on New Years resolutions

on drinking our meal replacement shakes, "we can't have alcohol and you just made the perfect frozen mix for a Maui ever" (Maui= Malibu rum, it's very classy to smell and taste kind of like sun tan lotion)

before bed "I'm so tired, hungry, AND sober" P in the most pitiful voice ever

this morning "I already feel skinnier" P and his ridiculously fast way of losing weight, ugh I mean yay I'm so happy for you hubby.

Have a great day. Today is my last day off and I'm going to work on my fitness with a long, lost friend from high school.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.



Magic Bullet

Ben and I used to watch infomercials constantly. It came to a point where we would know every word to certain ones, most importantly the Magic Bullet. Seriously, we would make fun of the "plot" and especially our friend Hazel, the quirky maid. (I don't know if she was supposed to be the maid... definitely had that blue collar thing going for her, I'm just trying throw the old girl a bone since she's perfectly okay running around her in gown and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. Maybe the gown was some kind of maid's uniform? Just go with it)

Although at times I find infomercials really insulting because they show extremely basic, everyday tasks as way too difficult for anyone to easily accomplish. I am often frustrated because 99% of the time (I just made that statistic up) the commercials show women bumbling around like complete idiots finding back breaking tasks like putting on a blanket, chopping an onion or cooking a dinner for your family that has the same odd, half moon shape. All of these tasks and many more were way too difficult to manage without the aid of this completely plastic devise that somehow the world has functioned without until now.

But now we're on this New Years resolution kick (lifestyle change!) and needed a new blender. Obviously this was my chance to buy the coveted magic bullet. As much as I've made fun of these things, I've really wanted one. Today was my chance and I marched myself into Bed Bath and Beyond (with the rest of cool springs!) and bought one WITH  20% coupon. BAM! Of course I immediately took a picture and text Ben and received the hilarious text back (pictured above).

Literally the second I got home I dug into this bad boy (directions are for losers) and made a banana and strawberry smoothie that was delicious and nutritious (okay, promise to not watch the infomercial again, I'm even annoying myself).

The only downside is the lack of this free, never before seen on television bonus offer of a heart-shaped pancake mold that was first given for the first 100 callers back in the day. Seriously this almost sealed the deal for me so many times (how was it the first 100 callers for five years in a row?). I kept thinking oh how cute will heart-shaped pancakes be... (you know for the once every 5 years I make pancakes).

If this whole thing works out I am determined to become on the testimonials for the Magic Bullet. I strive to be the Southern representative that uses adverbs correctly, has all of her teeth, and never mentions anything of a dog or the hollar.

We shall see. For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

30 for 30 update

So a week ago I started this 30 before 30 challenge. I really love it in a way. Whenever I'm watching useless (amazing) Bravo trash television, I begin thinking, I could be making a lemon meringue pie right now and crossing something off my list. Obviously Bravo always wins. But anyway, I've slowly started the list. (in case you didn't get it before, that's how great of a teacher I am) So tonight I started my photography class. Watch out #30! My wonderful friend Jenna and I are taking this class together, but at different times. As much as I was sad not to take this with Jenna Lee, I did notice that this independence required some alone time...which normally if I was with a friend I would talk, etc but since I was alone I became a master photography (aka took 400 pictures) So yes, I took pictures with a vengeance and felt very productive and inspired. I found myself thinking, "if I could work every other day I would be the best photographer (ha)  ever. Then I realized I had bills and came back to earth. (productivity sucks) So since I wasn't with my girl I had o find new muses/models/inspiration.

We were comparing 3 different modes which focus on moving objects... luckily  no rodent was moving in our room so I had to come up with something else!

Introducing...
My hand!

Notice the folks in the background stealing my super smart/inventive/first ever idea of "capturing" (that's what the teacher called it) someone's moving hand! Good Lord, I'm amazing.

Finally the hand got old.

And for about 20 pictures my iphone got all of the attention.

Then obviously, these random strangers became my new models.

 Hello coke zero model.

Finally these people got old and I had to pursue my tried and true.

Clinque...we've been together since I was 16.

Hello lover.

Ugh, greasy, nasty top. It took a photography class to realize I need to wash my hands before screwing on the top.

Finally we got super creative and left the constraining walls of the classroom and walked around the building to find "inspiration"  This cute, overpriced, open really late coffee house made me miss college and my Oxford friends.

 Obviously I found food.

 I had only started taking pictures of all the amazing yummies with the new settings previously covered when I noticed some weird "glances" (aka wide open mouth stare/ confused look including the eyebrows (which creates wrinkles!) sucks for you!) Finally a brave soul asked, "why are y'all taking so many pictures?" I wanted to create some crazy response, "we are with the super duper cult, and since y'all aren't members we are taking pictures of the "guilty ones" or something else weird but alas I just told him the truth.



Lastly I decided to go really out of the box and use my manual lense outside...AT NIGHT.

Thus producing a 30 slide spectaular I like to call "out of focus" .

