USA! USA! USA!

Mexican Diver 1: Listo?

Mexican Diver 2: Listo.

Mexican Diver 1: Uno, Dos, Tres, Va!


American Diver 1: Ready?

American Diver 2: Yep

American Diver 1: One, Two, Three, Go!


This was my favorite part of the Olympics last night. I was watching the synchronized diving and each team said the same thing on the platform before they took off flipping and twisting into the water. I'm pretty sure the Chinese were saying it too, but then I definitely do not know any Mandarin; so really it could have been anything.

None the less it just fascinates me how similar all the athletes are. The same looks of disappointment plagues those who falter and the same tears of joy fall from those who don't.

I cried too. It is the second time this Olympics I have cried. You may think the first time was when Phelps lost, or Lochte lost last night, but nope. The first time was when Dana Torres didn't qualify. I wasn't affected by it at all until she said her biggest disappointment came when her daughter asked, "So we aren't going to London?" Yah, I lost it.

Last night it was seeing the American diver's mama cry. It's so sweet... and I know how proud my mama and Dado were when I broke a few silly, little records at my tiny University in Bronx, so I can't imagine the enormous amount of pride the mamas have over in London. The American diver's mom had me choked up as she watched her son win a medal in diving for the US for the first time since 2000.

Right now as it stands the US is tied with the Chinese for the most medals. It actually sounds a little bit crazy to me because it seems there has been more disappointment that triumph for the Americans.

That could change tonight though. Phelps is going for another medal... or two and for the title of the most decorated Olympian in history. No big deal. USA! USA! USA!

I've been cheering for the Brits a little bit too. I mean, come on, they are our biggest ally in the world so why not? The cycling road race was exhilarating in both the men's and women's events. A young Brit won the Silver for the women and her male teammate had the same fortune.

Yet this is an example of how they can differ so much as opposed to the synchronized divers I mentioned.

See the male British rider was expected to win and in the last 500 meters a feisty, little guy from Kazakhstan took advantage of the Brit rider looking back on the pack and broke away for Gold. The British rider was pissed, and almost seemed embarrassed to wear the Silver medal. I didn't feel bad for him though, the Kazakhstani rider beat him fair and square.

However, the female Brit was elated with her finish. She was quoted after saying it was "the best moment of her life." She fought a hard battle too in the last meters and just came up short. It was no embarrassment to her though, she was incredibly proud and I bet somewhere her mama was crying tears of joy.

All of the competition is fantastic. Competition breeds excellence. But there have been a few moments to complain about...

Opening Ceremonies were a mess...well the first half was. They did a tribute to times past or something and included the Industrial Revolution. I get that it was a major time for the Brits, but little kids jumping on beds that lit up, just seemed weird.

The Queen's entrance was a little bit corny and her unwillingness to crack a smile as the entire world watched her country on display seemed odd to me too.

With that said the ending when all the gold pieces each team brought in were used to light the ginormous torch in the center of the stadium, I was in awe. What a great representation of countries uniting in competition. If the entire presentation had been the countries walking in and that final torch lighting, it would have been spectacular. That first part really put a damper on the ceremony as a whole. I hope people hung around to see the end because like I said it was incredible.

Now the only other complaint I've seen is apparently the coverage on NBC is spotty. I have not tried to stream anything live yet, but from what I hear, and read on Twitter, it is a miracle if you actually get the feed.

To that I will say, this is the first time a network has attempted to provide this type viewing. People, chill out. There were times when we couldn't watch the competitions at all, much less in real time. Maybe NBC will falter some, but I think having the opportunity to read about the different sports as they happen is pretty awesome. Following the athletes on Twitter is unreal. I knew that the Men's 400 relay won a medal about 15 minutes after it actually happened several time zones away. THAT IS AWESOME. And I got to watch the race that night in primetime. I'd say that is pretty good coverage.

Now I am about to try and stream the Fab 5 in their attempt to bring home Gold in the Women's Team Final. If it fails, then I will jump on the bandwagon of criticizing NBC.

Until then... USA! USA! USA!

xoxo Sara Marie

So Long Emily!

The Bachelorette is finally over. She chose Jef... One "F" Jef. I think it was a lame choice. I think it is a lame show. The whole finale she went on and on about how she was not sure if she would end up engaged, and low and behold, he asked and after a made-for-TV pause, she said "yes." Duh.

