The iPhone

I heard a rumor in May or June that Sprint was getting the iPhone soon.  I was due for an upgrade in June, but wanted to hold on JUUUUST in case.  I've had Sprint since 1999 (my first plan was a 60 minute per month plan, lol, and I RARELY used it because I just used the landline), and had no reason to ever switch because of a phone.  I also get a 25% discount with Sprint through work.  So I've waited and waited!  Turns out the rumors were true.  iPhones were available for pre-order on October 7th.  I put in my order for an iPhone 4 (as that one was only $99, and Zac's was cool enough) and waited until the 14th, when it came in the mail.  The only differences between the iPhone 4 and 4s are 1) the camera is better and 2) there is a voice activated "helper" (both which I do not need).

Out of a very large brown box came a cute little white box...

containing an i-phone, USB cable/outlet attachment and earphones.  I've never had a phone come with earphones before.  Very nice!

I was on my way out with some friends to a local bar (with Wi-fi), so I brought my phone out there to try to activate it myself.  Though I did not activate my phone on my own, I was able to connect to the Wi-fi.  I could not stop playing with the damn thing.  In fact, I had to go and get it activated before I just DIED.  So I took it to the Sprint store over in West Glen.  Got there at 7:45 pm, closed at 8.  Yes, for that night I was one of THOSE people that I hated.  When I was a server, there were always THOSE people that would come at 9:45 pm (when we closed at 10, on a Saturday) and sit there all night.  Luckily the two technicians out there were super cool and let me stay.  Thank you, thank you!!  I am so sorry, guys.  I think with the launch of the iPhone 4s the same day they knew they'd probably have to stay there that late anyway.  So I tell myself to make myself feel better.

I got my phone activated and took it home...

So far:

With the Netflix app, I've listened to several episodes of "Basketball Wives."  I drove out to Omaha to see a friend for a birthday, and was very impressed with the video/sound quality.  None of that "refreshing" stuff.

I enjoy watching Evelyn cause a bunch of drama!  I can't help it!!

I've been "checking in" with the Foursquare app.  Checking in at the chiropractor's office (yes, the one that I don't need to go to, but bought all the adjustments and am stuck with now)...lol, check!

Done some on-phone banking with the USAA app.  You can even take pictures of your checks to deposit them!  I haven't tried this yet.

Listening to music with the Pandora app.  Who knew Foster the People had other songs besides "Pumped Up Kicks"--and that they are really good!

The list goes on and on...I'm sure you could do some of these things with a Droid but whatever...I love my iPhone!

What I'm loving Wednesdays Part 2

Hello!  Just wanted to let you know what I'm loving today!!

Greek Quinoa and Avocado Salad from "Better Homes and Gardens:  Anyone Can Cook" book.  It's true!  Anyone can with these recipes.  They are organized in skill levels (1,2,3)--and even the 3's are not that difficult.  I fixed this for dinner.  It's light, healthy, and incorporates my beloved lemon/olive oil combo with my favorite grain, quinoa (keen-wa).  Quinoa is easy to cook (less than 15 minutes), plus it's a complete protein all on it's own.  Take that rice and beans!  This is also delicious with couscous, which is even easier to cook, 5 minute tops!

Greek Quinoa and Avocado Salad (from "Better Homes and Gardens:  Anyone Can Cook")
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 cup water
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh spinach
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (I omitted this)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Spinach leaves
2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Mix the quinoa and water in a saucepan.  Bring to boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, covered.  Keep it in the pan, mix in tomato, spinach and onion, stir to combine.  Whisk together lemon, olive oil, and salt.  Toss to coat.  Place spinach leaves on 4 salad plates.  Arrange avocado slices on the spinach leaves.  Spoon mixture over avocado slices.

Easiest Recipe Ever.  

Rainy days.  Today couldn't make up it's mind.  I woke up to thunder and lightning.  By the time I left this morning, it was cloudy.  Then around 10:30 a.m., the sun came out.  Around 1:30 p.m., looked like it was about 8 p.m. outside, choked with rain.  Now it's sunny again!  I love rainy days (and we've been pretty low on them lately around Iowa).