Hello beautiful, blury, green chairs. I meant to make you this way. Super artistic.

 Before

After

 and then this damn tree.

 16 attempts later

 Oh, you can tell it's a tree now! Good Lord, let me at Tyra.

Please remember I was using the manual lens. 

So after the first class I really was hooked. Loved my camera before but rest assured I will be super annoying and obnoxious forever and ever because I will want.. no need to "capture" every moment we are together.

It's my responsibilty as an artist. Unless I look fat because I obviously delete those. Obvi.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

"the" meal

After many times of claiming that I would run a half marathon, my friend Kate and I have actually signed up, paid and will run for sure in the first week in October.

(Kate is on the left)

This has been a goal of mine for quite some time and I'm really excited for complete something I've been claiming I would do for years. I really like to run and will feel proud after I'm finished. sprinting across the finish lines, beating everyone, including those inanely fast Kenyans. (why I think there will be competitive Kenyans in Nashville is yet another ridiculous story) Yes, that's all well and good, but can we get real honest about what my inner big girl is excited about?
Ready for it?

The post run meal.
Yes, sadly the contemplation of the perfect meal has been consuming my thoughts for a while and I think I've decided what I want.

As Kate and I victoriously sprint across the finish line I expect champagne to be waiting by our adoring fans and friends (aka husbands who will be required by law to be there). Now I can already hear some of your next comments "you won't feel like doing anything but collapsing". I'm not saying you're not maybe a tad bit right...but I'm choosing to live in denial and believe I will totally have my 2nd  14th wind and will want to par-tay.

So after a little victory champagne, I want a meal that is not usually my choice. After careful consideration I require a hot dog and a pile of onion rings. I mean what is NOT wrong with this meal? Tons of carbs, grease, foods that do not require utensils...perfect!

This meal would not be complete with another amazing beverage. A big beer. Usually I'm a wine fan but for some reason, beer seems to be the only acceptable post half marathon drink in my mind. In a perfect world I would partake in Pyramid Apricot Ale, but...

since it is no longer sent to our part of the country anymore I will have to settle for something else. Yet to be determined. Have to save something for our 8 mile run this Saturday. Please don't worry...the 8 mile/ Eminem reference was not lost on us and I'm preparing a gangster play list.

For Natalie's News this has been, Nataile-Corinne.

dress drama

I wish I could say I was one of those people who was always confident with their appearance. I wish I truly believed "the ebb and flow of my body is a natural occurrence" and that "I should be happy that God gave me a body at all" and other hippie nonsense. But...I'm not. Weeks ago the mass texts began ..."What are you wearing to the reunion?" and other forms of this same question frequented my inbox from high school friends. I had no idea what I was wearing to the reunion and was attempting to get in a few more runs before I had to buy something new. So the dreaded time came where I needed to buy a new dress. I began at Dilliards and bought this.

Disclaimer: I only took this pic b/c my friend Sarah and I were texting the day before and she sent me (per my request) these cute pics of her possible dress choices so I did the same.

I remember thinking, oh this is nice and I can wear it to church and maybe work on some kind of special day. Then I decided I didn't want to wear anything to a reunion that I could also wear to church! All my high school friends are so stylish so I felt like I needed to step up my game. I went back to the mall, searched forever and came back with this ensemble:

I love how even in a dressing room I put my hand on my hip to make my arm (which is covered by clothing!) appear skinny.

This dress is so not me and although you really can't tell in this picture, it has huge pockets, lots of buttons, zippers, and I think would be really cool for someone...else. I wasn't feeling good in it and finally went to P and asked his clothing opinion, which I rarely ever do. (Oh, did I mention I asked him this question at 2PM on Saturday when Sam was still at our house and when we were supposed to be meeting friends at 6PM? Because I did.) P looked and looked and finally said, "it looks weird". This may sound hurtful but it really wasn't. I thought it was weird too and although a minor (ugh major!) panic attack began creeping up I ditched my cousin (wow, such a role model) and went back to the mall in a possessed attempt to find something to wear. This kind of shopping is kind of like aggressive stage Mom tripping another kid and sleeping with the director so her kid can be in a car commercial. No one...literally NO ONE could get in my way. I went in and out of stores with a mad fury. When the nice sales associates attempted to tell me about sales or the advantages of opening a store credit card, I gave them the look of a vulcher waiting for it's prey. Back off. Finally I found the dress. I could not wear this dress to church and definitely not to work. I could move, eat, drink, sit, etc.

Leaving for the pre-reunion rendezvous.

Thankfully I found this ensemble with a whopping 1.5 hours to spare before we had to walk out the door. Ugh enough stress to justify starting botox early.