I will say I think these two might actually get married. Which is not something at least 90% of the other Bachelors and Bachelorettes can say. With that, I guess I can't say the show is a sham, but it definitely seemed rather scripted and there has got to be a ridiculous amount they do not show.

Which brings me to this... why not show more? That would make it more "real" and isn't that what a reality show is supposed to be? There are obviously a ton of commercials. Fine I get that, I mean someone has to pay for the guys suites at the Curacao resort and Emily's House and Emily's parents’ house and the crew and and and... To all stay...in style... in this tropical paradise. But why all the recaps, and conversations between Emily and Chris? Why not show more of the guys with Emily? Maybe it’s because then there would be no suspense? Maybe because it was obvious and real with One-F-Jef and the viewer would have no reason to watch so many episodes? I don't know their reasoning for 7 recaps an episode and at least 2 segments solely Chris and Emily talking.

One of my favorite parts of the whole thing was the bloopers during the guy's show. It was raw and hilarious. Show more of that ABC.

Jef said last night that one of the things he loves most and Emily is how witty and funny she is. Well a random viewer of this show would NEVER say those two things. I saw her witty maybe once (when she went back and forth with Kalon) and funny... uh...rarely.

Anyway to cut this ramble short, I'll just say that I would be more inclined to watch another season of this show if it included more of the actual dates and guys/girls, and less talking about stuff we obviously didn't even see a lot of... whatever. I'm done, so is the show... on to the OLYMPICS!!!

xoxo Sara Marie

The 5%

Here is the bottom line with Ted Cruz or David Dewhurst folks...

95% of the votes they would cast in the United States Senate would be EXACTLY the same. There is going to be a very, very small amount of votes that they would probably differ on and those are where you need to look.

In those occurrences David Dewhurst will play the political game. It sounds awful, the game that is. Politicians should not play games, but that is the way the system works---and has ALWAYS worked. Really the political games are nothing more than the media's way of characterizing compromise.

Sometimes we win, sometimes we don't but regardless, the game is played.
David Dewhurst has run the Texas Senate for 10 years. That is what a Lieutenant Governor in the State of Texas does. They are President of the Senate. So who better to go up to Washington and smack around those liberal, Federal-Government loving guys than one who is so familiar with how their game is played?

Well certainly not a man who has never cast a single vote in either house of the legislature.

Ted Cruz is a champion of conservative crusades. That is true. He is a litigator, he fights for a living. So when there is gridlock in Washington why would we send someone who will only add to that?

The 5% of votes that would differentiate Dewhurst and Cruz are important. They are things that would break the Senate free of gridlock or add to it. Dewhurst could use his knowledge of negotiation to compromise conservatively, or Cruz can go and kick and scream and refuse to let go despite the need for solutions.

I'm going with Dewhurst on this one. And if I'm wrong, hey, we still will have a really great US Senator, 95% of the time.

Sounds like a win- win for Texas!

Don't forget to Vote. Early Voting (at any location) July 23rd through July 27th and Run-Off Electioon Day is July 31st. Do it, or don't complain.

xoxo Sara Marie

Give Yourself a Chance...

Go get your Concealed Handgun License. I know that if I had been in that theatre there would have been at least a chance at retaliation in a proportional response. Maybe he was prepared and had a bullet proof vest on, but maybe I would have shot that coward in the leg and given a few of the victims a better chance at getting away or hiding or whatever. Or maybe not, maybe I would have frozen up and not been able to pull my own trigger in defense, but I would have had the chance to change the outcome.

There will be the argument that the availability of guns is why this man opened fire on an innocent crowd at the Dark Knight premiere in Colorado, but I disagree. Spoons don't make you fat. It’s not the scissors fault when you don't like your new haircut.

And the bad guys will always be bad guys. Well maybe not, people can change, but what I mean is that there will always be bad. There will always be crazy in the world. If you enact tougher guns laws it only makes it harder for people to protect themselves. The bad guys will get the guns. They obviously do not care about the law if they are plotting to kill anyway. Thus, tougher laws only hurt those who are wanting to arm themselves in defense.

So protect yourself if you can. I'm not sure what the laws are in Colorado specifically, but if you cannot have a CHL; elect some law makers who will consider it.

This isn't the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last. Say a prayer for those present in tragedy today, yesterday and the future. And then prepare yourself, in the event you’re in a similar situation one day... God forbid.

xoxo Sara Marie

To Answer Your Question, Jimmy Buffet...

Do you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain?

Everyone knows this song, and until yesterday my unequivocal answer to both was simple "nope."

