Night At The Fights 1.26.2013

This past Saturday we (my husband, parents, sister, and brother in law) went to "Night at The Fights" in Boston, at the TD Garden. Yes you read that correctly, there was boxing at "The Gaaaahhhden!" Say that with your cheesiest Boston accent, it will sound so much better!

I suppose that I should probably start from the beginning...which will take us back a few years. Off we go! In 2005, there was a show on TV, "The Contender." It was a reality TV show that featured professional boxers (most recognized are Peter Manfredo Jr. and Sergio Mora; as well as many others) who fought against each other to win a million dollar check. I'm not sure why I got hooked, but I did. When Matthew and I started dating in 2006, I remember suggesting to him that we watched the second season. Needless to say, we were weekly debating who we wanted matched up from the "east coast" and "west coast" teams, why one would beat the other, and who we wanted to win it all. Little by little, I started learning things about the sport of boxing. I am by no means super knowledgeable, but know enough to carry my way through a conversation.

Fast Forward to 2010.
I'll leave out all of the details, but my mother in law "reintroduced" Matthew and I to boxing. Three years later, we are avid fans, more so than we thought we'd be, and have been quite fortunate. We intensely follow the career of Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez, and more recently have started following Danny O'Connor. We've become friendly with Edwin and his wife (again I'll leave out the details,) and my parents and I met Danny at his fight last year; he was fighting on the same ticket as Edwin.


Rodriguez vs. Escalera 9/29/2012

 My Parents Meet Danny.
My family is Irish. I don't mean "Hey it's St. Patrick's day, we're all Irish," I mean my heritage traces back to Ireland and my dad is always researching more about the family genealogy. (That's a whole different post!) When we were at Edwin's fight against Escalera (9/29/2012,) Danny O'Connor was also on the ticket. I'm not sure what sealed the deal there: that he's Irish, he had a raucous group of followers, or that there were bagpipers. My parents were done for before the first round began. Danny won his fight (thank goodness, that would've been embarrassing for my "die hard" parents,) and shortly after his fight, my parents were able to meet him. They were also lucky enough to have pictures taken with him. (Thank you Danny!) I of course was playing the role of paparazzi; probably not the greatest idea but they have to make do!


                   

                  Danny & Dad



Mom & Danny

 Shortly There After...
Less than 2 months after that fight in September, Danny announced he'd be fighting at "THE GARDEN," in Boston. It took me about 60 seconds to decide whether or not I'd be getting tickets. ...I purchased 6. Let me get slightly off track...In December, Matthew and I found ourselves dining with Edwin and his wife Stephanie. Did I mention he's 22-0...15 by way of knock out. No? Well he is. Reread that, and let it sink in. We told them about the new found interest my parents had with Danny (read as: another connection to Ireland,) and they (Edwin & Stephanie,) shared that they were hoping to attend the fight, which had been rescheduled to 1/26/2013.


Matthew, Me, Stephanie, and Edwin

Night At The Fights
This past Saturday night, all decked out in our Danny O'Connor gear, we were in Boston at the Garden for boxing. Not hockey, not a concert, and not a basketball game...BOXING. It was CRAZY! Edwin was there as well, not as a competitor or as a fan, but working the corner for Danny in his bout against Derek "The Surgeon" Silveira. Read that back story here: Friend In The Corner. The atmosphere was absolutely electric. Clan O'Connor didn't fail to disappoint with their chants of "Here we go, here we go, Danny O;" the bagpipes were in full swing; and a local fighter was living his dream. Danny is from Framingham, which is pretty much a stone's throw away from Boston. The luck of the Irish was with him Saturday night (not that he really needed it,) and he won the fight, despite "odd" (I'm being nice,) scoring by one judge.

Fight Card

Post Fight
After the fight, while chatting with my brother in law, it was great to see that he appreciated the sport and the talent of the men that were fighting that night. I knew when I ordered the tickets that he liked boxing, but that was it. My sister seemed to be on the fence, but I believe she enjoyed it. I completely agree with my brother in law's statement that "boxing is a fine art." I can only assume, and I'm sure those assumptions fall incredibly short; how physically exhausting going round after round with someone is. It's not only the physicality and the conditioning that is demanded of these boxers, there's the mental component. I can't begin to fathom the mental strength required to literally out smart another person while continuously keeping your body moving; especially when your every physical instinct is saying "STOP!" Or how about knowing you are going to get hit...repeatedly...very hard...and that with one blow, you could possibly be knocked out. It takes a certain person to become a boxer.

My Sister & Brother in Law

Final Thoughts
Here's to the two of these local Massachusetts boxers (Rodriguez hails from Worcester and O'Connor from Framingham,) that are on the verge of becoming household names, if they're already not known in your home. So here's my challenge to all of you reading this, go to see them fight. You.will.not.regret.it. If you can't be there (geographically, financially, or whatever the reason may be,) order HBO (if that's the broadcasting channel,) for a night and watch their fight. It's just as exciting watching it on TV, and you can't say that about many other televised sports. They are talented; hard working; and have more ambition, passion, and "want" than the majority of professional athletes out there. (I'm aware I just called out the players in the NFL, NBA, and MLB; but what I said is true.) The dedication to their sport and the sacrifices they make (months at a time away from their families while they're training across the country,) are unparalleled compared to what the majority of 20 something year olds their ages are doing...myself included.


~Keep It ClaSea

Meatballs

Meatballs
Yield: 9-10 Baseball Size Meatballs

**This recipe is based off of my mom's meatball recipe. I've added and changed a few things over the years to arrive at this "final" version. These are also awesome when they're split in half and put on a grinder roll. Just giving you an idea...