For Natalie's News this has been a very vain, Natalie-Corinne.

taa----daaa----

I'm not one to brag..(all the time) but shut your mouth I made another successful bakery experiment! Because of the eternal (failure) quest for skinny I literally have no idea why I love to torture myself baking delicious goodness but I just can't help myself. There is something about starting something from absolutely nothing and having it be "something" in around an hour that is so rewarding. This time I used Dannon

Light and Fit instead of oil and to support my super successful friend Lindsay. I have to brag on myself because this was super tasty and not so, so awful for you. Of course I sent it to work with P anyway because it was too tempting and I knew my carb obsessed self would be too weak to resist. The truth hurts. 

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

addiction

It's a full on, real deal, may need some sort of professional help when I attempt to plan my gym visits around Bravo's prime time so I can watch the television on the treadmill right? Even though it gives me motion sickness but I don't really care because I want to see some housewives drama that badly? That's crazy, right? Whatever, I can quit whenever I want. Just not ready yet.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Peaches

This is a post about Peaches, and no, not the band that I used to love in the late 90's, the fruit. (Disclaimer: I'm about to sound SUPER old.) We had a really fun weekend. We hung with friends, saw some family, went to the Nashville Farmer's Market, the Global market and attempted to recreate some specialities from our European adventure. Tonight we (P) made a wonderful English dinner including shandies even with the right European lemonade that we found at the global market. Anyway, P cooked everything so I made a dessert by the Goddess of the food network. Obvi...Ina Garten. It's no secret that I've had some baking disasters in the past. I mean cakes sticking to the pan, cakes falling, forgetting to add crucial ingredients, burning almost...everything...yeah, that's happened. But not tonight my friends. Tonight farmer's market peaches + the magic of Ina = no baking drama and a quite tasty dessert (pictured right...from Ina's website, not my camera work) that is so good I will be sending it to P's work so I won't be tempted to eat and other (and another, and another ) piece. Success. So, yes, I just sounded super old, right? Whatever, judge all you will-I keep posting, baking, and praising Ina in the hopes that I will be finally invited to one of her fabulous dinner parties with Jeffrey and all the other fun friends of East Hampton.

It could happen one day, right? For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

rules of popularity

One of the amazing perks of being a teacher is getting the summers (unpaid!) off! For some reason, I have never really enjoyed the summer off. The previous summers I've been stressed about finding a new job, or finding somewhere to live, planning a wedding, etc, etc. This summer? Ummm...I've not only enjoyed this summer, I've thrived! Gone on two amazing vacations, met with friends for lunch, and worked out with a new set of friends the stay- at- home Moms and retirees. The stay-at-home Moms are generally hot, have rocking workout clothes, but seem distracted...perhaps it's the entire kid thing. When a class starts late, the SAHMs seem stressed and have to leave before the stretching is over. These Moms sprint up to the kids zone and begin answering questions about lunch, staying at the pool, finishing summer school work, play dates, soccer, etc. The only break these mothers seem to get is an intense 600 calorie burning spin class. The other regulars, the retirees...entirely different story. Gone are the stressful days of being responsible for the life of a child. Crazy days are replaced with glory days filled with laughter and sharing pictures of beautiful grand kids that are taught all their wonderful traits from their wise grandparents but undesirable habits obviously come from the media, some other worthless family member, or something else that the retiree is obviously not responsible for. I mean I realize most of these people have worked for a living and are enjoying the fruits of their labor, planning, and some very wise investing, but with all that careful planning for expenses, vacations, and the unknown did they also plan their future retiree status? Wait, you might ask, what status? Ummm...they are the popular kids, with out a doubt. They leisurely stroll into the gym, talk to all the other cool kids (other retirees), drink the complimentary coffee or tea, begin class not caring whether it begins late or not and then after the class they meet other retirees coming to the next class. They might stay for another class or chat it up with yet another cup of coffee. I thought this was the extent of the retirees social circle, but boy was I wrong. During the carb craze of this week, I strolled into a bagel place and saw some of my new retiree friends, still in their gym attire. Apparently after the social gym hour, the cool kids migrate over to the bagel shop for some more coffee. Obviously these retirees still know the rules of being cool and popular and can stay to a diet like it's their job. Hardly any of my new friends a single carb and those who did, shared a skinny bagel. These retired men and women socialize all day long while staying on their heart healthy diet. As I scarfed down a bagel like I was mad at it, these social butterflies caught up on stories of vacations, grand kids, town gossip, and more. As I pretended to be busy with other stuff, all I could do was listen (spy) on their conversations. After 20 minutes of roaring laughter paired with plans for their future vacations I found myself...jealous. Yes, I'll say it. Jealous of the elderly. These folks are super active (like really, kicking my butt in spinning, it is embarrassing) socialize all day, not once complained of a broken hip, or any health condition for that matter, and generally seem blissful. I know nobody is perfect or happy all the time but their lifestyle didn't seem to shabby. Where does this leave us? Uncool. Unpopular. Always looking in on another crowd that seems to have it hall. Alas! I guess life will always be one really big high school...but with less cases of mono and braces and more wrinkles and grey hairs. Hot.

For Natalie's News this has been a quite nerdly, Natalie-Corinne.