Shopping...Malaise?

I actually got bored shopping today. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd tire of shopping! Living in Boca, the primary shopping hot spot is, of course, the Town Center Mall. Then there's Mizner Park, which is further east and, to be honest, a waste of time unless you need to purchase a $4,000 chaise lounge from Robb & Stucky's or diamonds from Van Cleef & Arpels.

Anyway, I received a flyer in the mail advertising the new Promenade at Coconut Creek. After taking a closer look at the mailer, I realized the Promenade was a full-fledged shopping center, with real stores! And I almost died when I saw Francesca's on the shopping directory! My favorite costume jewelry store! Must. Go. Shopping.

I kid, I kid. Let's put this into perspective: I am currently unemployed. I have absolutely no business shopping right now. But I'd been couped up at home for the past few days AND I stayed home all day on Black Friday. I desperately needed some fresh air. So I went to the Promenade today, walked around for an hour...and didn't buy a damn thing. I must say, I'm quite proud of myself. But also? Is it me, or is everything just very middle of the road lately? Flat and dull? No punch or oompfh? I didn't find one thing that wow'ed me. I'm not sure what to make of this. Is it the retailers putting out ugly clothing lines {Ann Taylor Loft, you know who you are} or is it the consumer who isn't spending money on unnecessary items? Whatever the reason, the entire experience was a bore. I sort of died a little inside today, secretly wishing for the shopping heydays of my overindulgent past.

Thanksgiving: Not a Total Loss

I made this pie :)

Yesterday was my first official holiday with my husband since our wedding. Unfortunately, he hasn't been feeling well the past few days. After much debate, I decided to go solo to his parent's house despite the fact I had a teensy weensy hint of a cold. After all, I made cornbread stuffing and a pie and I was not about to let it go to waste.

It was a lovely, low-key dinner complete with all the typical Thanksgiving traditions. My mother-in-law said a prayer before the meal that nearly brought me to tears. I tasted a little of everything but made a conscious effort to not overeat. Her Pumpkin Pie was To. Die. For. {Turns out she replaced the sweetened condensed milk for evaporated milk. Wow, what a difference!}

All was well after returning home. Did a few things around the house, played with the cats, put my PJs on, and jumped in bed. Ahhhhh..... Fell asleep for about an hour and then......woke up with severe stomach cramps. Like really, really bad. Spent the rest of the night {actually, morning} crouching over and holding my tummy. Not fun. During all this, Jeff was awake and watching "World's Dumbest Shoppers" on the Spike Channel. The narrator's voice for this show made me want to claw my eyes out. Feeling as if I was in labor, I yelled at Jeff: "OMG, PLEASE CHANGE THIS F---ING CHANNEL!!" Given there isn't much quality programming on cable at 3 am, he decides to watch some prison show on MSNBC. What is it about men liking these prison shows?! I don't want to hear a bunch of prisoners complaining about prison life. You f-ed up and you're there for a reason!

Ahem.

Despite the rough night, I woke up this morning to see the ongoing news in Mumbai and the terrible news of the citizens who have lost their lives. In particular, the pictures of the Rabbi and his wife, and the images of their 2 year old son who survived. Heartbreaking. The situation made me realize how lucky I am to feel safe and I have so much to be thankful for this year. My family, my new husband and his family, my wonderful friends, a roof over my head and food in the fridg. It's the simple things that make me happy. It's so easy to get swept up in material objects and completely irrelevant celebrity news that you lose sight of what's important. And the past 24 hours have really helped to reset my mindset. And for that, I'm very thankful.

5 Things I'm Loving Right Now

Kashi™ 7 Whole Grain Pilaf
This little pouch packs 8 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber and can be microwaved in 60 seconds! I've been having one for lunch and mixing it up with different things like cilantro, hot sauce, or an egg over easy. YUM!



Crest Vivid White Night Toothpaste
I made the mistake of buying whitening strips prior to my wedding {gag!} which made me quickly discover this awesome whitening toothpaste. Honestly? I feel a little silly spending money on a toothpaste you only use at night but I absolutely swear that it works! And the Midnight Mint flavor has a hint of vanilla...what's not to love?

Envirosax's Green Friendly Tote Bags


I can't believe how excited I am about these bags. Envirosax's uniquely designed totes roll up nicely into a carrying pouch that can easily fit into your purse. {I mean, let's face it. Who wants to carry an armful of tote bags made out of burlap!} I can personally attest to the quality of the bags - they hold a ton and can withstand heavy products. Love them!!

"Rocco Gets Real" on A&E TV
How can anyone resist Rocco DiSpirito?! His new show airs Saturday mornings and features ordinary people overcoming their fears of cooking. I love the show because it helps people realize that cooking can be an enjoyable process. Although I'm no stranger to the kitchen, I'm always interested in learning something and who better to learn from than Rocco?

My Cats!
This is Doughie {like Doe-ee}. She's one of my two cats and continues to capture my heart daily. Not only is she a real beauty, but I swear that she talks to me. It's crazy, I know. Her latest thing is to gesture by nodding her head towards a toy, usually a ball. I'll pick it up and throw it, she'll run after it, and then put it in her mouth and bring it back to me! I can't believe it. She may have been a dog in a past life.

And then there's Cookie {get it, Cookie and Doughie?}. Cookie has the world LONGEST and FLUFFIEST tail. This is Cookie the first night home after staying at our in-laws during the week of our honeymoon. That's her blankie and she was in heaven to be back at her house!

Dazed and Unemployed

Three weeks before my wedding I got the news: We're letting you go. In a strange twist, I was actually relieved. Suddenly I had time to do All Things Wedding, and, really? I'd been planning to job search anyway.

So now the wedding is over {it was really fabulous if I don't say so myself; I'll post some pics soon}. Our Caribbean honeymoon cruise was amazing. Who can argue with nonstop liquor, having your stateroom cleaned twice a day, and finding a "secret" pool off the beaten path near the spa? This way of living was enough to send me into an altered state of mind. And that state of mind seemed to follow me home and has stayed with me for the past four weeks.

Ugh.

I probably should explain that this isn't the first time I've been laid off. In September 2007 my former employer, a large home builder in the Southeast, filed for bankruptcy and subsequently eliminated nearly the entire workforce. I was given a generous severance and had about 3 months of wiggle room to find a new job. Instead of doing something fabulous like hitting the beach, I spent my days glued to my desk in my pajamas. It was ridiculous. I completely stressed myself out and didn't enjoy my time off. Never would I make this mistake again.

Now I have the opposite problem. I have zero motivation! I can't seem to snap out of it and get my shit together. My husband Jeff thinks I'm having postpartum wedding depression. Possibly? Since I have so much time on my hands I've been giving this some serious thought, and this is my conclusion: I don't want to work in the same career I've had for the past 15 years as a corporate communications/marketing professional. I need a change in a major way.

Now I have to figure out...what next?