BEAUtiful Mess takes over Bargain Blonde

Hey you bargainistas! 

It's me...Beautiful Mess Steph!

(My armpit says "HI!" by the way...)

PS: that picture is total fraud. I really know nothing about that camera. I just know I love it.

Anyways, since Lindsey's in Sin City for the weekend, you're stuck with me! 

...I can already sense the excitement...

Some of you may know me (and in that case "HI friends!!") and some of you are probably wondering who the heck I think I am calling myself "The Beautiful Mess".

Let's work this thing backwards, shall we?

"Mess" pretty much sums it all up. If I had to rename my blog, I'd change it to something along the lines of "Hot Mess Express" but that would take too much work that I'm just not willing to do.

The "Beautiful" comes into play because of this guy...

Oh hai there big boy! ;)

Meet Beau. He's my husband so I can say stuff like that.

NOW do you see where "BEAUtiful" comes from? 

Get it? 

Beau....Beautiful...

Ok-well it made sense back in the day when I created this lil blog-o-mine...

So anyhoo, I'm from Lindsey's state. 

Or maybe she's from my state.

Either way, we're both Texans which basically means we're the shit in every possible way.

Not really.

What it means is that one day, just ONE day, I will be meeting this little Bargain Blonde we speak so highly of. (By the way, she doesn't "officially" know this so hopefully she's cool with it all. I mean, I guess she thinks I'm alright because here I am hacking into her blog for the day but it only makes sense that we meet due to the fact that we only live a couple hours away from one another.) Duh.

We can all be sure mine and Lindsey's meet up would inevitably end up in a booze-induced trip to the ER and I must say, I look forward to that day. In the meantime, that I have had the privilege of meeting many other bloggers in this little world of ours.

In saying this, I think you should meet them too!

(Girls...this is in NO particular order so don't get your panties in a ruffle.)

1. Kristen @ All In My Twenties

[proof!]

Okay so it would be unfair for me to actually say I "met" her because Kristen is the one who STARTED my blog for me. Literally. She called me one day, asked me for my gmail login, designed, named and created my blog. She then forced me to write in it. We go way back. Like college, way back. (You can read about that love story here) We were both dating guys in the same fraternity, I lived with her at one point and she was even in my wedding. What I'm trying to say is sister is hysterical and has NO SHAME. Her blog is focused on her long-distance relationship with her main squeeze, Chris, her two pups (Tugger the bully & Lilly the schnauzer) and every once in a while she posts videos of herself vomiting in mid-air. I tell no lies. She has no filter and she's damn proud of it...which is reason #9485 why I love her.

****

2. Katie @ Keep Calm & Carry On

[proof!]

Oh where do I start? Katie and I "bonded" via internet (that doesn't sound totally weird and awkward, does it?) maybe 6 months ago. She's from Ohio and so with me being a Texan, I don't know HOW her and I could have SO DAMN MUCH in common. It's almost creepy how alike we are. So anywho...Katie and I met like less than 2 weeks ago. With both of our husband's in tow, we actually went on vacation together to Florida. (Which you can read alllll about here, here and here.) My point is: I'm legit. She's legit. We promise to not disappoint. Aaaaaand I'll be going to stay with her this coming May for her birthday bash because we're real-life friends like that now...booyah!

****

3. Kate @ Every Mile A Memory

[proof!]

Kate & I sporadically met at one of my alma mater's football games (University of Houston...GO COOGS!) She, by far, has THE COOLEST job and gets to travel EVERYWHERE with her husband and it just so happened she would be at the same game I was at! Kate blogs about ALLLLLL of her travels, her handsome man-candy and her furchild, Cali. It's so surreal meeting this person you've followed for so long because even though you've never really met in person, it's like you know EVERYTHING about them. I'm pretty sure her husband was pretty freaked out when I walked up and said "Hi Bryan! Where's Kate!?"

****

4. A big ol' group of Houston bloggers!

[proof!]

Left: Lindsey & Savanah

Right: Me, Megan & Meg

After about a year and a half of blogging, I found out there was an entire blogging group from Houston that gets together on a regular basis. Kinda like a sorority, but no hazing (that I know of). I've actually met up with the group a couple times now but could only find this pic of the 5 of us. This was actually my very first blogger meet-up so to say I wasn't completely weary of the fact that they could be creepy old men would be a total lie. ;)

****

Moral of the story: GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO MEET THESE AMAZING WOMEN!! The girls I have met through blogging has literally been life-changing. It's hard to believe that I can actually call some of them my "best friend" knowing that we met over the world wide web. Weird, I tell ya!