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. Lean Ground Beef (I use either 90% or 93%...you can use any ground meat, I've done it!)
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Large Egg
1/2 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic (Jarred is fine!)
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Black Pepper (Break out the pepper mill for some ultimate flavor!)
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tsp. Dried Oregano (I've used fresh herbs and on this recipe, I prefer the dry!)
1 Tsp. Dried Basil
1 Tsp. Dried Parsley
1 Jar Of Your Favorite Sauce

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2: In a large bowl, thoroughly mix ALL ingredients. I use my hands. Get in there and kneed the stuff together.
Step 3: Grease a 9'x13' glass dish...do NOT coat the dish heavily
Step 4: Start rolling your meatballs. I find the size of a baseball is good, this recipe will make 9-10 meatballs. (If you made them too small, they won't stay together...if you make them too large, they don't cook thoroughly!)
Step 5: Once all of the meatballs are in the dish, pour a jar of pasta sauce over them.
Step 6: Bake in oven for 40minutes. If you let them cook longer, that will be fine, as the meatballs will start to absorb the flavor of the sauce. Don't let them go for more than 1 hour.

I'm Backkkk!

Did you think that was the end of me? I haven't posted since Wednesday...sorry! However, this post will fill you in on what exciting things I've been up to!

Thursday Recap
Work, believe me it wasn't that exciting. Upon arriving home (I work until 7pm on Thursdays,) I found that my hubby had made a delicious dinner! I've hit the jackpot with him I tell you...he can cook, he LIKES to cook, and he is GOOD at it! The night before Wednesday night he put some steaks in a ziploc baggie with Italian salad dressing and had put the in the fridge to marinate overnight. The steak was cooked perfectly, and for me to say that is quite impressive as I don't particularly like red meat...at all. My hubby on the other hand could have it every night of the week. End of story, there's nothing better than coming home to a fully prepared dinner. After that it was Grey's Anatomy time. I was kind of "eh" with this episode. I do have a feeling that there is going to be some epic amounts of drama with the physician adviser, Dr. Alana Cahill. Then Dr. Bailey goes and throws it (the multimillion dollar settlement,) in McDreamy's face; did NOT see that coming as Bailey is usually the voice of reason. I have a feeling the rest of the season is going to be riddled with tension and of course some sort of colossal disaster, as that's what Grey's Anatomy does best. Do any of you watch the show? What are you thoughts/favorite characters?
*Thursday wasn't super exciting...but just wait until Friday...

Friday Recap
I was asked on a date!!! Relax, the person asking was my hubby :) ...too bad that wasn't the only part of the day. Before the date it was work, followed by some banking, and then to the vet to get Levi his prescription weight management food. It's like Weight Watchers for your canine friends. I do have to say, and I might be biased, that Levi would be better in a commercial than Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Hudson. He's dropped over 20lbs in the past few months. He hardly "works out," this picture below shows Levi at his best: cuddled up and sleeping on the couch. He wasn't exactly fat he was just...well yes, fat it accurate. But he didn't look fat! Maybe a little pudgy. I mean what Rottweiler Labrador mix have you seen that's skinny? That's what I thought.

So Friday night we left our strapping four legged friend and went to the movies. Matthew and I both love going to the movies, but we find that there are certain films that should be seen for the first time in the theater. Case in point, Zero Dark Thirty. I'm a sucker for anything with history, the military, and politics; Matthew also likes those, but it didn't hurt that there were some machine guns or explosions. Jessica Chastain was fantastic as Maya. My favorite quote from Maya...

Maya: (to Navy SEALs) Quite frankly, I didn't even want to use you guys, with your dip and Velcro and all your gear bullshit. I wanted to drop a bomb. But people didn't believe in this lead enough to drop a bomb. So they're using you guys as canaries. And, in theory, if bin Laden isn't there, you can sneak away and no one will be the wiser. But bin Laden is there. And you're going to kill him for me.

Yes, that's right, it was a WOMAN who organized the fatal attack on bin Laden. Did I mention that it has 5 Oscar nominations, 59 other nominations, and 56 wins out of those. Check it out Zero Dark Thirty.

Saturday Recap
That my friends is a totally separate post in itself. Preview: Boxing and the TD Garden in Boston. Check back on Monday, the post will be up.

~Keep It ClaSea

W.W. a W.W. #2

It's "W.W. a W.W. #2." Aren't you excited? For those of you that are new to the blog, "W.W. a W.W." stands for "Wednesdays With a Working Wifey." It's my day off from work (for the time being,) and will keep you informed of all of my "domestic duties" that I tackle during the day. Knowing it's my day "off" please keep the following in mind...

#1. It's MY day so I will do what I want. Most of these Wednesdays are spent at home where I'm honing my inner designer, chef, and housewife qualities. However, because it's MY day there will be Wednesdays where I will do nothing "home" related; a day of shopping, grabbing a bite to eat with a friend; or puttering around the house catching up on my DVRed shows.
#2. I will sleep late. This is an obvious.
#3. I will spend at least an hour reading. It is rare that I can read uninterrupted for 60 minutes.

So today was a pretty low key day. Private Practice ended last night and I am devastated. I'm trying to pick up the pieces of my Addison Forbes Montgomery-less Tuesday nights. Haha. I really am not sitting on the couch harping over the fact that one of my favorite shows ended, but it's 7 degrees out and I truthfully didn't feel like doing much of anything. Inside or outside. Did the standard: unloaded the dishwasher, washed the pots and pans, and did some laundry. Thrilling right?! No. Not.at.all.

I did go to Marshalls today, I know I know, a few sentences I was saying how I didn't want to do anything. I'll get back to my trip to Marshall's later. As I mentioned in the blog post last night, we are redoing our living room. We've lived in our house for almost 2 years now. Rooms were "finished" and the house had been "decorated" but I knew as I was doing these things, they were temporary. We've lived in this house. We've hosted holidays and partied like we were "rock stars." There have been arguments, which are then followed by long fits of laughter. We've had numerous play sessions with Levi and have even had some little kiddos running through the place. The living room always seems to be the epicenter of whatever is going on in our home. Knowing all of the things that have happened here over the past few years I wanted to make the living room ahhh-mazing. Here's what I wanted: something that was comfortable but slightly formal; warm and colorful while being relaxing; and most importantly Caitlin and Matthew.

