Baby, it's cold outside

Okay. It's really cold outside.  I mean, really, really, really cold. 

When I go outside I feel like a human popsicle.  Last night we remembered (once we were already warm and in bed) that the trash still needed to go out.  I checked the weather and it was 7 degrees with a real feel of negative 7.  Negative 7!  I went outside just to experience it and decided rather promptly to go back inside.

This morning I needed to go to the store and get some beer for beef stew tonight.  It was 10 degrees with a real feel of negative 17!!!  Ack!   Going outside in this weather is just the worst.

I feel so bad for the people who are dealing with even colder weather.  I don't know how they deal with it.  I'm ready to hibernate...now.  That must be why I'm craving donuts!  I need to stock up on fat for my insulation :).

Basically, this: 17 Signs Winter is Killing You

Hot Tea!

I'm pretty sure that my insides contain a tiny old woman.  She's my core.  Some of the things I enjoy most are stitching, drinking tea, and gossiping with my friends.  At our last base I had a lovely group of friends and we would powwow every other week at a 'stitch and bitch'. Sadly, we're spread out across the country, but I think of them often when I drink tea.

This past end of summer/fall I started experiencing deep anxiety and it seemed to be linked to caffeine.  Yes my friends, caffeine! For any of you who've tried to live without caffeine, you know it kind of stinks.  Not only did it mean giving up coffee, I had to give up black tea as well. Super sad face!  Yes, there's decaffeinated, but it's just not the same!

Fast forward 5 months.  I started reading about the benefits of drinking green tea.  There are a ton.  And although green tea does contain caffeine, it also contains something that mellows you out and makes you feel calm.  I thought I'd give it a try.

It turns out that green tea is totally delicious! I have no anxiety after drinking it, I get the benefits of a butt ton of antioxidants, and I get my tea drinking ritual back. 

Huzzah!

Happy New Year!

Oy Vey am I bad at blogging! I can't seem to consistently update my blog to save my life!  I have several blogs that I frequent on a regular basis that I love. I aspire to be like those blogs...and yet it never seems to turn out on my end.  I'd like to try and give my blog a little update...reformat, rethink, redo (reduce, reuse, recycle just popped into my head!)

I have lots of thoughts and ideas, I've just never been able to really put them down on paper - or in this case, on webpage.  I'll try and be better in 2014!

Today I will just give a brief update of what's been happening in Casa G:

• Holidays! Wow, our Holiday season has been a blur of traveling, cooking, eating, and chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate.  It's been fun, but I'm also happy to get back to real life and routine.
• Job Search: I've been on the hunt for a part time job.  I've interviewed at two places and been turned down for one job already.  This upcoming week I'll hear back from job opportunity number 2.  I have to say that it turns out I don't take rejection very well! Not getting hired somewhere after having two great job interviews was a bit of a shock to my system.  But, such is life!
• Weight Loss: Last year I managed to lose almost 15 pounds. I'm really proud of that, but I'm still not sure exactly how I managed to accomplish that task.  I'm thinking it was smaller portion sizes/trying to be more active?  The last 2 weeks I've put probably 3 of those pounds back from all of the chocolate.  I need to stop but it's just so damn good!
• Trying to bring my crafty back:  In an effort to get more organized I decided I needed a menu board to plan my dinners for the week (thus making grocery shopping an easier, more affordable and efficient task.  I didn't want to pay 50 bucks for one off of Etsy, so I decided to get a little crafty.  Here's a picture of a darling menu board that I made this past week:
  

     I also spent the months August through December crocheting a baby blanket for my cousin's baby.  It's so beyond cute that you won't believe it!

• Fighting the never ending battle of laundry, dishes, and housecleaning.  If anybody has any tactics for success in this war, let me know!

I don't think that I have many readers at all, but if you're one of them have a fantastic and magical New Year!


*Edit - I've also been caught up in this TV show called Chuck.  It's dragged me in and I can't escape! Help! Except, don't help - because this show is awesome!