How I came up with my bracket....

That's right...March Madness is upon us. I always wondered why they called it madness...but now I completely understand. People go crazy over this. It's intense stuff, choosing what teams are going to win and what not. I, personally have never enjoyed March Madness, I don't really get into basketball that much. In fact, I get so pissed off at March Madness because it comes on when I dvr Young and the Restless...and when I go to watch my show and see that it recorded basketball...I get angry. I gots to know what is happening in the lives of Geno City.

I do however watch it when OSU is playing, but once they are out, I am over it. I will say this, when I was going to college we, as in OSU, made it to the final four. Now, that was pretty freakin awesome.

This year is different. I am actually excited to watch the games or at least pay attention to see who wins. Why, you should ask. Because, this gal has a bracket. A full on ESPN locked in official bracket. Miss Football invited me to par take in some friendly competition with her ESPN group, and I created my very own bracket. Yes, I am quite excited.

In emailing Miss Football my picks, she informed me that I must blog about this. Apparently, I pick my teams in a very non-conventional way.

I chose my teams based on if I like their football team, the color of the team, their mascot, if they were in any kind of basketball type movie, and if I just had a gut feeling.

I told Miss Football that I had chosen UCONN to win it all, and she asked me how I choose UCONN to win...this is what I told her:

Well, I chose UCONN to beat Duke because I was choosing either a Devil or a cute white husky...I chose the cute white dog.

I probably should have chosen Ohio to win it all,seeing how they are ranked #1, but I have Kentucky beating them because Kentucky is where the Derby is and frankly, I don't like Ohio. I have UNC beating Kentucky just because...call it a gut feeling.

I have UNC playing against UCONN in the final, but I chose UCONN because I just like them better.

I have Louisville making it to the final against Florida...I figured a gator beats out a cardinal any day...then in the championship game I have a husky vs. a gator. In my opinion a husky should always beat a gator.

 

 

and that is how I got UCONN to be the winner.

And this my dears is how I determined the winner March Madness. ESPN analysts eat your heart out.

What's a Spring Break?

Spring break, huh?? What's that...oh, its when young ones get a week off from life...must be nice to be young and free and to be able to frolic around. Oh, to be in College again, where Spring Break meant going to Mexico and getting hammered drunk and flirting dirty with some hotties from the Jersey Shore. Those were the days...except those days never happened to me.

Nope, I never partied hard, drank to much tequila(well I have done that just not on spring break), or danced with some dudes who looked liked they were the Situation's long lost twin brother.

And I probably never will. Tear. See, I am old now...way beyond my prime of Spring Breakness, I mean, little brother was talking about how he wants to take a trip for Spring Break. I told him I would be his chaperon if he did. He didn't quite go for that. Go figure.

Do I regret not having a typical college Spring Break? Nope, not really. The majority of my Spring Breaks were spent visiting my Nana and Papa. And let me tell you, those two know how to party hardy. I don't know how many nights those two out lasted me. We would stay up playing dominos into the wee hours of the morning, and those two...they play dirty. I am not saying they cheat...but lets just say, they some how always got the better domino's. Just saying.

Who doesn't want to go to a place where you can sleep on a bed, that you just sink into and forms to every bone in your body. It really is like sleeping on a cloud that is just floating in Heaven. You wake up to breakfast already being prepared for you...whatever you would like too. Lunch and dinner is also catered to your liking. Who doesn't want to spring break it there?

I don't get a Spring Break, but I am taking a few days off this week to go visit my favorite hot spot for SB. No, its not Cabo( although that sounds great right now), or Florida..it's the place of Larry and Linda. I couldn't be more excited.

I get to relax, play some domino's, sleep in, eat yummy food, sleep in a cloud like bed...ahh...the life and most of all I get to spend some good QT time with my fav peeps. We will also be celebrating the birth of my Papa. He is a St. Patty's Day baby.

So, here's to the wild nights I have ahead of me this week. I better brush up on my domino playing skills. I will need it against these cheaters.

Happy Monday y'all!!

And I thought he would forget....

T.G.I.F...can I get an AMEN!!

This week actually flew by for me, for some reason...maybe it's the fact I was so sleep deprived on Monday, it just made the first of my week go by really fast. Whatever the reason, I am thankful it is Friday. I have absolutely no plans for the weekend...and I am perfectly content with that. Everyone needs a weekend where they can just sleep in if they want, go to the grocery store, work out, take naps...do something fun on the spur of the moment or just be lazy and drink some wine and watch some movies. A weekend like this is just what the doctor ordered and I plan to relish in it : )

On another note, you remember how baby brother and I have this dumb bet that I should have never agreed to...what was I thinking?? In case you don't remember or you are new to Le blog--shout out to my new followers--Holla!! Let me refresh your memory. My baby brother--who will be 18 in less than a month--wants so badly for me to be in a relationship. Does he care that much about my happiness? Maybe. Or does he need my focus to be on someone else, other than him? Probably.