Anytime you are redoing a room, I always say start with the colors. We had previously painted above the fire place mantle and a wall this inviting "Milk Chocolate" color that Matthew had picked out. That was not changing. I love the color, the way the mantle is decorated and the photo collage I have on the larger wall. Here's the color and the collage (sorry for the glare.) See why I said they were not changing?!

The biggest change was going to be the other color. Pre-make over we had this terracotta color that was accented in the curtains and rug. Then Levi got sick. Like exorcist type sick and we needed to replace the rug. I instantly (over the course of a week,) decided navy blue. After looking endlessly for a rug (we needed at least a 9' x 13') we still couldn't find anything. I took a massive leap of faith and ordered a rug AND curtains from overstock.com. That's right, I didn't see or "touch" either of these purchases prior to clicking the "submit order" button. They arrived and I was so relieved, I was in LOVE and SO excited to get everything in order.

Then...I was stumped. I didn't know what I wanted for seating (it's confirmed, we are getting a sectional,) coffee/end tables (decided no coffee table, an over sized ottoman with a tray...jury is still out on the end tables,) or a TV stand (this we got!) A few weeks ago we were at Jordan's Furniture with my in laws and I found a TV stand that I had.to.have. (The added bonus was that Matthew really liked it as well.) ...thank you... It was SOLID, which seems to be my word of the day; it has a distressed look, it has subtle blue undertones, it reminded me of something from Potterybarn, and there was plenty of storage! Here's the unit, (disregard the things on top,) I'm still in the process of adding the finishing touches and accessories; but it also shows part of the rug and the curtains so you can get the overall idea!

Unfortunately...that's all you are going to see for now! I'm keeping it under wraps until I have the room completed. So now back to Marshalls. I was looking for a few nick knacks (needed varying heights,) to put on a shelf that is getting installed. There were lots of things that I really liked, but nothing that was even remotely near the color scheme of blues and "naturals" that I needed. ...then I found something that I immediately knew was coming home with me. You will have to check back another time to see it!

My Decor Rules: find your colors and don't change them...don't pigeon hole yourself into a specific "style" of decor, meaning YES, mix and match various things, it will make the space unique...don't rush when shopping (which I often do,) you will find things when you are supposed to find them...if there is a piece that you've been looking at forever and really want, get it, and then make it the shining star of the space!

~Keep It ClaSea

Tuesday Confessions

Bachelor Boredom
As you've gathered by now, I watch the Bachelor/Bachelorette. Never before in a season have I been less impressed. Yes, Sean is ridiculously good looking, but for me, it ends there. I am starting to find him quite annoying. He is always smiling, that isn't a bad thing, but he smiles way too much for my liking! I find the majority of the women to be very dull, and some are really weird. Usually by week three, I have favorites, and feel as though I've invested my time "supporting" the budding relationship. There are maybe 2-3 women that "I like," but I'm not fascinated with them, let alone vaguely interested in getting to know more of. I find myself flipping to other channels, and last night didn't even watch the rose ceremony!!! Ultimate Bachelor/Bachelorette fan sin. Bottom line (take note Chris Harrison,) please stop "recycling" contestants from other seasons. Don't bring them back to be the Bachelor or the Bachelorette, and don't bring previous "contestants" back for another chance at love. It didn't work once on the show, try a different way of finding "the one."

Guilty Pleasures
I finished another book last night, The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It was solid. If you are looking to constantly cheer for the underdog (in this case Victoria, a young orphaned girl) you should pick it up. I must admit that the orphan angle wasn't what interested me or kept me reading; it was the constant references to flowers, their "meanings," and how they spoke for certain characters. It was quite unique in that regard. Some are asking what books I've read this year (apparently you realize I'm a bookworm,) so here's the list...and yes, I'm aware that I've read 6 books in less than four weeks. Don't judge.

SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper by Howard E. Wasdin
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
The Perfect Hope (Inn Boonsboro, #3) Nora Roberts
But Inside I'm Screaming by Elizabeth Flock
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Inaugural Lip Synching
It's been revealed (although not confirmed,) that Beyonce lip synced the National Anthem yesterday at the Inauguration. I really don't approve of this, lip syncing; and believe me, it certainly has nothing to do with the fact that it was a presidential inauguration. (Really, it doesn't matter. Die hard Republican over here.) If you are an international "superstar" you should be able to sing live, particularly when another singer has already done so; REGARDLESS of where you are! (By the way, isn't "Bey" BFF's with Obama? It's the least she could have done.) ...she must have been scared after hearing Kelly Clarkson SLAY My Country Tis Of Thee. Or was it that she knew she wouldn't be able to hack a LIVE  performance after the original American Idol gave a flawless rendition?

Kelly Clarkson: 2 (she gets 1 point for being Kelly, and another because she sang live)
Beyonce: 0.

Disclaimer: I love Kelly; ok, that is a colossal understatement. In my eyes she's always the winner, how cliche of me.

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**Remember to check back tomorrow! I'll be blogging about the current transformation our living room is undergoing. It's a work in progress, and although I have many pieces of the puzzle taken care of, there are a few large things to be done. It'll be fun to share the process with all of you and share some home decor tips with you :)


~Keep it ClaSea

"Gone Girl" By Gillian Flynn

I typically ask my Facebook friends what books they're reading, and what they would recommend for me to read. I get a varied assortment of replies; as my friends all have different interests and some have particular genres that they will never deviate from. At the end of December, I ordered some books from Barnes & Noble. By some, I mean 12. (I feel like I am the sole reason Barnes & Noble is still open, I probably spend an astronomical amount of money there every year; but I never feel guilty about purchasing books!) Anyway, among these books was one that a Facebook friend, Ms. Hill suggested I read. Her boss had been raving about it, and she was about to read it so naturally, I decided this was going to be a good read.

