00 PM. That’s alright though, because now, it’s the weekend and I am all like –

Reader Question: What are your plans for the weekend? Good Luck to all you ladies running races this weekend!!

Mid-Week Must Haves

“One of the main reasons that we lose our enthusiasm in life is because we become ungrateful. We let what was once a miracle become common to us. We get so accustomed to his goodness it becomes a routine.”― Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential

I have decided that I need to read this quote if not each morning, at least a couple times throughout the week. Because, if I’m being honest, when I awake in the middle of the night feeling stressed, or am entirely overwhelmed in my days, gratitude is not always at the forefront of my thoughts. I figure that there is no better way to be grateful for your blessings than by counting them.

Which brings me to my mid-week must haves! My mid-week must haves are the experiences and people that help me to appreciate each day for what it offers. This week I am looking forward to the following must haves-

Frozen Yogurt. Fro Yo outings are a weekly thing for our household. I load mine with gummi worms and enjoy every last bite.

Wii Competitions. Dan and I get pretty intense in our Mario Kart races. He claims that he beats me every time, but let’s be real, I taught him all he knows. I am basically the equivalent of Mr. Miyagi in the ‘Karate Kid‘. Aka, I am Dan’s sensei.

DVR. If you read my blog, you know that like all classy ladies, I have a deep appreciation for ‘The Bachelor‘. The fact that it is on, not once, but twice this week is simply glorious.

Popcorn and m&ms accompanied by a glass of wine. I think that the ‘Hannah Montana’ theme song, ‘Best of Both Worlds’, was originally written about the coupling of these amazing products.

Family Dinners. No surprise here, I love my mom and dad. They live about a block away from us, and I take full advantage of the proximity. I also take full advantage of my mom’s cooking, and our mother-daughter date nights. Last week, we headed out for Vietnamese. On that note, I have a new-found appreciation for Peanut Sauce. It is so good!

Reader Question: What are your mid-week must haves?

Braving the Costco Crowd

Call me crazy, but I love Costco. So much in fact that I would categorize it as one of my happy places. I prefer to head to the superstore during the week when crowds are less out of control, but like many of you I’m sure, I can’t always find the time. Dan and I decided to brave the packed lot and shopping cart extravaganza today.

Highlights of the trip included our $1.50 frozen yogurt. I must have really wanted it because I was willing to stand in line a second time after being told that I couldn’t pay with my debit card.

We picked up two boxes of our favorite snack, Mrs. May’s Slow Dry-Roasted fruit and nut packs. Has anyone else tried these? They are amazing plain or in yogurt.

The veggie burgers might have been my favorite snag. Being a vegetarian, I sometimes experience a little cheeseburger envy. I have a feeling that our homemade sliders are going to hit the spot. The brie cheese was a total impulse buy. After one sample, I of course had to purchase a container. 

Reader Questions: What are your favorite healthy snacks? What is your favorite weeknight meal?