Summer TV

If you have been around here a while, you know that I love me some TV, and that I'm struggling with the "in-between" stage of my spring shows ending and my summer shows beginning. But alas, we have made it, and in honor of my summer shows starting up this week, I thought I would share them! And if you have any other summer series I need to get hooked on, please do share :)

Rizzoli and Isles

Starts Tuesday June 16th on TNT
(Happy Birthday to me!)

This show literally makes laugh out loud. I love me some cop shows, and this show is about a detective (Rizzoli) and her best friend who happens to be the Chief Medical Examiner (Dr. Isles). It has action and suspense, and their friendship is just hilarious and totally relatable.

Rookie Blue
Starts Thursday June 25th on ABC

 This is hands down, absolutely, 100% my favorite summer TV show. Y'all I have dreams about this show. And I have bought all the previous seasons on DVD after they're over. I'm obsessed with this show. Critics call it "Grey's Anatomy with guns." (I told you - I have a thing for cop shows). It's another funny, action-packed show, but this one has an underlying love story too. And I have a girl crush on Missy Perygrym (the lead actress).

You just really need to watch this show. And if you'd like to borrow any seasons, just let me know :)

Melissa and Joey
Now Playing on ABC Family

Yes, I'm serious. No I'm not kidding. I watch this show. Me and likely a whole bunch of middle schoolers. But I don't care! It's good wholesome entertainment :) Granted, if I need to leave the room when Rookie Blue is on, the DVR absolutely gets paused. If I need to start the laundry while Melissa and Joey is on....I'll let it keep playing. It's a good background show. If I need to clean my room, Melissa and Joey keep me company.

So You Think You Can Dance
Now playing on FOX

 

I don't think it's surprising why I love this show. This show is made for former/current dancers. My high school bestie, Annie, and I would watch this together religiously every summer after college. We had favorites, we voted, and we had a party for the finale. We love this show. (And a lot of my favorites on SYTYCD are now professionals on DWTS!) I'm not a huge fan of the city auditions, but when we get to the top 20 live show, I'm all over it. 

Mistresses
Starts June 18th on ABC

Okay, so this show can get a little weird (and scary) at times, but alas, Kelsey and I eat it up. Plus there's an Australian named Harry that is beautiful and a sweetheart and every time he speaks Kels melts a little. I hear Alyssa Milano isn't coming back this season and the show is taking a huge time jump, so we'll have to see how we feel about that. Stay tuned.

And those are my summer shows! I'm also a huge DCC Making the Team fan on CMT, but the season 10 premiere date hasn't been set yet. (It usually doesn't premiere until August). It airs on Friday nights, so I love waking up on Saturday mornings, pouring me a big ole cup of coffee, and turning it on. And yes I have been known to memorize the dances and do them in the living room. Guilty.

And those are my summer shows! Now help a sister out...

What else should I be watching?

__________

Until next time,
Katy

CMT Music Awards

You know what I love about birthday month? ....other than the obvious? 

The CMT Music Awards. First week in June. Every year. Without fail.
Happy birthday month to me.

When we first moved to Dallas (and lived down the street from each other), Lisa and I watched this together every summer. Then she moved to Canada Addison. Things became more difficult. BUT nevertheless we fought the good fight (traffic) and got together on a "school night" to indulge in our beloved country music. 

And, like I hoped (and knew) she would - she brought TJ's Just Mango. We don't do much without Just Mango. 

Just hanging with our girl Carrie. We make a great trio :)

So here are our thoughts as we watched last night's show, fast forwarded through both commercials and the rough performances, and went to bed waaaay past our bedtime.

Hosts

Erin Andrews: noooooooo. I'm not an Erin fan. She made me grunt while watching DWTS, and she made me grunt last night. Do I have any real reasoning? No. Just not a fan. 

Brittany Snow: love her. She's adorable. No idea why either of them are hosting, but that's neither here nor there. 

Collaborative Video
Carrie and Miranda. This I'm okay with. Although it kinda hurt a little bit that Tim and Faith didn't win. It's okay McGraws, y'all are still the hottest couple in country music. Always will be. 