Book: "Gone Girl"
Author: Gillian Flynn

I finished reading the book this past weekend, and last night spent about a half hour telling both my mother in law and my mother (who had already started the book,) that this is a must read. Duh, it was on the NY Times Best Seller List. Even though it was on that list you'd assume that you should read it...and really...this is MUST READ people!!!

Flynn wasted no time making me feel like Nick and Amy could be any married couple I know. (I am hoping I know no one that is this screwed up, and I'm quite sure I'm in the clear!) She developed their characters and crafted their relationship so brilliantly! I felt for each one of them, I understood the difficulties in their marriage, and numerous times asked myself did he really kill her? (I'd then have the internal dialogue: "No, there's no way he did it...but, she's driving him crazy I can understand if he did...he loves her too much, he wouldn't hurt her...oh goodness I'd kill her, she's horrible!") The book moves quickly and isn't filled with "fluff." Every word that is written is there for a reason; and is very important. This books requires your full attention. Flynn chooses her words wisely. I can confidently say that you are going to be blindsided...and if you aren't then you are clearly psychic. (Now go get a glass ball and some tarot cards.) I was dumbfounded. I literally went back 50 pages, and reread them. Could I really have been that aloof??

The stories of their marriage and their individual personal lives (both childhood and present day) are wound tighter than a string on a yo yo and then quickly yanked away thread by thread in mere seconds. You are then left with pieces that are beyond shattered and impossible to put back together.

...and of course, it's being turned into a movie; starring the insanely talented (and beautiful,) Reese Witherspoon as Amy...this is going to be good!


Go get this book as fast as you possibly can. You.will.not.regret.it!!!

~Keep it ClaSea

7 Random Thoughts

There's no purpose to this specific blog it's just some random thoughts that I've been having this week. ...and of course I'm putting it in list format.

#1. I can not get enough of the PINK song "Try." I'm literally playing it over and over and over again. Listen to it, download it, and hopefully you'll love it as much as I do.

#2. Charming Charlie, and chunky rings. Seriously, you can NOT beat this place. Everything (earrings, rings, sunglasses, hair accessories, bracelets...I mean everything,) is arranged by color in the store. You can spend hours in there. The prices are phenomenal. Here's a ring I got a few weeks ago...check out the website at Charming Charlie.

#3. I'm, scratch that we, are going on vacation in January or February 2014. I have no idea where. I can gaurantee you that it will be tropical. My only requirements: sun, amazing beaches, snorkeling, and pure relaxation. I'm currently thinking about Bimini, Aruba, or somewhere in The Bahamas. What would you suggest?

#4.  Lance Armstrong = pathetic. You should have grown some balls and 'fessed up a long time ago. (Too harsh? Too bad.) You've put a dark cloud over your "sport." It wasn't that popular in the first place (maybe I'm wrong saying that,) and now you've tarnished whatever respectable qualities it did have.

#5. I want another fish tank. The problem is that last time we had a fish tank Levi decided to get a better look. On his hind legs. With his two front paws pressed up against the fish tank. He's roughly 90lbs. Levi + Fish Tank = Nightmares of my fish doing the jitterbug on the floor.

#6. Staying up later than I should to read a book, although a great idea at the time, always comes back to bite me in the butt.  I had to though. (Sounds like an excuse I used when I was younger.) I usually pride myself on having a book figured out, and this one totally threw me for a RIDICULOUS curve. ...and then obviously, I had to read as much as I could to try and figure out how I had this one all wrong! By the way the book that was keeping me up all night, "Gone Girl," by Gillian Flynn.

#7. We're going to Miami in April! We have some amazing friends down there and I can't wait to see them. 2 months and 25 days. Not that I'm counting. Did I also mention we are seeing the Celtics play the Heat? Scoreeeeeeee!

~Keep It ClaSea

How I Became "ClaSea"

Since yesterday was my 3 year wedding anniversary, it's only fitting that I share with you how I became "ClaSea."

When Matthew and I moved into our second apartment, the Charter technician needed an email address created for the account. On the spot Matthew came up with the idea of ClaSea. My last name (at the time,) was Clark and his was Seaman. Genius I must say, to merge our names like that. Shortly thereafter, literally months, we were engaged! This is one from our engagement session, and the link for our amazing photographer: Lynn Quinlivan Photography ...she did both the engagement session and our wedding!

 

About 4 years later when we married, I took Matthew's last name. So now, although I am "Mrs. Seaman," I still love the "ClaSea" combination, and love using it for things like this blog. It's part of my past, as I was known as a "Clark" for over 24 years; and I will always be a Clark at heart. But being called  "Mrs. Seaman" is my future and has the promise of very exciting things.

 

The BIG DAY. January 16, 2010.

 

Although it's only been three crazy years, I can't wait to see what is headed our way!! I love you Mr. Seaman, and thank you everyday for making me your "Mrs.!"

 

~Keep It ClaSea

Golden Globes: The Good, The Bad, and The Offenders

Award Season is upon us and I couldn’t be more thrilled. It’s like virtual ball gown shopping via celebrities. Not that I’d ever be able to afford the dresses that they’re wearing, but I’m always amazed (and stupefied,) at what some of the ladies don on the red carpet. Unfortunately, I can’t say anything about who was nominated, or be upset with the winners as I’ve seen none of the movies this year! Gasp. Doesn’t mean I can’t offer my thoughts. (Again people these are my THOUGHTS. If you don’t like them that’s great- you don’t have to! I probably wouldn’t agree with all of your thoughts. While some of my comments may not be so “polite,” I’m no where near Joan Rivers type bashing, so relax.)