And you might think this post is going to be about Happy Hour or some summer drink with a little umbrella, but nope!

Yesterday, despite some mounting clouds in the area, the BF and I decided to hop on our bikes for a nice, long bike ride along a bayou on the West side of town. We started out with a nice warm up for the first few miles. We got to the turnaround point at about 6 and a half miles. The air was thick, the clouds were plenty, but there was also still a ton of sunshine.

Now because it was so humid I went for the ride back in just my sports bra and little bike shorts...sexy, I know. Anyway just after embarking on our trip to the truck, just over 6 miles, the Heavens opened and for the next 10 minutes, maybe 15 it was a torrential downpour.

At one point it was painful, the little pellets of fire (as I wrote about here) were stinging my body. I do have to say though; being sweaty, and then getting soaked makes the temperature and rain seem much less steamy.

And then it lightened up a bit. Don't get me wrong it was still a steady shower, but at least I wasn't saying "Omg ouch," over and over to myself.

So we get about 3 miles into this journey through an afternoon rain storm and there is a place in the trail that is under construction. In order to continue one must do a relatively easy off-roading stint.

On the way out it was fun and a little sandy, but now it was a slippery mud slide essentially. I got off Sasha D and walked up the hill and across the way. I slipped twice and almost ate the mud. The BF was more of a trooper and stayed on his bike. Well, until he slipped too and sat his butt in the mud for a second.

After crossing the street to get to the other side of the open trail we took a short break to discuss how adventurous biking in the rain is! Then we were back on our bikes and ready for the last few miles. That is when the rain was so light it was more like a nice mist to keep us from suffocating in the 175% humidity.

It was nice for a mile or so. I literally thought to myself, "I'm 10 or 11 miles in and this is wonderful!"

Then the rain stopped and it was a legit sauna… a sauna with a slick path. Every turn and hill was like riding on ice almost....an iced path full of mud puddles.

By the time it was over I was itchy mess from the mud stuck to my body. My sneakers were soaked through to the point that my socks squished as I walked.

It was a crazy bike ride but overall pretty awesome. Today I am a little sore and that means I did my body some good. It was fun; I felt a little bit like I was in the Tour de France and I love the Tour… or did when Lance was riding.

Anyway this point of this whole story is, yes, I do (now) enjoy "getting caught in the rain."

Maybe tonight at Happy Hour I'll try a Pina Colada.

xoxo Sara Marie

Damn the Rain

It's raining in Houston. It has been for at least the last few days, maybe as many as 5 or 6 and will continue to do so for that many more. Hurricane season? El Nino? Whatever the reason, it sucks.
Well if I was watching movies all day in my bed with popcorn and soda, it would be perfect… But despite the cuddle-up-in-the-sheets weather this morning, when I awoke, I climbed out of bed and hydroplaned twice on the way to work. Luckily it was not across a major freeway like I did back in 2010 when I just about totaled my car, but still... The point is excessive rain.

So that got me thinking about rain and depending on what it is your day entails it can be very welcomed or very disruptive. Beyond that, generally speaking, it can be so comfortable or really inconvenient.

And that takes me back to New York City circa 2007-2008. That was the year I spent, after four years in the Bronx, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Just off Broadway I had a tiny apartment I shared with a friend from back home. Each day we braved the streets of NYC and went about our dramatic first year out of the safety net of college.
The summer time in NYC is hot. 90 degrees in that concrete jungle is the Texan equivalent to 110 degrees… at least. They are experiencing this now and my heart sweats, aches for them.

But when it rained in the city... oh it was so lovely. It was as though, if only for a few minutes, at the start of a soft summer rain the city would slow down. It would relax its noise and calm the day.

Don't get me wrong, there is a fearless battle fought on the sidewalks of NYC between those with umbrellas and those without. Those without shamelessly losing that said battle when eye pokes and water running onto their head plague their routine walk to and from work. But none the less it takes a hot, heat-trapped summer day and makes it bearable if not little bit tranquil.

See the rain in New York in the summer is cold. In Houston it is a steamy, sauna feeling when it rains. (And when it doesn't for that matter.) The ground here is so hot I guess that even 10 degrees cooler won't make much of a difference. And the rain, the actual drops are warm, if not hot. They are little pellets of fire really that only add to the sweat of a normal July afternoon.