Quick question: where IS Miranda? 

Mmmmmm. Deacon Claybourne. If I weren't about to turn 27 next week, his poster would be above my bed. I miss Nashville already.

Reba PerformanceLisa claims this lil red head never ages. And she talked about how cute she was practically the whole time she performed. The tassles, the go-go boots - she commented on it all. And when it came to these earrings, Lisa had "hoop envy." 

My favorite fan moment -- when the camera zooms in on fans that are passionately rockin' out and do NOT know the words. Fools.

Breakthrough Video of the Year SAM HUNT. There were three loud cheers from this household when he won. We. Love. Sam. Hunt. But not sure why he was wearing a tunic to the award show... Sweet shirt dress, Sam.

Duo of the YearFlorida Georgia Line.... who was surprised? Anyone? Anyone?

Luke Bryan Performance Pants....so tight. Don't care. At all. :) But Kelsey swears his pants are from Forever XXI. Oh well. I love them hips. And those teeth! But "Kick the Dust Up" - not my  favorite. 

Okay but really....where is Miranda? 

Female Video of the YearCarrie girl. I mean I love my Carrie girl, but I would have pegged "Something in the Water" for video of the year, and Miranda's "Little Red Wagon" for this category. Maybe she didn't win because no one could find her.

Jake Owen...is crowd surfing in a bed. a) He's pretty. b) This was probably the most entertaining song of the night. It had props, Jake's smile, as well as his attempt to dance. Good entertainment all around.

Male Video of the Year Luke Bryan. In hindsight, we should have seen this coming, but we initially chose Dierks "Drunk of a Plane." It's just such a fun video! Oh well. Luke's hips reign strong.

Miranda? Still no?

Kenny Chesney Performance In the words of Lisa, "this guy is classic." He sounds good live every time he performs. Whether you're chillin on a lawn watching him in concert, or chillin on the couch watching him on TV - he sounds like Kenny. And "American Kids" makes me bounce. Try and listen to it without bouncing. I dare you.

Carrie Underwood Performance Man I've missed her. Granted, she sang riiiiiiiight under the note the whole time, but it's okay. She's a new mama. She's probably sleepy. And she looked smokin hot, so we'll give her a pass :) Oh, and when they caught hubby Mike singing along during her performance we melted a little.

Also....are even sure she HAD a baby? This is three months post-baby. I don't look like that now and I'm a lot of months pre-baby. Things that make me whine.

Another fun fact: We've decided Arnold Schwarzenagger in a cowboy hat looks like a really really really old George Strait....mixed with Woody from the Toy Story. Tell us we're wrong...

Video of the Year
CARRIIIIEEEEEE!!!! We were right! Not to mention this song is about our good Lord. She got a lot of push back for this song so I'm pumped this little number won.You go God.

Maybe Miranda overslept... or got the dates mixed up. Are she and Blake on vacay?

All in all - NOT the best CMT Award show I've ever seen (hello - I went to the ACMs) - but it was a good dabble of entertainment for an otherwise mundane Wednesday night. Plus I got to laugh until I cried with my girl, Lis. So it was a win for us :)

And just for the record - I so so so so so so wish I was in Nashville for the rest of CMA Fest. One day, people. One day I will be there.  

Until next time,
Katy

ACM Awards 2015

I attended the Academy of Country Music Awards.

I'll be honest, that's not something I ever thought I'd say. For some reason, attending award shows (or any live show aired on TV) just seemed too difficult, too involved - just unattainable. But now that I've been to one with me and tens of thousands of my closest minion friends, I've realized it's really not a big deal. It's just an absolutely amazing time! :)

First off, I'm not sure why I ever was even the slightest bit concerned about what to wear. I could have worn a leopard snuggie (with cowboy boots) and been absolutely fine. We saw everything, people...from New Years Eve dresses (solid sequins), to beachy maxi dresses, to Easter Sunday clothes, to formal prom gowns. And I'm pretty sure some ladies actually did try to fit into their old prom gowns...

