Why I love August

There is a lot to celebrate in August:

8/6 - Our 4 year wedding anniversary
8/7 - My family arrives from Michigan
8/8 - I graduate from USC
8/10 - We drop the dogs off to be boarded and head to the beach
8/12 - My parents' anniversary
8/17 - My mom's 50th birthday

As many of you know, I am "that guy"... er... "that girl" when it comes to holidays and celebrations. I get all festive and giddy when one comes along, and for us, especially this year, August is chock full of special days! Tomorrow is the last day of July, and while I am a bit sad that summer is flying by so quickly, I am more than ready to welcome a new and exciting month!

Love and Lattés,

Katie

PS- I am currently messing around with my layout again (I am so blogsessive it isn't even funny), so pardon any changes that may take place over the next week or so. :)

Short and Sweet

First week back on Weight Watchers went well. I didn't find myself pulling out my hair over diet choices, and easily lost one pound in seven days.

This morning I was able to tighten my belt by another notch.

I am challenging myself to get out the Billy Blanks Tae Bo DVD and work out 5 days this week.

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I am immensely excited about the next couple of weeks, because...

I will be a University of South Carolina alum in approximately 12 days,

and I will be on the beach with my family in approximately 14 days.

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I have fallen in love with Fiber One muffin mixes. It is true what they say in the commercials -- "Cardboard, no. Delicious, yes." Their food is healthy, and still shockingly yummy!

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My little brother has recently started dating a really sweet and adorable girl, who I cannot wait to meet. Her name is Kattie (pronounced the same way as my name), which is sure to amuse and confuse the family. :)

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My in-laws have taken in a rescued horse named Sybil. She is super sweet and so pretty! I like to feed her apples... she can tell when you have treats for her when you're about a hundred feet away. She's skinny, but healthy, and in time will look like a million bucks!

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Justin is currently working a lot, which is both good (money!) and bad (I really miss him). But, we are thankful for every opportunity.

Gotta run! More later. Have a great week, all!

Love and Lattés,

Katie

Worth Seeing

Since finishing up classes, I have spent a ridiculous amount of time watching movies and TV shows on DVD (thanks, Netflix). In case you were wondering what to watch this summer, I thought I'd share my humble point of view on some of the better things I've seen.

First up, Weeds. Now, this is a show I was a bit skeptical about to begin with. For those of you who don't know, it's about a suburban widow who decides to become a drug dealer in order to support her family and their luxurious lifestyle. Okay.. so sometimes, the language can be a bit much, and there is basically no way I could ever relate to the show at all. Having said all that, though, it's a pretty entertaining show, and the writing is extremely clever. I would probably give Weeds a B, and will continue to watch it when the next season airs.

Next up: Gran Torino. Once again, this one's got some pretty rough language, but it simply wouldn't make sense any other way, given the ultra hostile nature of the main character, who just so happens to be a widower. (What is it with widows and widowers? Must make for a good story..). There is a perfect mixture of sweet and sour that makes Gran Torino very much worth watching. I was drawn in from the beginning, and hooked till the end. I'd give this film a B+.

Another show we have recently started to get into is Mad Men. It's about "ad men" in 1960s New York, and the clothing, dialogue, etc. reflect the setting eerily well. The writing can be a bit confusing sometimes, and the plot has had its slow moments, but I'm hooked anyway! I haven't seen a ton of episodes yet, but I'd give the show a B- and will continue to watch it.

Last but not least, I just *have* to rave about one of my all-time favorite shows. It's on HBO, it comes on every Sunday night, and it's absolutely addicting. It's............

That's right. This one's about vampires that live in Bon Temps, Louisiana. It has everything a good show needs: action, romance, mystery, shock value, and of course, blood. :) Watch it. You know you want to. Of course, keep in mind that HBO doesn't censor much; there are some pretty adult scenes every now and then, and the occasional "F bomb" is dropped. But, I love this show. I have never been so intrigued by a vampire story in my life! I give it an A. Can't wait for the next episode!

More to come.

Love and Lattés,

Katie

Back to the Drawing Board.

At the end of my nearly carb-less week, I found myself two pounds lighter (never did lose any more after the first couple days) and a bit grouchy. I know it works wonders for some people, but I just don't think it's the right fit for me. What fun is losing weight if you're bitter about the method, right? Oh, well. At least I can say I tried it.

So, what now, you ask? Well, I have decided to go back to the one program that never lets me down: Weight Watchers. I have also come to the conclusion that the number on the scale won't likely move much further without some serious exercise. I played tennis with Justin's family twice this weekend, and I am feeling it all over! We have also been doing quite a bit of swimming - real swimming, not just floating around in the pool. So, if I keep up the exercise AND count my calories, I think I will finally get some results. Why is it that it takes so much work to get in shape? My goodness!

More to come.

Love and Lattés,

Katie

Success!