In New York the water falling from the Heavens is cool and almost sweet. It seems to freshen the day. It is like working out then taking a cold shower. The City heats up from the outrageous summer temperatures, and then a summer storm rolls in and cleans it of the salty mess it had become.

Maybe I'm just bitter today and missing my old stomping grounds. Maybe tomorrow I'll get out of work a little early and snuggle up on the couch with the BF to watch a movie… And then the flooding around the city will seem further away and less of a headache, but until then I'm going to remind myself of this: The rain in NYC may just be the ideal sweet, summer refreshment, but those nasty winter storms sure make up for Mother Nature's consideration during these summer months. And it’s at that time I will be very thankful for my current location in the warm wintered Houston, TX.

Stay dry my friends.

xoxo Sara Marie

The Return of the Squash.

My Dado has a garden. He has a huge garden that mammoth veggies come out of each year. And to me it seems like each year a different veggie takes over the whole thing. For instance I can remember in years past when his corn was taller than me. Now I am only 5'4, but a corn stalk that is almost 6 feet tall is pretty impressive. Then there were years when it would take hours to pick all the green beans he had.

This year it is squash and zucchini. He has some zucchinis that are the size of a t-baller's bat. They are small weapons! So after visiting last weekend I brought a bunch home with me.

The first attempt to whip some up for dinner was the below par squash cakes incident I wrote about here. I wouldn't let a little of smoke and crumbly cakes get me down though, I bounced back yesterday with an awesome breakfast and lunch.

Up first was an idea for a veggie omelet at 7am. I knocked this out of the park. There was only one complaint. It went like this:

Chop up some yellow squash and green bell pepper and red jalapeno. I left the seeds in the jalapeno because I had this idea that homegrown jalapenos were not as spicy as the ones you get at the store.

Anyway, next get that mix cooking in a sauce pan. When the veggies are almost cooked add in two beaten eggs and black pepper. After a few minutes fold the mix in half and sprinkle with cheese. Remove and enjoy!

And enjoy I did, after I set my mouth on fire. Not because it was hot from the stove, but rather spicy from that red jalapeno! Insanely spicy. Note to self: Homegrown jalapenos are just as hot, if not hotter than the ones you buy at the store. Lesson learned.

And that heat was my only complaint. Other than that my omelet was delicious. I made another and threw it in the fridge to wait for lunch time.

And when lunch time rolled around, maybe it was that spice from the morning but I was feelin' like mixing it up a little. So, I grilled up some chicken, sliced and avocado and threw it in with my egg mix! It was even better than breakfast!

So after having a not so great start to my week of summer squash recipes, I ended on a hot, high note!

And all this squash cooking has kept me right on track for my July New Year's Resolution (in my attempt at one resolution per month) to cook three times a week. Two weeks in and at least 6 meals have been prepared at home. #winning

Happy Thursday!

xoxo Sara Marie

Top Chef, Fail.

Last night I nearly burned down my apartment. Ok that is a stretch because the smoke detector didn't even go off, but I'm almost positive it would have if I had not opened my balcony door.

My goal was to make squash cakes… little fried patties of grated squash and onion. I knew in my head the basic concept of making them, and had a recipe, but didn't follow either and ended up with a giant mess on my hands.

It went like this:

I started by grating the squash. Those things have a ton of water in them too. So I tried to drain as much off as I could and went through 37 paper towels. Then I added some grated onion and garlic too. I was getting fancy and felt good at this point. Then I got the assembly line ready with a plate of Panko bread crumbs and flour. I also tossed some flour in the grated veggies. That was something my mama did to her potato cakes last weekend at the beach. I felt like a real pro remembering that.

Anyway, this is where things get messy, literally. The grated veggies did not want to stick together and they were still pretty water-filled. Imagine wetness, and flour and bread crumbs all over my kitchen. Then I would turn from one side of the kitchen with the crumbling mess and throw it into the hot grease. With the mess still all over my hands I would grab the spatula to move the cake around to pick up the stray piece in the grease. Then it was whip back around and try to assemble the next one quickly to get it in the grease within the same time frame as the one already in the grease, thus the flipping of the cakes could be coordinated. I got about three in and then start the flipping. Then I waited and took them out when they were done. Now lots of pieces were floating in the grease despite my efforts to get those all on the frying cakes. The oil was very hot too. So about half way through my second batch of three the oil and stray pieces began to burn and the smoke was engulfing my whole place. I took the pan off the burner and opened the balcony door as the vent on high was not enough to get rid of the smoke.