Dreamy Dresses

Katharine McPhee: Holy cripes, I LOVE THIS! Her dress is by Theysken's Theory, say that 5 times fast. Clearly portraying Marilyn Monroe on “Smash” has given her ample amounts of confidence to portray the sex pot and grow out of American Idol boringness…and did she sizzle in this dress. The abundant amount of décolletage, the leg, the makeup, and the shoes…she looks smoldering; and I say it's standing ovation worthy!

Claire Danes: If all women looked like this a month after having a baby, I’m quite sure there would be MANY more babies being born. The style and cut of the Versace dress is extremely flattering on her, and the color is a bold choice. Walking the red carpet wearing a red gown is something I still have an issue with. I’m not getting over it anytime soon. Post baby looks great on her.

Julianna Margulies: From scrubs to the suits in the courtroom, she can wear anything. She wore a dark purple lace Emilio Pucci dress, which is flawless. Did you see the back?? LOVE! She always gets it “right” on the red carpet; she knows what to wear, how to wear it, and what looks gorgeous on her. I’ve loved her since ER and I still love her. Even better than the dress was the mini ER reunion with George Clooney…swoon worthy.

You Wore That To The Globes?

Amanda Seyfried: First of all, clarify how your last name is pronounced. It is said differently every time I hear it. Now to the dress, you wore Givenchy Couture, and that was pretty much it. I don’t understand the gold “barrette” at the top. There’s NO color, anywhere! I get more volume from my faux silk duponi curtains than the waves (or are those curls?) in your hair. Something with some (Inner Caitlin is screaming “ANY!”) color would have done wonders on that creamy porcelain skin. I had such high hopes but was left feeling like one of the “Les Miserables.”

Lena Dunham: Thank goodness you won, I’ll try (heavy emphasis,) to be nicer because of that. Let’s start with the good, you chose a Zac Posen dress. Now the bad…you wore Zac Posen. The color was fantastic; but the off the shoulder straps and the neckline were not flattering. If anyone is going to wear something “off the shoulder” (which no one ever should,) you better have some massive chandelier earrings or a freakin' huge multimillion dollar necklace on to pull the attention away from the "bad" area. Otherwise we’ll continue looking at “wanna-be” straps of a dress that are sinking faster than the Titanic.

I Want To Love It…But I Can’t

Jennifer Lawrence: I don’t understand the origami bra cup effect on your Dior dress. Loved everything else though, but arts and crafts projects don’t make good brassieres. 

Taylor Swift: First of all, I will never love you…ever ever everrrr! (You will find out very soon {starting with this post} that Taylor Swift is my public enemy #1.) I “like” the Donna Karan Atelier gown, especially that eggplant purple shade but, would have LOVED it on anyone else. (Perhaps Ms. Seyfried?) By the way, I suggest for the next show that you make sure it doesn’t look like you stuffed your bra. Your hair looked weird; it should have been smooth or all curled before it was pulled back. ...Why the snide face Taylor? Did you really think you were going to beat ADELE? Puhhleaseeee.

What The FLUCK?! (That’s right I censored my F bomb)

I can’t, and I won’t be nice when it comes to these four. Halle Berry, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, and Sienna Miller, I have 5 words: SHAME ON YOU!

*Halle needs a new hairdo; someone please help her ASAP! The “Something About Mary” (you know the scene with Cameron Diaz in the bathroom) hairstyle was atrocious. Ayyy…the dress, do us all a favor and burn it. It kills me to say that because it’s Versace, but I’d willingly provide the matches!

*Eva, Eva, Eva, you don’t put on a micro mini tube skirt and then drape lace around yourself. Even if it is from Pucci. It looked worse than Fredrick’s of Hollywood lingerie! (From what I’m reading online, people apparently LOVED this. I’m apparently the odd one out.)

Personal opinion: Halle and Eva would not have been in this WTF category if they were at the Grammy’s or VMA’s. They’d have fit right in, and would have been considered “boring” next to some of the freak shows at those awards.

*Jennifer Lopez, sigh. Stop with the damn sheer outfits and embellishments, they won’t win back P. Diddy or Ben Affleck; by the way, how did Casper feel about meeting your exes? I wonder if he’s old enough to know who they are… You no longer look like Jenny from the block, you look like Jenny wrapped in a doily. A Zuhair Murad doily to be exact.

Last but not least. Sienna Miller, I didn’t know that Austin Powers specialized in designing floral “outfits.” Ohh, it was Erdem. Are you SURE?! As @ProperKidProblems tweeted last week, “Money can buy you all the fashion in the world, but it can’t buy you a thread of style.”

~Keep It ClaSea

Where Have I Been?

"...that's one secret I'll never tell. XOXO, Gossip Girl "

Ok, so the line really isn't "Where have I been? That's one secret I'll never tell. XOXO Gossip Girl," however I changed it to suit my needs, or my blog title for today. In the past 24 months, two of my favorite TV shows have ended and the third is ending in a few months. The two shows I'm referring to are "One Tree Hill" and "Gossip Girl." I didn't necessarily LOVE all of the seasons, and was surprised sometimes when they were renewed for another year, but I was a true fan. I relived high school weekly with One Tree Hill (except there was no river court; our outdoors court didn't even have lights at night,) and at times wished desperately to have the lifestyle of the Upper Eastsiders in Gossip Girl (although if I had their lifestyle, I'd probably be typing this blog from some exotic location looking at designers sketches for the S/S 2014 collections.) I am a late twenty year old who loved the scandal, fashion, and absurdity that these shows provided. The more "mature" late twenty something year old is also sad (read as: devastated) to report that in a few weeks "Private Practice" will be ending. Hot doctors, GREAT clothes, beach houses, and drama. Noticing a trend? You should...it has the same elements of "OTH" and "GG" with characters that are older. Apparently the last year could be dubbed "Kill Caitlin's TV Shows." TV has nothing to do with the rest of this blog, but the title does. And I, unlike Gossip Girl, will tell.