Jeff wore nice jeans and a button down and I work a cute (but comfy) little black dress. And we both wore our boots, of course...

We got there when the red carpet was happening but decided to head inside, grab food (hotdogs!!), find our seats, and watch the red carpet on the jumbo tron. That picture above was my first picture of the stadium. Ain't it pretty? I never realized they had two stages, but when I think about it now, I'm like of COURSE they have two stages.

Being part of a live recorded show was a pretty cool experience. Before each commercial break ended the "voice" over the stadium would say "and we're back in 5, 4, 3, 2...APPLAUSE PEOPLE!" And we eagerly obliged :)

Another fun fact about live-recorded shows, you commonly saw this on the jumbo tron:

 If your section was in a certain camera angle, you got spiffy light up wrist bands that changed colors with the songs. We didn't get this privilege (the section next to us did), and while bummed at first, I realized no wristband meant I could get up whenever. Those that had wristbands could only move during commercial breaks :)

Speaking of live TV, as I'm sure the majority of you watched this, I won't give you my play-by-play of the show. So I'll give you my top 5.

1) The Milestone Awards

I love a good flashback montage, and these were all over the place this year thanks to these awards. And right out of the gate the first one went to King George. Amen brother. I actually just got chills when I thought about it. Entertainer of the year 4 DECADES apart. Insane. When the entire stadium rocked out to "All my Exes live in Texas," I knew it was going to be a good night :)

2) Miranda Lambert

This girl is on FIRE. I was texting my friend Kristie all throughout the show and she mentioned how she was ready for Blake and Miranda to have a baby...buuuut I don't think that's happening any time soon. She's too busy dominating. 

Okay, so I honestly really didn't like "Little Red Wagon" before this performance. But hearing it live and watching her have a dadgum blast on that stage just made it all better for me. Miranda may not have a vocal range like Carrie, Martina, or Faith - but the girl writes from her heart and works her tail off. And I'm really glad it's paying off. You go girl.

3) The Patriotism

Between Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and Taya Kyle, there were a lot of special moments in that stadium Sunday night. So much love for our country. The crowd participation during Garth's performance was a highlight for me. Not sure what it looked like on TV, but this was my view...

4) The Reba Medley

Along with a good montage, I love a good medley. Most artists sang two songs, but Reba threw in about 4 and I was literally bouncing in my chair. It was a great medley from a timeless artist... and caused me to listen to Reba all day at work on Monday.

5) Jeff's Pick: Rascal Flatts + Christina Aguilera

I asked my hot date what his favorite part was, and next to the patriotic performances, he chose the performance of "Riot" by Christina and Rascal Flatts. Now, I will say, this performance was really good in person, but my friends at home claimed it was painful to hear on TV. Whatever the case, it was a really great live performance. Plus I'm a sucker for any Rascal Flatts love song. It's what a girl wants. (See what I did there??)

The one thing I really missed at this show was my girl Carrie. I know she just had a baby and all, but I just wished she could have gotten a nanny for the night or something. I was telling Jeff this at the show, and right after I said it they did a promo for the 2016 awards (back in Vegas) and it showed her headlining. I looked at Jeff and said "of course," and he looked at me and said "let's go." 

I've created a country-music loving monster, ladies and gents. (fist pump)



Still can't believe I got to go. This night was one for the books, y'all.

Until next time,
Katy

Friday Favorites!

Another week down means another Friday of Favorites! 

1. SNOW DAYS! 

Some of you may be over the snowpocalypse, but I'm not. We have plenty of warm sunny days here in Texas, so I'll take what I can get. I personally have grown accustomed to falling asleep to sleet hitting my window and waking up to a white wonderland. I feel so.....northern. 

Char Man is still getting used to it. I think he likes snow, but stepping on ice and falling through to ice cold water is not his favorite. But he sure is pretty in it :)

I didn't go grocery shopping on Sunday so the lack of food in the house meant I had to venture out. Luckily, we live within walking distance of a lot of restaurants. I walked slid around until I reached an open (and empty) Potbelly. Ordered a warm sandwich and cup of soup, got to the checkout station, and heard the words "can I also get an oreo milkshake?" coming out of my mouth. No joke. 