The said bet that we made was that I need to be in a "relationship" I put that in quotes because I consider as long as I have a date; I will be good, by his graduation. May 20. If I am not, he gets to put me on a dating website. His choice and he puts all the information on there. Screwed? Yes, very much so.

I thought surely he would forget, he is a busy boy after all...prom is coming up, his birthday, he is dating a new girl, nope...he remembers. This is proof.

Text message between baby brother and I

BB: 11 weeks until Match.com
Me: Not funny...can we please re-think this?
BB: Nope not a chance
ME: Seriously
Me: Let's extend the deadline or something
BB: No, that's not in the contract
Me: Lucky for me we didn't sign a contract. So, it's negotiable
Me:Why don't you want to go to prom ( trying to change the subject...it didn't work)
BB: Oh, but its a verbal contract! and I really don't need your permission to put you on there, mom is on my side!
ME: I will get my attorney on this, you two are playing with fire. (bff Miss Football is a lawyer...too bad she practices in NM)
BB: She is out of her jurisdiction...hahaha( I honestly didn't think he realized that, he is a lot smarter than I give him credit for)
Me: Help me out a little, have faith in your sister that you won't need to put me on a dating website
BB: I do but only 11 weeks until it runs out
Me: Your stressing me out.  Find me a BF without the Internet. DO IT!
BB: I will look
Me: Ok, love you
BB: Love you too

And that folks is how it went down. He is relentless...determined to find his sister a man. In a way you gotta love him for it...but I really don't want to be put on a dating website under the control of an 18 year old boy. Lord please help me.

My favorite healthy meals...

I have been slacking in the recipe department here lately. My apologies. Miss Football and I are trying to be more healthy this month. Well, she really came up with the idea because she does this "Happiness Project" where she does something different every month, this month is all about Nutrition. I decided that I wanted to do that as well...so we are trying  to keep eachother in line....which can be hard when you live in two different states. So, with that I decided to share some of my favorite, yummy and healthy meals.

Cooking light's Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas--I love all of Cooking Light recipe's, they are my go to for healthy alternatives.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 enchilada)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2  cups  chopped cooked chicken breast
• 2  cups  (8 ounces) pre shredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
• 1 2/3  cups  plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/3  cup  butter, melted
• 1/4  cup  chopped onion
• 1  teaspoon  minced garlic
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup (such as Healthy Request), undiluted
• 1  (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• 8  (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) finely shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4  cup  chopped green onions

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Remove 1 cup chicken mixture; set mixture aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, brush oil over both sides of tortilla. Add tortilla to pan; cook 5 seconds on each side or until toasted and soft. Remove from pan; arrange 1/2 cup chicken mixture down center of tortilla. Roll jelly-roll style; place filled tortilla, seam side down, in a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 7 tortillas, remaining oil, and remaining chicken mixture. Spread reserved 1 cup chicken mixture evenly over enchiladas. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese and green onions; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

These are the bomb.com...no joke.

Calories:           454

Fat:                   20.3g (sat 10.4g,mono 6.7g,poly 1.5g)

Protein:             30.8g

Carbohydrate:   36.6g

Fiber:               2.2g

Cholesterol:      73mg

Iron:                 2.3mg

Sodium:           757mg


Tortellini-Spinach Soup
from Ellie Krieger's So Easy
serves 4
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
2 ribs celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 14-oz. can low-sodium diced tomatoes with juice (I used fire-roasted)
6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
3 ounces baby spinach, sliced into ribbons (3 cups)
1 9-oz. package fresh store-bought spinach-and-cheese tortellini (2 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 ounces)

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until the onions are translucent and the garlic is softened, another 3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, oregano, thyme and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices and the broth and bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the spinach and tortellini and cook until the tortellini are cooked through, 6-7 minutes. This soup will keep up to three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

So yummy....you are going to love it!
Calories     380
Fat             12g
Protein       24g

Sorry there are no pictures...I haven't made these in awhile, I will try to be more like The Pioneer Woman next time : )

 

What I am loving Wednesday

It's Wednesday...and you know what that means...hump day, middle of the week, two more working days after today until the weekend and What I am loving today.