So here's my first "goal" for the new year. The first is to get back to the "fit & healthy Caitlin." I used to be able to run 5 miles at any given time, throw on a bikini and smile (see my profile picture,) and eat whatever I wanted because I was so active. Now, I can run 5 miles if you give me a 24 hours; buy a bikini, and then find a cover up/wrap that shows no iota of my skin other than arms & legs; and still eat whatever I want because "you only live once." How that "YOLO" thing kills me; it's SO true, but on the flip side you can live longer when you're healthier. ...the kicker? I am NOT going to diet and I'm not going to run until I pass out; trust me that wouldn't take very long. I'm going to make LIFE changes. All you skeptics are reading this thinking "yeah right."

I've already done three HUGE things. Drum roll please and cue the list...
#1. I've cut my 3-4, sometimes 5 (I'm not kidding!) cups of coffee PER DAY to only 1; and have even skipped it all together on some days. This means I've eliminated tablespoons of sugar and probably a 1/2 cup of cream...DAILY.  If you know me, you know how much I loveeeeee my coffee and my Starbucks. Let me cut the bull, there's NO NEED to consume that much.
#2. I've started drinking 2-3 bottles of water a day. I used to go a few days without drinking more than 8oz of water. Why? I.hate.drinking.water. However, it's better for me and I notice a huge difference in my skin when I drink more of it.
#3. Growing up it was mandatory that we drank milk, which was A-OK with me because I loved it. My father and I could finish off a gallon of milk in 2 days. Then I went to college. Milk was replaced with soda/iced tea, which was then replaced with beer/wine. Milk had become a thing of "my childhood." My inner self  and the former athlete in me are yelling "Osteoporosis!!! Milk Does A Body Good! Strong Bones!" To which I reply: "SHUTUP inner self! I'm aware." I can't start drinking all of the milk that I missed over the years, but I've made a conscious effort to have a HUGE glass of milk everyday.

"Where have I been" is the perfect title for this. Not only did it inform you of the ridiculous TV shows that I watched but I told you a little bit about the old me. I know where I've been. Restaurants and bars all over Massachusetts, as well as my living room or den...plopped on the couch. I was going to say sitting, but that sounds "prim & implies posture" and I was more "slouched & sprawled out." I haven't necessarily been hiding, I got complacent and convinced myself I could eat whatever I wanted. I'm literally laughing out loud as I'm typing this and can hear my mom saying "a minute on the lips, forever on the hips." That was one of those expressions I used to laugh at; now it's laughing at me. I'll keep you posted on this obstacle course. It's my obstacle course because anytime I (or maybe you have this problem as well,) try to "fix" something it's never easy and there are more obstacles than I can count. Hold on tight...it's sure to get bumpy!

~Keep it ClaSea

Hungry? Try This Baked Potato Soup

I apparently wreaked havoc on some of your stomachs when I mentioned a "Baked Potato Soup" recipe that I was making yesterday. Next time I will put a disclaimer about any food that is going to be mentioned. (It sounded much funnier in my head. Sorry.)

For all of you that were starving while reading the blog, and subsequently messaged me, wrote on my facebook wall, or emailed me here's the link...

Baked Potato Soup ...and please don't stop there, she has some other awesome recipes!

...ohhhh yes....did I mention this gets made in a crock pot? Everything about it is just
G-E-N-I-U-S. You can literally set it and forget it. (Or set it and do a bazillion other things.)

My notes about the soup: It's super filling. 1/2 a bowl is enough, but I always manage to eat a little more! I've made it with regular cream cheese and then another time with fat free cream cheese; it tastes the same! It (the cream cheese,) just thickens the consistency. My personal favorite however, is when it's topped with some freshly cooked bacon and shredded cheddar cheese. YUM! ...however, I think I'm going to add some steamed broccoli in addition to the cheddar cheese tomorrow!

~Keep It ClaSea (and your bellies full!)

Wednesday With a W.W. #1

So yes, it's Thursday...but I'm going to recap my Wednesday for you. The day started off with me oversleeping, which wouldn't have been such a big deal, had I not agreed to take some extra office hours. Fast forward to 12:10pm; out of "work"and the juggling begins.

I stopped at the grocery store on my way home. I suppose I should rewind to me sitting in the parking lot of the store! This was probably the one time I didn't have a grocery list with me. I knew I was making chili for dinner, and wanted to start a baked potato soup for Thursday night. There was also a smoothie recipe that a friend had resposted on Pinterest that had my name written all over it. (I was just getting the ingredients, I wasn't making these tonight.) But I didn't have a list of what I needed. Easily solved with my iPhone! **This thing by the way is seriously a life saver.** I pulled up the recipes and created a new note in my phone and I was ready to go. (I highly recommend, in fact it should be written law, that people can't go into grocery stores without a list in hand. It keeps you on track, cuts down on the "cruising" the aisles, and reduces the time you spend in the store!)

Two words can sum up my grocery store trip: training day. The bagger at my register had nooooooo idea what he was doing, and had a manager over his shoulder dictating every move. I thought of a few things while watching the groceries get slammed (literally) into the bags. If I had someone breathing down my neck and hovering behind me I'd be in a foul mood but I'd try to hide it; or at least attempt a smile. Additionally, when giving direction it's best not to be sarcastic or rude. In all honesty what teenage boy goes grocery shopping, or care how things are bagged? What teenage boy stops to take note of how groceries are bagged when they arrive home when they're going to devour half of it in five minutes. (I am not stereotyping teenage boys here, I'm speaking as the older sister of a younger brother, a former babysitter, and as a friend that remembers these instances.) Unless you are a "bagger" or female, you probably could care less as to the order of which your items are stacked and bagged.