Batch three was basically it. I did a few more after that but they were not successful. All in all I made about 10 before giving up and of those probably 5 were nice looking and/or edible.

As those cooled I warmed up some already cooked turkey meatballs and had those with the 5 cakes worth eating. Together it was yummy but independently the cakes were not the greatest things I've ever made. And in the end after eating the squash cakes I realized they were way too greasy. Next time I will bake them and I think things will be a lot more successful and certainly cleaner in the kitchen.

Until then...

xoxo Sara Marie

Sean is Available!

Sure hope you didn't DVR Bachelorette because I just spoiled it if you did! Here are my thoughts on last night's second to last Bachelorette episode:

It was time for fantasy dates or overnight dates, whatever they have been called in the past. And I will start by saying there is so much "fluff" in these episodes it is ridiculous. They could makes these 30 minute episodes if they took out all of the "Emily staring into the ocean," "Emily walking along the beach," "Emily riding in a boat," and "recap" segments. It is shocking to notice how little time is given to the actual dates and time with Emily and her guys vs. all the other stuff.

Moving along, the first date was Sean. And hello Emily's boobies. Goodness! I am not sure if I just have not paid any attention previously or what, but those things were massive and in your face last night.

Ok ok so on to the date... Sean is adorable. He seems like a really nice guy. Probably not someone I would ever date, but I know a bunch of nice girls (ahem, Dirty E) who would love to be taken care of by this guy. One reason I could never date him, he showed up to his date in Toms. You know the shoes that look like wash cloths wrapped around your feet... yah the guy version. Gross. I get that a pair is sent to Africa or something for some kid who needs shoes, but honestly I bet that kid could use food or clean water more than those flimsy zapatos. Getting back to the date, Emily basically begged for him to say "I love you," and he finally did toward the end. They look cute together, he is very genuine, and I think she was afraid it was too good to be true. I think she sent him packing because he is too good and too perfect. Interesting, and I think it might just bite her in the ass.

However, the next date was pretty good for her too. Jef was second and they seem to have a really great time together. At first it was a little bit awkward, Jef was almost fake. For instance Emily told them what they were doing, going on a sailboat and his response in a very fake voice was something like, "oh goodie, that is neat." Ok it wasn't that lame, but it just wasn't as raw as I think it should have been. While Jef and Emily definitely look cute and mesh well, I think the whole Ricki thing is going to be the obstacle here. Three different times Jef asked Emily if he would be a good dad. He seems terrified of the idea. The other guys sort of assumed the role and told Emily how they would handle it where Jef was asking Emily for those answers more than giving them. I certainly don't know much about parenting first hand, but I'd imagine if you have to ask if you will be a good parent, you probably are not ready for it. I think that comes from within...or should.

Emily on this date was hot. Her dress at dinner was super fun and I'd love to know where it was designed. She says "like" more than a high school sophomore though, and I wanted to rip my ears off.

Anyway this date ends the same way Sean's did, in the fantasy suite but not staying the night. Cool, I get that whole "I don't want my daughter seeing my stay the night with three different guys" bit. Classy.

Then comes the Arie date. As stated by my guest blogger here, Arie is lame... lame but I think genuine. I use that word a lot but that is because there were so many fake guys in the beginning, and guys you know are just saying shit to be on TV. I think Arie is being Arie. I can imagine him off the show just as lovey-dovey and sometimes goofy as he appears on the show. He does lick his lips too often though. That is kind of weird.

One thing I noticed is that Emily said something about how she would be fine moving to Scottsdale to live with Arie, but she told Jef something different. She told him she had never been to Seattle and would rather live elsewhere. Interesting and I think that could contribute to her final decision. She didn't give Arie the chance to go to the fantasy suite but said it was because she didn't trust herself to send him home at the end of the night. I thought that was hilarious.

At the Rose Ceremony Emily's outfit is awful. The skirt is elaborate and pretty, but paired with the tank top, it seems out of place. Sean goes home and he handled it like a freaking champ. Most guys cry and ask what they did wrong like they are middle school girls, but Sean said "Thanks, I'll miss ya and goodbye." Don't get me wrong you could tell he was hurt, maybe even a little bit pissed off, but he took it like a man, and that made him even more attractive to viewers, I'm sure.

So next week is the guy’s show where they all come back. Stupid, I won't watch it, but the next week is the finale. Sunday the 22nd. Luckily it is before the Olympics start. I would not be missing some track and field or swimming for this show!