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  I love them and always have.  Especially the miniatures!  A main staple in my refrigerator.  I may not always have milk or butter, but I usually have Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Japan

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/10-000-free-round-trip-tickets-japan-134142507.html

So, there is an article promoting 10,000 free round trip tickets to Japan!!  The catch (and what a catch because I think I'd do this anyway)...is that you've gotta blog about it and promote the country.  It's trying to promote tourism since the tsunami.

I would LOVE to go back to Japan!  I grew up in a military family and lived in Japan for a few years.  I was there from 2nd-4th grade (late 80s/early 90s). Old enough to remember, but too young to truly appreciate, possibly.

The tsunami was really sad!  Unbelievable.  You know what popped into my head, though?  I would NOT be surprised if everything was cleaned up and rebuilt already!

American Eagle Jeans

Here's a random post of the night:
American Eagle Outfitters was a favorite of mine in college.  Their cute clothes were perfect for walking around on campus (Shout out to Iowa State, yay)!  I spent many a dollar at American Eagle.  Nothing like an A&E hoodie to wear out on campus or a cute sweater...

So, towards the end of September, I was walking through the mall with Zac and saw that American Eagle was having a sale ($29.99 for most pairs of their jeans), I was pretty stoked.  I hadn't gone in the store for YEARS and was looking for some cute skinny jeans.  American Eagle, well had them...

I bought some that kind of looked like this...
They are my favorite 80s throwback that aren't so 80s anymore!  I wear them with flats, like the model shown here, or boots, and, voila super cute!  Skinny jeans, to me, look put together, and when it's snowy outside, they don't drag along the ground causing that 6 inches of cold, wet jean along  your calves, oh brrrr.....and they get all dirty...not a fan of regular, boot cut jeans during the winter (though I wear those also, just need to make sure to wear taller shoes when it snows...)...but here's the thing. 

They smell...

Really weird...like a bleachy, dirty, hung in a chicken coop type smell.

I'm not kidding!

I don't know if I want to wear them.  I don't think other people can notice.  I tend to be one of those people that washes their jeans every time I wear them, so I go through a lot of jeans (!)...and I like them to smell fresh out of the dryer.  These jeans don't smell like that.  AND it's not just these--I bought two other pairs and they smell just the same.  My other jeans don't have a smell, it's just my American Eagle ones...

The guy checking me out called me ma'am, which was kind of "stinky" too.  My mom is ma'am!  Not me!  Zac was like, it IS obvious you are older than a lot of the people in the store, you're not dressed like a teenager and you don't look like one.  Thanks ;).  He didn't say it mean, but maybe it's time I don't go shopping down memory lane. 

I'm not the only one who's noticed this...
http://fashion.allwomenstalk.com/american-eagle-jeans-smell-weird/
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110118190404AALwr3K

What is your fashion quirk?  Anyone ever notice this at another store?

My Morning Routine

Thank you Amber from "A Little Pink in The Cornfields" for your blog idea!  I decided to go with my morning routine instead of night routine, because I am bad-to-the-bone and basically go to bed without washing off my make-up (of note: I do brush my teeth).  Not much of a night routine.

My mornings during the week are usually the same.

1) 5:15 a.m.:  Zac's alarm wakes me up, usually does not wake HIM up.  I am one of those people that relishes those minutes in bed, so though I'm ready to get up, I lounge in bed for awhile.  Zac is honestly still sleeping (and he shouldn't be because he has a 45 minute drive to get to work by 7:30a.m.).

2) 7:00 a.m.:  Officially wake up and turn on my *pager*, which I keep next to my bed.  No, you did not stumble into a blog post from 1999.  For my job, I have to carry a pager.  Haaaa!  During the week I carry a pager from 7 am-5pm (Monday-Friday), overnight once a week, and every 4th weekend.  Get grumpy if someone calls at 7:01 a.m.  I need that time when I wake up to not talk to anyone.  I try not to be to people on the phone, it's not their fault they have to call.