Upon arriving home I had a game plan. I find when there are multiple things going on, and some with time restrictions; it keeps me focused and allows me to bee bop around to a few different things all at once. I threw in a load of laundry and started the dishwasher. People tell me all the time you shouldn't have them both running at the same time. To that I say "ok." ...and I do it anyway! In the time that it takes my dishwasher to run through, we always run the "heavy" cycle, I can wash a load of clothes, get them dried, and already have another load half way through the wash! To the naysayers, it's called multitasking. And I LOVE IT. When the dishwasher, washer, and dryer were all running I made the chili.

We have an awesome chili recipe that calls for green peppers. I believe at the grocery store green peppers were $3.49/lb. These peppers were HUGE and each one that I weighed was at least 1lb. ...and I needed two peppers, $6.98 for two peppers? ABSURD. Then I noticed the prepacked red, orange, and yellow pepper container. These three peppers were $5.99...that's a whole DOLLAR less than what it would have cost for the two green peppers, and there were MORE! I even checked the weight to ensure this. I must say, I prefer the variety of colors and the different peppers in the chili. They gave it a whole different flavor (sweeter, which was nice with the spiciness of the chili, and added some beautiful color! Peppers are interchangeable. Different colors will give different flavors. For those of you with children, different colors than what they are used to seeing their food in will blow their mind. And for everyone reading this...if it's going to save you a dollar, and you're going to get more, GO FOR IT!

Let me sum this up for you...in the time that one dishwasher cycle ran I did the following: washed, dried, and folded a load of laundry; washed a second load of laundry; made a batch of chili; and took Levi out for some playtime and a bathroom break (I didn't think you needed all of those details!) Does it also count that I ran the dishwasher?!

Wednesday Wifey Lesson #1. Anytime you can multitask, do it! It will keep you constantly moving and you won't get bored. Then again how could you? You are zipping around the house like a bee!

Please don't think that's all I did, that wouldn't be anything to "brag" about. That was just what I did while the dishwasher was running. I then took all of the ornaments off the Christmas trees (yes, that's plural...I had 3 trees;) "broke down" the trees; "put away Christmas;" cut 5lbs of potatoes for a Baked Potato Soup; made the soup; finished the other load of laundry AND did another one, folding included; and vacuumed the living room, kitchen, and hallway. Starting time was roughly 2:15pm and end time was 6:00pm.

After dinner and talking with the hubby, I enjoyed the rest of my evening (with my feet up!) of Law & Order SVU and Chicago Fire...with some dark chocolates and a glass or milk.  

~Keep it ClaSea

Typing With Wine...You Be The Judge

So it isn't really the wine that is typing...it's the wine influencing whatever I am typing :) You know a little bit about me from the past two blogs, but now I'm going to get into the "good" stuff. Tuesdays could possibly be my favorite day of the week, especially in the winter. It's post-Bachelor Monday, Private Practice is on (it's the LAST season,) and I'm off from work on Wednesdays! SCORE!

Most importantly, happy 30th birthday to my amazing husband. If this month so far, and what we hve planned so far is any indication of the year we have ahead of us, I will wake up every morning with a massive smile and counting my blessings. ...you know how hard it is for me to say that I'll wake up witha  smile!

So let me start with "The Bachelor," Sean. He's hot. It obviously doesn't take a genius to determine that...blond hair, blue eyes, he's got a killer accent (I love me some Texas guys,) and ABS...ohhhh those abs!! For the females reading this, you know EXACTLY what I am talking about. Maybe I like Sean's abs more than I like him. Now...the ladies he met last night! I was floored; like jaw dropped to the floor and in need of a reminder to close my mouth, type floored. And here comes the LIST, and my pointers for how women should stay "ClaSea."
#1. You do NOT under any circumstance do back flips in an evening gown. Never. If you don't see gold medal winning Olympians doing their floor routines in floor length sequined gowns, you shouldn't let the thought cross your mind.
#2. Sometimes what you read, and the thoughts you have, should in your own mind. ...or they can be discussed with your girlfriends! Which brings me to "Fifty Shades of Grey." If you haven't read the books, don't worry I have; and can sum it up with the following: Christian Grey is smoldering, he likes it "buck wild," and does interesting things with a tie...and CRAZY things (you'll have to determine whether they are good or bad,) with other stuff. Never, ever, ever should you refer to ANY part or aspect of these books on the first night you meet your potential husband! If you are that into "Fifty Shades Of Grey" find someone who is willing to get "tied up" with you....hahahahaha. I'm still cringing because of how this woman acted.
#3. On the night your are "looking to impress" stick to a two drink maximum rule. For some of you, don't dare cross the one drink line. Being a "hot drunk mess" looks good on NO ONE and you've now embarrassed yourself on national television. Way to be!
#4. Lastly and probably the most important: what is on trend in fashion/dress style does NOT look good on everyone. Stick with something that you are comfortable in. If you aren't comfortable, in what you are wearing people will notice and then write blogs about it :) Stick with what works best for you, and I can guarantee that others will pick up on that. In my book, comfortable exudes confidence; while being uncomfortable in what your wearing displays all of your uncertainty.

The blog tomorrow is going to be awesome. Wednesday my blogs are going to take a different spin...it won't be about me, or the TV shows that I watch. ...we are going to delve into what I do as a "wifey," or a "modern day domestic woman." Cooking, cleaning, housework, and all of those things. No need to fear, they're pretty freakin' fantastic and the amounts of tips/pointers I will provide will blow your mind. Therefore, I've dubbed them "Wednesdays With a Working Wifey."

~Keep it ClaSea!

Me...Me...Me...

I don't exactly feel that I need to do this, as I'm sure the majority of you reading this are here because you've come across my facebook posts regarding the blog, but for those of you that have "stumbled and tripped" upon my page: HI!