Very weird.

But very cool.

Signing out,

The mess 

It's Monday and I'm just rambling

Um. Are we aware we're already halfway through the first month of 2012?  Excuse?  I could have sworn I was just counting down to the New Year.

I've been majorly slacking on the blog front. Only six posts in twenty twelve so far, which is not OK. I said I'd be rocking your bloggy socks off last week, but then this little guy arrived and life got a smidge busier.

Oh hay, Bear, hay!  You're cute and all, but you are a lot of work.  At least babies wear diapers and don't use my hardwood floors as a toilet.  Can I get a refund??  Jusssst kidding.  I do love him, I'm just used to cats who are independent bishes who do everything on their own.

Friday night we went to dinner for my friend Kathryn's birthday and then we went to the Granada Theater to see Charlie Robison play.

I don't know if everyone knows this song, but I know my Texas girls do:


This is typical Kathryn.  Here she is using a hand dryer in the bathroom to try to dry her pants after spilling beer on them.

If you tweet the theater, it shows up on their big screen.  Cool, huh?

On Saturday I got to see my friend Megan's baby again when she stopped by to see my new house.  How cute is the wine bottle she brought me?

Her little guy, Ben, is even cuter. Babies are my fave.

Saturday night I celebrated another friends birthday, so it was a birthday filled weekend. Yesterday I took it easy and got my car detailed, went to the grocery store, CVS and Bath and Body Works.

All right, I'm even boring myself with this post.  I'll be back tomorrow with something good and entertaining for y'all to read.  TGIM ... not.

Although it's been said many times, many ways ...

... Merry Christmas toooooooooooo youuuuuuuuuu!

By the time you read this, I'll already be at the airport dressed identical to this (sike) ....

Boarding a plane for San Antonio ...

The San Antonio Riverwalk at Christmas

As much as I would love to be toasting you a Merry Christmas from a blanket of white snow ...

I'll be at my Grandma's house in Boerne, Texas enjoying the quaint Texas Hill Country all weekend.  

Ella Blue boutique in downtown Boerne at Christmas

 Not familiar with Boerne, Texas?  It's where these two got hitched this summer:

And where I will be waking up to hot chocolate and having myself a Merry little Christmas with my family.

I hope all of you do the same.  May all your Christmas wishes come true.

images via

It's the 12th and FINAL day of Christmas over in Ashley's corner of the blog-o-sphere at the Adventures of Newlyweds ... Go ENTER!! ho. ho. ho. 

We're finally melting + Super Bowl hoopla

Happy Monday, Dallas has just about thawed out!  Well, except for the parking lot by my apartment where the sun doesn't hit.

Last night I was walking over to my brother's apt (he lives in the same building) to take him an ice pack since he slipped on the ice and popped his ankle when what do you know?  I slipped myself and my brand new Blackberry Torch caught my fall, which shattered the screen on my phone.  This is why I can't have nice things!  The good news is I have insurance on my phone and I can get a replacement, so  I suppose it's not the end of the world.

Other than the continuation of this crazy weather, another big event was going on here.  You may have heard about it ... the Super Bowl?  It's been hectic in the Big D to say the least. 

Saturday night my best friend Liz and I went to the Bud Light Hotel for the Pitbull, Ke$ha and Nelly concert. We waited in the LONGEST line of our lives, and I never want to relive that again. Literally over 2 hours standing in high heels.  However, once we got inside the concert, it was worth the wait and a lot of fun.  Here are some photos from our evening:
 

Liz and I on our way to the concert.

 

Isn't she such a fashionista?  Her sequin blazer is Forever 21.  My clutch is vintage from my Grandma and I get more compliments than you could ever imagine on this purse.  You can't see all detail on it, I'll have to take a pic of it and post.  Thanks Grandma!!



Posing on the step and repeat pretending to be celebs.

During the concert. Love her, besties since 6th grade!



Pitbull performing.  When we finally got inside, he was already singing.  We missed most of his performance, boo!



The stage right when we walked into the performance tent.  Pitbull performing his last song.



We were too far back in the crowd to get a good picture, but here is Ke$ha performing.  

 

So many hands in the air taking pics, and I was too short to reach. 

  

Nelly was the last act.  We were a little closer for his performance.

  

I wish I got better pictures!