3) 7:02 a.m.:  Stumble into the bathroom, and usually find Phil (the cat) in the bathroom sink.  It always makes me laugh.  Take shower.

4) 7:20 a.m.:  Get out of shower, get dressed, put in contacts.  The contacts are relatively new to my life.  Yet amazing.  I didn't realize how poorly I could see until I started wearing contacts in May.  I always had a prescription, just rarely used it.  Anyway, amazing.  I use the kind you can throw away every day.  No muss no fuss.

5) 8:00 a.m.:  Grab a Diet Coke and head out the door.  So healthy.  I love Diet Coke, it is my lifeline. 

A piece of the weekend

The weekend did not start off right.  I went home from work on Friday with gastroenteritis.   Stomach flu.  Not fun.  For a nurse, I'm a really big baby when I'm sick.  I constantly think about how sick I am and how I need to be resting, drinking fluids etc.  I feel sorry for myself!  I want people to feel sorry for me!  Biggest.  Hypochondriac.  Ever.  I guess I wouldn't say I'm a hypochondriac, because I'm not one of those people who always THINKS they are sick with something.  I find that amusing, actually.  Possibly a coping mechanism.  For the record, I just feel sorry for myself when I'm actually sick, lol.  I stayed in bed all day and night after I got home (which was approximately 10 am).  Oddly enough, Zac ended up coming home with the same bug!  So misery had company.

Luckily, a good sleep cured what ailed me!  Saturday, Amber and I went to the Downtown Farmers' Market.  We had a great time perusing the stands.  It was a beautiful, sunny day and everyone seemed to be in a good mood.  I quickly got over being sick.  Amber's long-haired double-dapple dachshund Lexi got SO much attention.  She is absolutely adorable, so how could she not?  Such a calm, sweet thing.  I bought fingerling potatoes and jalapeno peppers.  Approximately 5 lbs of fingerling potatoes.  What the heck am I going to do with all those?  I suppose Zac and I will eat them/let them sprout.  It had been awhile since I'd been to the farmer's market and I didn't want to buy too much since I didn't have bags.  I didn't realize all they had though--I'm definitely going to be getting grass fed beef and local Gouda cheese next time.

Soon I'll post real pictures.  I have two cameras I keep in my purse.  Two.  Unfortunately I was taking pictures with the camera that doesn't have the ability to upload, due to me losing the cords.  Whoops.  So next time, I will use the other camera.  Maybe not keep the other one in my purse.  I think it's  funny when people take pictures and they just keep them in their camera.  Like it's own little portable photo album.  I JUST found out how to find pictures from the internet to post to my blog.  Changed my life.  I'm not very computer literate, except when it comes to Facebook!  I don't even really know how to use that deeply either.  There are always new things to learn.

What I'm loving Wednesday

Amber, I'm taking your idea on "What I'm loving Wednesday" and going to "run with it."  Speaking of, I just saw a post on Facebook called "How to Write Good"--and it tells me to avoid cliches.  Ahh, I am one big cliche!  Anyway, I am going to start:

1) Des Moines has a co-op!

It opened this month.  It is nice to have fresh, organic, local foods all in one spot.  So far it's very small.  Plus, I like the idea of a co-op.  You have a say in what goes in the store and it's its own community.  I'm thinking of joining ours.  I've never been a part of a co-op, in fact (shudder), I shop at Wal-Mart all the time.  I should be putting money into the community.  With a co-op, you get that opportunity.  I'm glad it's finally been started in Des Moines, Iowa City has a HUGE one!

2) Lutheran Hospital

Their emergency room is great.  It's the only emergency room in town where you have to walk through a metal detector first.  I don't even think you have to do that at the county hospital.  Anyway, our clients get right in to a room, are seen at a timely fashion, and most everyone working here is nice.  I had to go today (luckily the client turned out to be fine) and I am always impressed by how easy everyone is to work with over there.  I also like their surgery center.  Lutheran, I love YOU!