So, yep, I was the girl trudging through snow in 28 degree weather sipping on a milkshake. You say crazy. I say dedicated. 

2. Daily Greens Juice

 So speaking of milkshakes, I love drinking my vegetables. I love eating them, too, but drinking cold-pressed veggies is much easier. And I really like the taste! I've tried a lot of different brands, but I've decided my favorite is the Daily Greens brand. They're SO good. They have six different flavors and they're all titled fun things like "renew," or "rejuvenate." Names that make your innards feel good :)

They were developed by a young mom who survived breast cancer and started this business. The proof is in the ingredients: the juice of the veggies. Yes, Kelsey has a juicer and yes I probably could make my own, but this is just easier. I'm paying for convenience. They're about $6/bottle (which is much cheaper than other brands I've tried), and to me, totally worth it.

3. Friday Night Lights

If you read my post on Tuesday, you know this is my newfound guilty pleasure. I can't stop, y'all. It's so good. And perfect timing for all these crazy snow days. Probably another reason I don't mind being cooped up. I get to be cooped up with Tim Riggins :)

Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose. 

4. Coconut Oil

My skin gets ridiculously dry in the winter, and this week has been really rough. I'm notorious for scalding hot showers/baths, and that's not really good for your skin. But, alas, I do it anyways. Earlier this week, I took a shower, put on lotion, and my skin was so dry it legitimately started burning.  So, I busted out the coconut oil. 

Most people have this in their pantry, but I have this in my bathroom. If you have dry skin - this stuff is a lifesaver. It's a solid when you scoop it out, but when it touches your body heat it melts into an oil. Cool (and weird), huh? Granted, when you first put it on, you will feel like a greased pig. It takes a good half hour to sink into your skin. But when it does? Oh glory be. Due to the 'greased pig' affect, I would use this in the morning and let it sink in while you're getting ready. I'm serious y'all. I so love this stuff.

5. Monkey Bread

More in line with the milkshake and less in line with the green juice, if you didn't see my post on this yesterday, you've got to try this recipe. Why? Because it's cheap, easy, and I haven't found someone yet who hasn't loved it. (Of no credit to my own, it's just that scrumptious!)

And that's all I got! Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm everyone! And for those of you in Dallas, it travels up to the 70s this time next week. Hang in there - a reprieve is coming soon!

Until next time,
Katy



Linking up here

..so it's March.

Well, that's that. I survived yet another busy season. Aaaaaand it's March. January and February were just a blur. A fast and furious blur. 

We filed last week and I had FOUR days to recover. Do you know what a girl does with four whole days after working her life away for two months? ...nothing. 

She does absolutely nothing.

My immediate to-do after we signed off was my bed. For 24 hours. My goal was bed sores, people. I had a ridiculously full DVR and all the time in the world to take care of it. I had blue bell for breakfast. I had blue bell for dinner. All from my bed. 

Then Friday morning I set off for Beaumont to retrieve the pup and have a little more R&R at the parentals.

Being reunited with my sweet boy :)

What did I do all weekend, you ask?

I binge watched Friday Night Lights. 

HOW am I just now watching this? About a year ago, my friend Melissa told me it was such a Katy show, and ever since, anyone I talk to who finds out I haven't watched it freaks out a little bit. 

And rightly so. Holy Tim Riggins. At first I was all "ew, greasy dirty monkey" and then about one episode in I was all "please marry me." But as dead sexy as Riggins is, I have a serious soft spot for Matt Saracen. Every time he gets flustered I want to hug him. I have a huge soft spot for the underdog. OH and I want to be Connie Britton. So there's that. 

Y'all, I've watched 15 episodes in 3 days I just can't get enough. It was a serious inner struggle on whether or not to close netflix and open up this blog. 

Moving on.... so there's no place like home. I woke up at my parents' house Saturday morning, walked in my bathroom, and lo and behold. This was waiting for me.

It's like a coffee shop oasis. I think it's safe to say where my coffee addiction comes from..