I am loving my bed. I didn't get a new bed or a new duvet (yet), I just love sleeping and getting sleep. I think I am finally caught up from my wild and crazy I want to be 21 again weekend last weekend.

I am loving that the original Real Housewives are back...that's right ladies, The Real Housewives of OC are back and it is sure to not disappoint this season.

This photo just reminds me that I need to work out and get a tan...summer is just around the corner

I am loving my Papa. He is having some health issues right now and is getting some tests done later this week...I would love it you could please say a little prayer for him. This man means the world to me.

I am loving that baseball season officially starts at the end of this month. Who's ready to watch some hotties in uniforms...this girl!!

I am also loving that with baseball season comes Thirsty Thursday's at the Drillers stadium in T-town...woohoo!!

Well, I that's all for today...what are you loving? Go link up with Jamie

I want to talk about me

Kinda funny title for a blog, right? Because aren't blogs about you? All about you? Yes...they are, but I feel the need to share just some random little tidbits about moi. Information you probably don't care to know, or if your my mom...you already know and probably don't want to hear it,ha! I will feel better knowing that you--lovely people out in blog land-know just a few minor things about this blonde okie.

Lets get started shall we...

**I am 26 years old and my bday is August 26. I celebrate my birthday for a whole week...not just a day. Any and all presents will be accepted : )

**I have an 18 yr. old baby brother--almost 18- whom I whole heartily adore, probably a little too much. I get quite emotional just at the mentioned of him graduating. Not quite, actually, more like Niagara falls crying. Its bad. At his graduation someone should sedate me. Seriously.

**I love my momma. She is my bestest friend. That is all.

**I can touch my tongue to my nose...how's that for talent?

**I can not whistle. Like at all. This really, really bugs me.

**I could eat fried okra for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

**Matthew McConaughey is a gorgeous gorgeous man...I realize this has nothing to do with me, but I was just thinking of how incredibly pretty he is...sigh

**For my 21st birthday my momma and I got tattoos. In the same spot, but not the same tattoo.

**I am addicted to all types of Reality TV, Real Housewives of OC, NY, Jersey, Beverly Hills, Jersey Shore, Bachelor. I really should get a life.

**I have a dream of one day having my own miniature animal farm, i.e. mini horses, mini cows, mini donkeys, mini pigs, mini everything.

**I want to go skydiving...but I am so incredibly scared to.

**I love skiing/tubing at the lake, but I freak out if I am left in the water for too long. I don't want the fish or whatever is under the water to get me.

**There is such a thing as attacking fish. It happened to me this summer. I swear. I was attacked by like a hundred flying fish. I think I may have walked on water that day.

**For my birthday one year, my papa gave me two ponies...one was completely blind and the other one was seriously mean. I am thinking he must have gotten a buy one get one free kinda deal.

**I cut my own hair when I was a child. I gave myself a mullet. I am pretty sure, those are the ONLY pictures my mom took of me when I was little. Just of me and my mullet. Good Grief.

Me and my mullet

I think that is all for you need to know about me for now....more on me later : )

Have a great day loves!

Miscellany Monday

Good Monday Morning, I am too drained and tired to think of anything to say today, so I am linking up for the first time with Carissa @lowercase letters 

1. I. AM. EXHAUSTED.

I really am getting old. I am unbelievably tired today, and this is after getting a full 8 hours of sleep last night and having a nap yesterday. I have no idea how I used to go out on Friday and Saturday nights staying out until 3 in the morning and waking up the next day like I had gotten a full nights rest. This 26 year old sure wouldn't be able to keep up with my 21 year old self. No sir. After partying this weekend like I was 21 again, I plan on taking it easy for a long time...how old am I??

2. I NOW HAVE A WASHING MACHINE

Yay!!! After the explosion of my dear washer, I now have a new one...well new to me. It's wonderful. I am pretty sure I have washed everything I own...even if it didn't need washing. Oh, how we take such luxuries for granted.

3.  SPRING BREAK

For the first time since I have graduated college ( 4 years ago) I will not be having a spring break. I don't think I like this. I have worked in a University setting since I graduated....that is until now. Bummer.

4. MY BABY BROTHER

turns 18 in less than a month. This makes me sad. He graduates in two months. This makes me a blubbering idiot. If I am not in a relationship or something like that when he graduates he is putting me on a dating website. This gives me anxiety. Who wants their 18 year old brother to fill out a dating profile for them? Lord, help me.

That's all folks...now if you will excuse me, I am going to try and find a place to hide and take a nap at work...it's allowed, right?