If you're going to be reading the things that I write, maybe you should know a little more about me, as that could help you understand my take on whatever it is I've posted.

The Basics and Some Cold Hard Facts. 
*I'm 28. I don't have an issue with saying it; but you can ask me that same question 5 years from now and it might be different. Although you'd already know how old I am...
*I'm married, to this "amazeballs" guy (Yes, I know amazeballs isn't a word; Giuliana Rancic says it and I love her so I have deemed it worthy,) and we will be celebrating our 3rd anniversary on 1.16.2013. You will hear about "the hubby" a lot...if you don't like it, well I don't know what to tell you! I'd say leave, but this blog isn't stricly about my husband, so stick it out.
*Our "baby" is our 4 legged adopted shepherd/lab/rottweiler/husky/coon-hound mutt Levi. He's from Tennessee. We really have NO idea what he is, he was found under an abandoned railroad car in TN with him mom and brother, and are presented with a new mix almost everytime we are at the vet. ...which is frequently. Let's put it this way, our dog is the biggest baby; and will ham everything up for extra attention, cuddles, sleeping on our bed; and especially when it comes to spending our money at the vet's office. You'll here more about "Leeves" or "LBL," afterall he is my child...and I brag.
*We bought a house in March 2011. I so desperately wanted to be a homeowner, and now I am. Feel free to interpret that however you may. You'll get the scoop later on.  
*Forewarning: if you do not like crafts, DIY projects, or getting your inner Martha Stewart on reading this blog will make you scream, cry, and pull your hair out. Oh, some of you might be inspired, but my money is on the screamers. I do it all: cooking, baking, knitting, DIY projects, party planning, gardening, home decor; blah blah blah. Scared yet? There will be numerous posts of before and after projects; recipes that I've tried with my reviews; and lots of things pertaining to cupcakes.
*I am a self professed book junkie. I will read anything and pretty much everything. Give me your suggestions! There will be mention of what book I'm reading, random quotes, and sometimes a review/vent session about a book that I've either loved or loathed.
*I'm a middle child. {Gasp, that explains everything!}

FYI's: It's what make me...ME!
*I could live on Starbucks. Bring on the lattes! Preferably venti, with whipped cream, and my name spelled correctly!
*Mornings suck. They always have. They always will. I'm still in the process of "coming to terms" with this at the age of 28. I'm screwed if we have children.
*I like swearing. Actually I really like swearing. This makes my parents cringe.
*I wear flannel pajamas year round...I can't help it, I'm always cold.
*I'm Irish and German. Hence, my ability to drink and hold an exceptional grudge; did I mention I'm exceptionally stubborn?
*God. I believe in him. I also think he has some twisted sense of humor that I will never figure out.
*I run a cupcake business on the side. Let me clear a few things up about that: it started out as a hobby...because I'm good at it, and I AM good at it...I now do it to make extra money. So no, I will not make you cupcakes "just because." I will use you though; more so your taste buds to try things I'm working on.
*I can cry at anytime for seemingly no reason. (There IS always a reason...)
*I type things that I'm thinking, that I really shouldn't be typing. Did you follow that? Because it sure sounds confusing reading it back...
*I despise winter.
*Reality TV (Housewives {any location,} Giuliana & Bill, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, and I'll go to hell for admitting this "KKUWTK") are my biggest guilty pleasures. Sidenote: I love Khloe Kardashian and detest Kim more than is considered humanly normal.
*I was once dubbed "Grammar Queen." Pet peeves: people that screw up you're and your OR there, their, and they're...dot their "i's" with heart or stars...start every other sentence with "like"...or have big bubbly swirling writing like a 13 year old girl...or insist they can write a paragraph in one sentence. CAUTION: we are going to have some SERIOUS issues.

~Keep it ClaSea!

Diving In

As I sit here typing, all I can think is "why am I doing this?" Let me answer that question, and so you know, I've done it in list format because I'm obsessed with lists. I can guarantee this is the first of many to come...

#1. I've always liked keeping a journal/diary/notebook full of my thoughts, records of events, or quotes and phrases that I've liked. I wanted to incorporate fun pictures, different fonts, and all of those other fun things. The issue with that is I hardly ever print out pictures unless I have a frame that is specified for said picture. And while I can change my writing to "look different," it becomes time consuming and eventually frustrating. Not fun. Here I can highlight this, click that, and ta-da!

#2. I want something to hold myself accountable to. We've all made lists of things we want to do, or our goals for the month or year. ...and if you haven't, don't worry I've done it enough times to count for you. Let me be quite frank, when things don't go the way you're planning, or you don't complete those "goals," it's sooooooo easy to tear that piece of paper out and throw it away. Problem solved. It's easy at first because you aren't flipping past that page with the dreaded "list" and it feels like a weight has been lifted. Then it kicks in when that time frame is coming to an end. You can't help but think of all of the things you wanted to do (and probably should have,) that you didn't. By starting my blog, I am keeping myself responsible for things that I want to work for and achieve over time. ...and all of you are going to hold me to it. Your comments, whether they're encouraging or snide (not everyone always has the nicest words to say,) will push me to do things that I should do...but lots of the time find easier to not do!

#3. Writing, in this case typing, is therapeutic for me. It's a release of EVERYTHING and I'm sure it will provide me with laughter down the road when reading these. Maybe, and I can only hope, that it will make someone else smile; provide me with some insight as to who I really am; and that the naive person inside of me will help someone with what I've written.

#4. My life isn't all roses. There are scary, uncertain, and disappointing times. I'll share those too. I'm not going to only blog about all of the great things in my life, and believe me there are LOTS...but life isn't always "sunny." I'm very good (that's an understatement, confirmation can be given from any of my family members) at keeping my feelings inside, letting them build up, and going all nuclear bomb dropping on everyone.

So as we delve into this very public chronicle of my life I'll say this...saddle up, you're in for a ride!