And since one cup is never enough, this sweet man and I went and grabbed breakfast and just talked about life. It doesn't get much better than this man right here.

PS he thought he looked really good in this picture

Pretty sure I came home and watched another episode of FNL, and then me and pops started on a project. Over Thanksgiving weekend, Jeff's mom took me to Canton Trade Days for the first time. We don't need to talk about how much money I spent that weekend, but more importantly, I found something I really wanted and new my dad could make it. SO - I designed, he built, and this was the result:

Isn't it precious? The welcome sign I bought at Canton, but I didn't want to spend what they were asking on the post. So I had my dad build me one! I'm obsessed. The "BU" is interchangeable with all sorts of designs for the different months (i.e., a snowman for January, hearts for February, etc.). I love a good welcome sign :)

Pretty sure I watched another episode while the paint dried...

Then it was time for baking with Susie. Y'all, my mom is the best baker. Growing up, people would call her and ask her to bake things for various occasions, and anytime she showed up with a cake plate in hand people would rant and rave. My friends would come over to my house..just to eat the goodies my mom had lying around the kitchen. It's my goal to be that type of mom. I want to be the reason all my friends' kids are fat. Okay not really. But I do hope to be just half the baker my mama is!

Well...and this is always a nice perk of baking.

One more exciting weekend event...I made a purchase. A big purchase. A bucket list purchase. I bought tickets to the 50th Annual American Country Music Awards in Dallas. YES I DID.  Am I insane? Maybe so. But it's a once in a lifetime experience that I just had to be a part of. I mean, they probably won't let me take the stage, and I probably won't get to walk the red carpet, but who the heck cares. I'm going to the ACMs.

All in all - a fantastic weekend. And y'all - I can't tell you how excited I am to have my life back again. I can finally start my 2015 resolutions! Working out, guitar lessons, actually seeing and hanging out with my friends? Can't even handle it. So stinking pumped.

Have a fantastic week!!

Until next time,
Katy

Weekend Wrap-Up

Howwww on earth is it already Monday?! Things I don't understand. 

Before this weekend, my January weekends hadn't been too exciting. They started and ended with work. But thanks to my awesome bosses we got a halfway point break. SO - I made the most of the past 48 hours!

Friday night kicked off with me coming home to a cooking Kelsey. Best. Roommate. Ever. Bruschetta, salad, and chicken avocado spaghetti. Yeah - she's a keeper. 

Course One

 Course Two

This girl's bruschetta is some good stuff. I'll share the recipe later this week. All I'm saying is if you have ANY type of Italian food for dinner, it should start with her bruschetta. So we cooked, uncorked some vino, and settled in for 3 hours of TV. Yeeeahhh buddy.

We started with Parenthood (since it was the finale and we figured it'd be a sad one), and y'all. Ugly cry is an understatement. You would have thought I was actually part of the Braverman family myself. The episode ended and I was STILL crying. And by crying I don't mean subtle tears down my face. Let's just say Kels made fun of me. I told y'all I'm dramatic passionate. 

...so then we had dark chocolate and sea salt.

The cure for all tears

Next up was Scandal - we heard it was intense so we didn't want to watch it before bed - and lordy. The show ended and we just kind of sat there. Like we had both been hit with stun guns. Should be an interesting season. 

We wrapped the TV segment of the evening with Grey's and talked about how we wondered if the show would ever go off the air. It's like the show that never ends. But that's okay with me. I'll keep watching as long as it lasts. 

We then ended the evening with two hours of good old-fashioned girl talk. The kind where you talk about anything and everything. The kind of nights you cherish. And the kind of nights that make you wonder what happens when you get married and have to live with....a boy.

Saturday I woke up and got a much needed haircut. Lord have mercy was it needed. Then Jeff came over and I introduced him to Company Cafe - my hands down, absolute, very favorite brunch spot. I can't get enough of this place. So yummy.

I may get the same dish every time: the deep bowl. Deeelish.