3) Modern Family: Cam

Cam, the one on the right, is so freaking funny, omg!  I'm watching the episode where he's on a juice fast.  Haaaa!  Juice fasts have been a phase at work, and I love my juicer too.

What do you love?

"Stay in the house" day

Hope you all are having a fabulous day!  Fall is one of my favorite seasons.  I love the cool, crisp air, apples, and cuddling up inside with a book, boyfriend and a cat!   I've been craving apple cider like noone's business.  I'm watching my cats buddied up at the picture window right now.  They love to "people watch!"  Just like their momma.  I'll post a pic of the two of them soon.  You've heard about Phil (the giant, orange "lovebug").  There's also Ricky, his "little brother."  Ricky is a smaller, younger grey tabby.  Shy and sensitive; he's going to be the one that comes up to you if you are sitting quietly, and just snuggle on your lap. 

I am such an animal lover.  I have some more spare time lately and have been thinking about volunteering at the Animal Rescue League. 

I haven't been the most productive on the weekends and think it would be fun!  What do you think?  It's better than "Stay in the house" day.  LOL, let me explain.

I have a goal to pay off all my student loan debt.  So far, I've paid off a little over half, the original amount being around $32,000.  I also have paid off my car (2008 Honda Civic, bought new, two and a half years early).  I'm proud of that!  Before I started, I was so overwhelmed I never thought I could ever do it.  Dave Ramsey has been a big part of this, and I can't wait to go to Financial Peace Plaza on debt free Friday and scream "I'm debt free."  Yay!  Someday that is not yet.

I've come up with some creative ways to pay off some of this debt, one of these being "Stay in the house" day.  Basically it's what it sounds like, if you don't leave the house, you don't spend any money.  You do what you'd do normally; talk on the phone, watch tv, cook, have a friend over, play the Wii, anything (but you don't leave the house).  Yes, you could go out and run on a "free" trail, but I know I'd want to stop at the Kum n' Go and get a water.  That costs money, and "Stay in the house" day doesn't let you spend any money.  LOL, unless you were to shop online.  It's not for everyone (and you don't want to stay in the house every day for obvious emotional reasons), but I don't always have the discipline to go out and not spend money, so I have to create my own ways.  I've been able to do it lately because my boyfriend Zac has season Iowa tickets and is gone all day on Saturdays.  Admittedly, I'm sort of embarrassed when he asks me what I did all day, and "I didn't leave the house" for "Stay in the house" day.  

What do you do to help save money? 

Philly Pie

Warning:  Blogger may sound like "crazy cat lady."  In any case, I'm guilty!  This adorable, tiger striped cat is Phil!  Otherwise known as Philly Bop, Philly Pie McHandsome Pants, Phil Collins (who I *love* by the way).   He was adopted from the Animal Rescue League January of 2010.  I had always wanted an orange cat (like Garfield), and when I saw him laid out in his little glass cage, I decided I wanted to meet him.  I also liked his name:  Rob.  HA!  I would have kept that name if it wasn't my best friend's husband's name.  This is who I kept thinking of:

We took him into the pet room.  What amazed me is that this "stray" cat (found on the coldest day of the year waltzing down one of the seediest streets in town) was so friendly.  He let us pick him up without a fight and purred his "little heart out."  I've had several cats and have never met one like this. 

Here's Debbie the E-Harmony Dater, with Phil's doppleganger on her left!  Have you ever seen this video?  Just call her Angie...jussssst kidding!  Anyway, he's remained a joy since we've brought him home.  He walks all over counters, sleeps in the sink, comes when you call him.  The vet even said he had "quite the personality." 

Tell me about your pet!

Subluxations of Life

So, what is your biggest "splurge" so to speak (I put it in quotation marks because usually a splurge is something you enjoy).  The one thing that you just cringe when you think about how you bought it.  Ha!  Everyone has got that one thing, the "gym membership" that is needed (when you work out approximately once a year <-------right here!), the "juicer" (oh wait, I have one of those too), but mine, wow!