So, I found an adorable dress to wear for graduation and just had to show it off! It arrived in the mail today, and it fits wonderfully. (Actually, it's a teensy bit big - guess my weight loss tactics are working. Score!) It's a little modern and a little traditional... kinda like me!

Don't you just love it when you find just what you need the FIRST time?

Love and Lattés,

Katie

Bye-bye, carbs.

Upon seeing someone close to me lose a good amount of weight pretty quickly on a low carb diet, I decided on a whim to give it a shot myself. Now, I know what some of you are thinking: "Low carb = high fat, right?" Not necessarily. I've sort of come up with my own diet plan with a lot of good protein and plenty of natural, easily digestible foods. Today is day 3, and already I have lost 2 pounds- and that's without much exercise!

So far, my favorite low-carb foods have included eggs, turkey and cheese roll-ups (basically a sandwich without the bread), fresh fruits and veggies, salads and Breyer's "Carb Smart" ice cream bars. Once I got into the swing of things, it really hasn't been too terrible. For the next couple days, I have planned out a menu to keep myself accountable. Tonight, I'm making low-carb taco salad, and tomorrow's dinner will be tortilla-less chicken fajitas.

I don't think I'll be able to do the low-carb thing forever, but I realize that I will have to transition out of it slowly, so as not to put all the weight right back on (which I hear is pretty easy to do). My short-term goal is to make it through the week, only eating about 20g of carbs per day, and then slowly add in more each week until I reach a comfortable balance.

To be honest, I never realized how many carbs I eat on a daily basis until I started this thing. Foods like pizza, pasta and bread are an absolute staple for me when I'm eating what I want, and that's exactly why I think this change will make a noticeable difference. At the very least, it will get me back on track so that I can lose more weight at a steady pace.

I'll post more about my progress soon.. I'm sure all my readers are just fascinated by this. ;)

Love and Low-carb Lattés,

Katie

Summer Lovin'

So far, I have really enjoyed this summer. Even though Justin and I haven't gone on a vacation just yet (I'm really hoping for a beach weekend one of these days... hint hint), I have had a lot of fun getting settled into the new house and our new life in Elgin. I have also enjoyed *not* being in class all the time. Sure, work is a little busy this time of year, but it's not so bad. Life is just plain easier since the era of classes and homework has ended.

I have been spending as much time as possible in my in-laws' new pool, for my sanity and my health. I've been doing some "real" swimming to burn a few calories, especially because I haven't been as diligent with my dieting lately. (I have maintained my weight since unofficially stopping Weight Watchers, but plan to get back in the groove and actually LOSE some more very soon!)

Yesterday, I went to a cute little salon in Camden called Allure, and got a new look a la Jennifer. I think she did a great job!

Oh, and weekends - now they're the best. Sleeping in every Saturday, sipping on a great cup of coffee, floating around in the pool, sharing some great conversations and a few laughs with my adorable husband... these are the things that make me happy.

We've been doing some work on our backyard, however, and that is not so happy for this girl who just mowed her first lawn a few weeks ago! I have a cut on one finger and a tiny thorn stuck in my left thumb from pulling up weeds and roots yesterday. Guess it's time to buy a good pair of gardening gloves! Oh, well. Once we turn our rough, sandy backyard into a pretty, grassy one, it will have been worth all the thorns. I am looking forward to getting the grunt work done so we can lay down some soil and seed!

Even with the not-so-fun parts, I can't help but enjoy myself as summer lazily ticks by. It also doesn't hurt that I will be the proud owner of a BA in English in approximately 27 days!

More to come. Now go out and enjoy the sunshine!

Love and Lattés,

Katie

iLove

Fourth of July was fun. Ate some amazing barbecued chicken, swam in the in-laws' new in-ground pool, played with cute kiddos and had some nice conversations with the family. Got a sunburn on the tops of my thighs, though, from sitting with my knees bent by the pool a bit too long. Whoops.(Above: Shannon and Emily getting ready to swim at the Vaughan's 4th of July celebration)

Got most of our plants from housewarming in the ground; most are doing pretty well, but the ground is SO DRY right now that we are having to water 2 to 3 times every day so our pretty plants don't die! Here's a photo of the beautiful hibiscus flowers from Jess and Jeremy. I love them so much (the flowers AND the friends ;))

GOT AN IPHONE 3GS! That has been the highlight of my week. I can't put it down! I can check my e-mail, update my Facebook status, take pictures, play games, and listen to music... all in one handy little device. I am in love!
Graduation is just about a month away and I'm getting pretty excited! I have my cap and gown all ready to go. All I need is a diploma!

Since finishing classes, I haven't known what to do with myself. I admit, I have become a bit of a lazy bum after work in the evenings. I have more time now to do the things that make me happy, like watch "reality" TV (The Next Food Network Star, anyone?!), get a little fresh air with the hubby and dogs, and of course, play with my new iPhone! :) You would think I'd get bored with so much free time, but surprisingly, I haven't. You won't hear me complaining, that's for sure!

More to come.

Love and Lattés,


Katie