Thursday, January 29, 2009

News

Post 94 - That leaves you 6 more chances to leave a comment and be entered in the drawing for a $10 giftcard to Starbucks!

Another reason I've been a little out-of-touch lately? Planning a trip. It's hard!

We are lucky enough to have basically free tickets so that is cutting out cost down quite a bit. I may have posted back in September that Andrew and I were going to Palm Springs with the CPA firm he works for. Well, because of the economy the trip got called off, but the tickets had already been purchased so we pretty much have a free flight wherever we want to go.

Since we went to the east coast in August to see Yankee Stadium as it was closing after last season and we heard that Fenway Park was being torn down after this season we decided on Boston. We were about to book the tickets last weekend, but thankfully looked first to make sure it really was the last season since we'd heard it through the rumor mill. Turns out it's not closing for a long time.

Then we were thinking of Orlando. I really want to swim with the dolphins and they're aren't too many places that that can be done. Andrew knew I really wanted to go so we began planning out trip there. It was so expensive for the dolphin swim! I remembered that when I was in Hawaii a few years ago I went to a place called Sea Life Park which was an awesome park and they offer swimming with the dolphins. I was too cheap to do it the last time, but as it turns out it's $270 cheaper to do it on Oahu then in Orlando.

So, we're going to Hawaii! In addition to just the swim being cheaper, going to Orlando we would have had to pay about $80 each that went over the value of the ticket plus the $100 change fee. For Oahu, we only go over by $.21! So, we are both paying $100.21 for a round trip ticket! I'm trying to convince Andrew to use some of our air miles so we can upgrade one way to first class. Preferably going home so we can end the trip on a high note. We'll see. It takes 15,000 miles one way to upgrade. We both already have miles accumulated, but both just signed up for an upgrade to our credit cards that give us a 20,000 bonus for signing up. So really, that gives us our 15,000 plus and additional 5,000 left over.

Anyways, now that you know our mileage situation, I'll be filling in more of the details as we plan them through the coming weeks. We leave on June 17th and return on the 24th, so have a bit of time between now and then as you may have noticed from the ticker on the sidebar.

We're both really excited and are having fun planning excursions for our graduation gift to ourselves. Tickets and the hotel room (2 blocks from Waikiki Beach!) will be booked this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed for 1st class!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Contest Prize Named

I haven't posted anything in 2 weeks as you may or may not know.

I was thinking of just quitting entirely. I set myself up to feel such pressure to post everyday and then to keep up with my little themes: Weekend Re-Cap on Monday, Food Wednesday and Question of the Week on Friday. When there was something I really wanted to write about it seemed to fall on one of those days when I felt I had to go along with the theme and the next day I couldn't remember what I wanted to write.

I was at Fred Meyer yesterday (kind of like Target I suppose) and saw these journals and put them in my cart. I thought about them the whole time I was shopping. I have a blog. I started it for myself, no one else, as a way to document things and because I read a lot of other people's and like being able to share a small part of their life with them. In the end, I decided not to get the journals because I do have this blog. And really, does it matter if I post everyday or just once a week? Not so much. (Except for when I have a contest that ends on the 100th post...sorry about that.)

So, I am going to keep this blog going. For me. To be able to look back a year from now and see what was going on when I can't remember. Although I do love getting comments, I need to get over myself. It's not like I have the most interesting life, I know it's a bit dull compared to others.

The conclusion to my speel? I am going to continue to write, when I feel like it and have something good to say. Well, when I think I have something good to say...some may think that's never! And I'm not goint to feel any pressure to keep up with the themes I started. If it happens to fall on the day, so be it.

I hope that anyone who was reading occasionally will continue to do so.

By the way...this is post 93. We may make it to 100 and end the contest sometime this year! Oh, the prize is a $10 Starbuck's giftcard. All you have to do is leave me a comment and you're entered. There are only 2 names in so far so you're chances to win are pretty good!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Food Wednesday makes a comeback.

Post 92: 8 more times left to enter the contest. Prize: $10 Starbuck's giftcard.


Food Wednesday is making a return. Are you excited? I'm assuming your head is bobbing up and down right now, right? DISCLAIMER: Sorry to any vegetarians, but I am a meat eater...check back next week for another rousing edition of Food Wednesday! I love animals...we have a pet cow!
Anyways, for those of you who are also meat eaters and for anyone else who may happen to be on a New Year's Resolution Diet, yes is does require being in caps, here is a quick and easy way to cook a chicken breast that reduces any fat that may be on it as well as being very calorie friendly. There are actually only 220 calories in the average 8 ounce chicken breast. Now, the one in the picture is about 6.5 ounces but I just call in an even 8 since I tend to be a sauce dipper.
So, the only thing this really requires is a George Foreman Grill. Everyone has one of those, right? Well, if not you can always put it on a rack in a pan and broil it. Here is my lovely little grill, quite old too, but still works great!

On goes the chicken. I season with Johnny's Dock, black pepper, onion powder and garlic salt. Just toss it on and about 10 miniutes later cut into it to make sure it's fully cooked.

When fully cooked it should look something like this unless you broiled it, then I'm not really sure what it will look like, just make sure to check that it's done all the way through.

And viola! If you are on the New Year's Resolution Diet, here is lunch! If you're one of the lucky one's who doesn't need to drop a few pounds this would be super with some rice and corn or whatever your choice of sidedishes are.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Back. Promise.

It's been almost two weeks since I've posted anything. And to be honest, and I know I haven't been at this blogging thing too long, it was kind of nice. And earlier today, I hit "mark all as read" in my google reader. All 160 posts. Done. Gone. A fresh start for the new year.

Now, I do realize that yes, the new year started 13 days ago, but since I just started back to school yesterday it's really just now sort of starting. 13 days in, I know.

So tomorrow, back to regular posts. Or as regular as mine have been. And to any of you whose blogs I normally comment on I'm sorry. It was just so overwhelming to have that many posts to go through. But tomorrow, back to normal. Oh, and I'm starting a new diet/exercise routine with a goal believe it or not and I'm sure I'll be swamping you with lots of useless information about it.

And the contest still is happening. The prize: a $10 giftcard to Starbucks. Again, I'll be drawing a name from anyone who comments between now and my 100th post. This is the 91st, so a little longer to go. Just a comment, it's that simple.

See you all tomorrow!