Every year my work sponsors a health fair.  One can go and get blood work done, check your weight, height, grab some snacks (since you are supposed to be fasting) etc.  This year we had visitors, one of those being a chiropractic clinic.  I avoided them since I have no aches and pains to speak of.  However, a charismatic man comes up to me and asks if I would like to do a thermal scan.  I'm thinking to myself, I can go back to work or do this for a little bit, so I went for the thermal scan.  Can you come in next week for an adjustment?  "No", I'm thinking.  "Yes", I answer. 

The scan looked like the above.  There were black lines in the cervical (neck) area to indicate that I had a "severe subluxation."  A subluxation, essentially, is a misalignment of the spine.  They are corrected through chiropractic adjustments, exercises etc.  I was terrified.  I thought I felt fine.  This scan and this stranger says I'm not.  To make a long story short, after one visit, I am convinced that much more is wrong with me.  I need a 60 visit treatment plan and said plan will only cost $1400.  "I'LL TAKE IT!"  I paid for it the same day I had my first adjustment.  Granted, it feels good to have my neck adjusted, but $1400?!!  The 60 visits were to be used in 4 months for my "treatment plan."  I bought them two years ago.  As often as I am not going, I am still using these visits. 

The treatment plans include "Dinner with the Doctor" and lots of seminars.  Examples of these seminars include conversations about the dangers of vaccinations, natural eating (organic food, grass fed meats etc.).  It's different than what I thought a chiropractor was because I thought it was just adjustments for pain.  Maybe I could get my money's worth out of this, although I'm not entirely convinced yet.  I believe in vaccinations.

 Just for fun:
What can you buy for $1400:
A USED CAR (a rusted out piece, but you could probably get a few thousand miles out of it)
Sponsor a child for 46 months.

I could get my hair cut, colored, and highlighted 10 times at my salon (she's good!)
Pay off $1400 worth of student loans
A week in Vegas (probably cheaper than that, actually)
A whole lot...


What is your biggest splurge?

Latino Heritage Festival

This is my first blog post, so cheers to me ;)!  I've read a lot of talented blogs and through a friend was inspired to start my own.  I am a little nervous...but here goes.  So a friend of mine and I decided to venture down to the Latino Heritage Festival in downtown Des Moines today.  We had another friend there, a fitness instructor, who was demonstrating Zumba, and we went to see her.  We braved the cold, wind, and rain to make it down!

Didn't scare us.  Nope.  We brought our umbrellas and our "toughness." 

We made a beeline towards the food carts.  First stop--pupusas!  El Salvador's national food with its very own national DAY (that would be November 13th).  A thick corn masa soft shell stuffed with cheese and your choice (whether that be pork, beans, spinach etc.--there are plenty of other choices that weren't offered at this particular cart).  The pupusa was then fried and served with curtido (a tangy coleslaw flavored with chiles and vinegar).  The combination was delicious!  We washed that down with horchata (cinnamon rice milk).  I was also enticed by the baklava (NOT Latino) and had to have some of that also.  I appreciated the corndogs, turkey legs, BAKLAVA--and was only a little confused that they were all there.  I suppose for that picky kid ;).

Here's a picture of the pupusa:

Different booths were set up with information about a particular Latino country, information about businesses etc.  We waltzed our way through there and collected pens, magnets, and the like.  I can always appreciate a good pen... 

As a nurse, I was excited to run into the Walgreens' Wellness Tour with free health screenings.  The health screenings were in a converted Winnebago (shelter + heat + health = win).  There were free screenings for glucose (diabetes is very prevalent in the Latino community, as it is with many) and cholesterol, BMI and body fat percentage, AND the most exciting part (and I'm not kidding) was they could check your bone density through your foot.  I send so many people to have DEXA scans, where you have to lie still on a table for a few minutes.  This test literally took a minute.  Granted this wasn't as accurate, but I just thought that was really cool!  Checked out healthy.  I was a little scared with the bone density/Diet Coke leaching out my bones, but was fine.

Friend didn't get to demonstrate Zumba for very long due to the rain, but it was nice to catch up.  Would love to go next year!  I enjoy learning about different cultures.  What types of events are going on where you are from?