So that about sums up my weekend.  I tried to stay away from the Super Bowl madness as much as possible, but this concert was my one exception.  I didn't even watch the game last night except I caught part of the half-time show.  I just can't get into the NFL, I stick to college football.  Did you have an exciting Super Bowl weekend?  What did you do?  Any of you Dallas peeps spot a celeb?

I never thought I'd say this ...

... but after 2 days of being iced/snowed-in at my apartment, I was actually looking forward to going back to work today. Even if I had to dress like an Eskimo:

I know I look creepy, but this is literally how I had to drive to work today in order not to freeze. As I type this post, it is 22 degrees in Dallas, but it "feels like 12" thanks to the wind chill. Not. Normal. 

Last night one of our local news stations showed footage of a girl literally ice skating down her neighborhood street. My apartment parking lot is covered in solid ice too. Here's a picture I took on my phone yesterday from my balcony: 



The bottom line is we're just not equipped to handle this weather in Texas. Yesterday we started experiencing "rolling blackouts" statewide in order to conserve power to generate enough electricity. Lucky for us, this meant sporadically your electricity would go out in 10 to 45 minute increments. Awesome.

I know I shouldn't complain because I saw how bad Chicago got it, but it would be the same way if you were a New Yorker and started getting over 100 degree weather. At least I hope so anyway. Are we big babies or do you feel my pain?

P.S. Even with this crazy weather, I haven't forgotten tomorrow is my first installment of "Fitness Friday". I'll share with you my progress as I work to become "fit and fab" as well as where I got a steal on a brand new gym bag. Stay tuned and stay warm!

Dallas sees snow!

While I was at lunch yesterday, snow flurries started fluttering down from the sky. Unless you are from the South, you have no idea how exciting snow is for us. I'm not saying I would love it if I had to shovel it off my car every day or had to slosh around in it all winter, but a few inches one of two days out of the year is just perfect.

A pic I snapped with my phone outside my office building this morning:
And in more exciting and important news, on Saturday one of my besties, Courtney, got engaged. I'll have to do a post with pictures from the celebration and her ring. So happy for her!

Christmas Eve!

My mom's side of the family is from San Antonio and for as long as I can remember we have had tamales and taquitos on Christmas Eve. This year we had Christmas Eve at my apartment (a first) – but it was just a small gathering since some of my family couldn't make it up to Dallas for various reasons. My Grandma brought our traditional South Texas tamales and taquitos with her to Dallas, which are my favorite food to eat at Christmas. They were delicious as usual, and we had a fun time eating and reminiscing about past Christmas Eves. I won’t get into the story about my Grandpa and a dead fox, but it’s very funny.

After we ate and talked, we drove around and looked at Christmas lights in Plano, a suburb of Dallas where I grew up. It was drizzling rain and windy, which only posed a problem when I hung out the car trying to take pictures of the lights. The neighborhood we went to apparently goes all out and there were tons of people looking at lights too. There were times when you couldn’t drive down the street because of so many cars.

On Christmas morning we opened presents and then in the afternoon we drove out to my Aunt’s house about an hour away for more presents and Christmas dinner. I had a wonderful Christmas with my small family and I got everything I asked for and more! Christmas always makes me realize how blessed I am, and I’m so sad it’s over. I really do not want to take down my tree and decorations! Anyone want to help? Ha!

Christmas Eve dinner:

Christmas Eve lights:

Christmas Morning:

 

The Rancic's in Dallas

Most of the haters out there made fun of my extreme excitement about seeing Bill and Giuliana Rancic speak on Saturday in Dallas, and that's OK. They were in town to speak at a free financial seminar hosted at Lakewood Theater, and me and two of my BFFs were there in the 2nd row to listen to what they had to say.

Now more than ever I think they are the cutest couple and I have a huge crush on the both of them. I need to find a Bill to marry, and when I grow-up, I want to be just like Giuliana. Not only does she have a dream job, but she has great style, is so successful and is hilarious. Bill is just hot, and not just because of his obvious good looks, but because of how smart he is.

If you watch them on TV, they are everything you'd expect them to be and more. Here are some photos from the event:

{Stefanie, Liz and I waiting in line outside of the theater.}

{We were standing in line right where Bill & Giuliana's towncar pulled up so we got to see them come into the theater. They we're so friendly and nice when they got out of the car.}

{Giuliana!}

{Bill & Guil speaking during the seminar.}

{Lakewood Theater in Dallas}

{After the seminar they had a meet & greet, but the line was too long and we were starved so we didn't wait. However, we were able to snap of picture of them on our way out. Could her body be more perfect??}