and i'm back!

Maybe? Let's see what's changed:

• I've mostly been over at Tumblr.
• Bunny turned one!
• M is deployed and it suuuuuucks.
• Our house is still a mess.
• I'm still carrying this baby weight.
• I'm blonde! 
• My job is still awesome. I've worked at some great companies, but I've never been as happy as I am here.

So here we are. I have some posts in mind, so we'll see how long this actually lasts!

my (tv) happy place (one of a few)

My all-time favorite episode of The King of Queens* popped up on the DVR, and it went perfectly with flannel jam pants and a glass of Shiraz. I discovered it when I lived in Queens and ended up on a Netflix shame spiral for hours while snow and freezing wind blew into our apartment from the cracks around the vent. (It was clearly a well-built place.) I always watched it when it came on while I lived in New York and Dallas, but M clearly doesn't appreciate quality television and tries to change the channel when it's on.

Anyway. It's been a stressful week and I so needed this.

Don't even care if y'all judge my taste in TV. GONE WITH THE WIND FABULOUS.

*The one where Deacon and Kelly give Carrie and Doug a horrible oil painting as payback for a past gift. HILARITY.

H54F - tone it up edition!

This week has been pretty rad, you guys. A fun new app, plus a lifestyle change and cleanse that have me pumped!

1. M was away for a couple of weeks and wasn't supposed to be back until Monday, but he called me at work last Friday afternoon and told me he was on his way home! We had a last-minute date night at two of our favorite dive bars, then picked up Bunny from her grandparents' house the next morning.

He's not a huge fan of the camera, though I think he's just the cutest.

2. I'm officially a Tone It Up girl!

Karena + Katrina, the super cute Tone It Up trainers!

After much, MUCH deliberation, research, reading reviews, going through the site over and over... I splurged and purchased the lifetime Regular Tone It Up Nutrition plan (and a bag of Perfect Fit Protein since we're almost out of protein powder). I thought about getting the gluten-free plan, but Karena and Katrina recommend ordering the one that's less restrictive for your lifestyle, and I figured I could always sub in gluten-free items as I wished.

Y'all. I'm LOVING these recipes and workouts so far. Oddly enough, this is the first time in a long time that I actually feel motivated beyond the first day or so. I've been logging what I've been eating, either through MyFitnessPal or in my notebook, and even with too much beer and too many wings last weekend, I haven't gained any weight (I haven't lost any either, but I figured as much).

All of that is to say that the Beach Babe 5 Day Slim Down (5DSD) starts on Saturday, which I'd normally put off because of lunch with Pickle on Saturday and with a college girlfriend on Tuesday, but I figure if I'm serious about eating clean and changing my lifestyle, I need to learn how to get around these obstacles. So. I'm excited for the 5DSD!

3. On a lazier note, my stories have been great this week. The Office and How I Met Your Mother have been just alright for a while, but they've stepped up their game.

And then there's Nashville.

I'll admit, being Southern, I have a soft spot in my heart for most shows that revolve around the South*, but that's not the only reason I love it. It's soapy, but so damn good. The soundtrack is amazing; I listen to "Undermine" and "Love Like Mine" at least once a day (usually more like five). I don't want the season to end!

4. Good week at work! Clients seem happy, bosses seem happy, I'm happy. (I also have a long-awaited massage scheduled for tomorrow, which will be perfect with my first day of 5DSD and yoga!)

5. I currently have a kitten snuggling next to me. Not too shabby.

*Especially Texas. See also: My obsession with GCB and Friday Night Lights.

lighter potato soup

I love love LOVE potato soup. I don't eat potatoes that often, I'm not a big fan of french fries,* but there's just something about a silky potato soup that's so decadent and comforting. Though I love potato soup with cream, I'm trying to lose weight.

I checked out Gina's recipe at Skinnytaste, and though I highly recommend making it, I didn't have all of the ingredients, so I used what I had in this one.

You can use reduced-fat cheese and turkey bacon, but I prefer the full-fat versions, as I think it adds more taste without using as much. (And let's face it - turkey bacon ain't no substitute for pork bacon.)

You'll Need:

• 5 Russet potatoes (I used small-to-medium, so you could use two large ones)
• 1c low-sodium chicken stock
• 2c skim or 1% milk (I used skim - you could also used fat-free half and half)
• Large handful chives (1/4c or so? I love chives.)
• 1/2 c 2% Greek yogurt
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
• Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning
• 3 slices bacon, halved and cooked

You'll Do:

1. Boil the hell outta the potatoes. I scrubbed and peeled them, then diced into fairly small chunks so they'd cook faster. I then threw them in the pot, filled it so it was barely covering the potatoes, and boiled them for about an hour, hour and a half until the water had nearly evaporated.
2. Pour in the milk, chicken stock, salt, pepper and seasoning, then blend with your immersion blender. If you don't have one, I HIGHLY recommend investing. Mine was around $38 on Amazon, and I use it all the time for Bunny's purees, soups, sauces, etc. So much easier than pouring hot liquid into the blender, then back into the pot. Simmer as long as you'd like, stirring constantly to make sure the soup doesn't get too dry. 
3. About 15 minutes before serving, add the yogurt and chives and stir together. Taste, and add in additional seasoning if you'd like.
4. Serve hot with the cheese and a half slice of crumbled bacon; you can use about a tablespoon of cheddar, or add more if you're feeling particularly indulgent.