We then went to the Perot museum and got our learn on. If you've never been, I'd recommend it. I'm not really big on science and history (I'm a math and english girl), but I found it really interesting! I experienced earthquakes, tested my reflexes, and watched 2-year-olds try to race cheetahs. Quite comical.

Meet Jeffrey - the Pixar version.

We then fought the rain and tried out the Highland Park Soda Fountain. After all that learning (and walking!), we thought we deserved some milkshakes. 

Sunday showed up and after church we met my sister and her crew for lunch. Loved catching up with that precious little family. And my two (and a half!) year old niece just warms my heart. Her smile is contagious and her laugh is infectious and I just want to squeeze her all day.

I mean HOW do you not love that smile??

Sunday evening was pure R&R. While 98% of the world was watching the Super Bowl, I was painting my nails (with the polish from my Friday Favorites!), catching up on laundry, eating gelato, and reading in a bubble bath. (And trying not to think about the impending loom of Monday). But regardless of what comes this week, I'm so grateful for the past two days. I am one thankful little girl with a full heart. 

Alright - I'm three cups of coffee in (brewed the pot today - hello it's Monday) so I guess it's time to take on the day! OH - side note, it's February, and as a confession to those of you who read my New Year resolutions, I still haven't made it to Pure Barre. Don't get me wrong, I've signed up each week, but haven't quite made it.... I work late. It's hard. I'm sleepy. I'll try again in March.

OH - and Nashville returns this Wednesday!! Eeks! 

I don't think I need to explain why (or how much) I love this show :)

Until next time,
Katy

World's Best Work Pants

Let's face it. We have all wished for careers in the medical profession....simply for the scrubs. I mean Meredith and Cristina always look SO comfy. I've worked as a receptionist in a couple of doctors' offices in my life and let me tell you...changing from jammies to clothes that feel very much like jammies is a glorious thing!

Well that ain't such a luxury in corporate America.

When I first started working a few years ago, I didn't understand the meaning of a blended wardrobe. I had work clothes, and I had non-work clothes, and I really didn't feel like they crossed barriers. If someone asked me to dinner after work, I felt like I needed to run home and change first. I didn't have a dual-purpose closet. And it simply left no money in my wallet and no room in my closet. 

SO I got smart (and I also got a sense of fashion). Now I like to buy things that can accommodate both work and play. 

I will give the disclaimer that normally, I'm a dress/skirt wearer. I've always thought pants fit me weird. I don't wear jeans. In fact, in high school my mom told me she'd take me on a shopping spree if I didn't ever wear jeans my senior year. I'm telling you - they look weird on me. I've been told I need to go to the Blue Jean Bar here in Dallas, but alas, I have not.

In the winter, I can only wear so many tights/skirts combos. By about 2 pm, I want to rip the tights off my body. And whoever invented the pencil skirt obviously didn't have to go to the bathroom a lot. Plus I like to sit cross-legged in my chair and it's just not very appropriate to just spread em in a short skirt, SO I needed some pants. 

I noticed my friend Mercedes was always wearing the cutest pants to work and she had them in like...8 different colors. She ranted and raved about these pants. But for those of you who don't know Mercedes, she's tall and teeny, so naturally I just thought they just looked good on her. 

Well, friends, I caved and ordered me a pair on Cyber Monday.... and I've just ordered my third pair. They literally are the world's best work pants. And I believe they look good on anyone. 

I introduce to you, the Banana Republic Sloan Pant

Sloan-fit Slim Ankle Pant

Coal...taupe...black...navy...beige - they have them all. Plus they now have these color block pants. Equally cute and two-toned to match those days that you're feeling a bit bipolar. 

Sloan is the way to go. They're flattering, dual-purpose, and SO comfortable. Y'all. I'm working 15 hour days right now. It's a good day when I get to wear these suckers to the office. Just try a pair. You'll find yourself ordering another. 

Also, in TV news, the final season of Hart of Dixie came back on this past week and man oh MAN do I love that show. Two words...

Wade Kinsella

My biggest TV crush to date. Sorry Zac Efron. 

It may be busy season, but I will choose this show (and that face) over sleep any day! :)

Until next time,
Katy