I will make my prediction that she chooses Jef, but does not get engaged. How could she agree to marry someone who has never met her daughter? Bogus. A crappy ending to a show I probably won't watch again because the season is so long and getting a little ridiculous.

17 days until the Olympics!

xoxo Sara Marie

Guest Post!!!

Ok when I started watching Bachelorette, I mentioned I may have a guy guest blogger on it. Well, after realizing how impossible it would be to have a guy watch one episode, let alone the entire season, I let that idea go.

But what I have come to notice is the extreme difference in gals that watch it. One girl can take something completely different away from the same episode another girl watched. I realized this as my sisterpants, mema and I were discussing it last weekend. We all liked the same guys, but still have such different perceptions of the guys and their intentions.

Obviously if you are reading this you have probably already read at least one or two of my previous Bachelorette posts. (Here is one, and another, and another, etc) Well here is a response email from another viewer to me after my last post on the show:

No way....you CANNOT like Arie.  He is a complete TOOLBAG.  He is sappier than Sean (who by the way is the only one who hasn't confessed an undying love for Emily, which I find more respectable than the rest who have probably gushed prematurely for show purposes only...except for Jef)...Arie is always trying to gaze into Emily's eyes and does dumb stuff like lick his lips before going in for the kiss as if it is planned.  I just do not think Arie is attractive at all, and his family is so 'different' than the way she has been living with Rickie for the past 6 years....

I do, however, agree with you that Jef is pretty cool and I would be totally excited if he ends up the winner....I am just a little weary since his parents weren't there and wonder if that will cause Emily to be weary too.

Chris is just too immature...end of story.  Nice guy, but not ready.

Sean...LOVE HIM.  He seems to be more genuine than the others and doesn't just say stuff to say it.  I am also a tad biased because he is Texan....but I feel like his lifestyle would be the easiest to merge with...both Emily and Rickie...but I just wonder if Sean being from Texas (the same state Brad was from) will cause hesitation for Emily....

So, who knows what will happen....I'm rooting for Sean and Jef. :)

 So there ya have it, a different perspective than mine! Happy Thursday!

xoxo Sara Marie

Real Americans

Yesterday, on our nation's birthday, I was what you would call a "Real American." What I mean by that is...

I started out the day shopping for a theme party. First stop was the all-American Memorial City Mall. If driving out almost to the suburbs to one-stop-shop is not American, I'm not sure what is...

But then it got even more American when the BF and I decided to outsource our shopping. Yep, we headed over to the ghetto... the Chinese ghetto. Harwin, as it's called in Houston is home to some very diverse people and places. We got EXACTLY what we were looking for and then some by the time we headed to our American lunch.

And that my friends, was this:

Bubba's Texas Burger Shack, under Hwy 59 South just about a block from my condo! Bubba serves up the best Buffalo burger in the city and it was the perfect, and very American, lunch for the 4th of July. The flag was a bonus.

From there it was time to hit up the pool and after that it was over to a neighborhood bar for a few drinks and rounds of Connect Four. Booze and yards games are almost as American as bison and purchasing Chinese goods.

The day ended with none other than an Italian meal. Meatballs and Rotini (with zucchini from my Dad's garden!) and it too was fantastic.

All in all we did a few things true to the US and a few things copied or barrowed from countries that make up our melting-pot nation... And I can't think of anything more American than that.

Happy Birthday America!

xoxo Sara Marie

Third to Last Bachelorette Post, Horray!

Chris went home. And it is a good thing too. His hometown was super cute complete with a Polka band and dancing, but he was definitely more into it than Emily. She kept using her standard "I'm so excited to be here..." lines and it was simply awkward.

Jef was next and his hometown was awesome. It was St George, Utah and they were at his family's ranch that was massive. His parents were not there. I found that to be a little bit strange. He said they were doing charity work in South Carolina. Good excuse, but just seemed weird. Anyway, his brothers and sisters all loved Emily, and when this particular date ended Jef was my new favorite for Emily. They seem to have less forced conversations and more genuine interactions than the others.

Then she went to Arizona and met Arie's family. They are European and very different, at least that is what Arie said. I didn't see it. The dad was most concerned with his son's happiness and the mother was a little bit protective. Aside from their accents, they were pretty much exactly like most parents. The interesting thing about this date was if you look at Arie's parents... a tall, dark dad and a thin, pretty blonde; and then you look at Arie and Emily, they are very similar. It was almost eerie they were so alike in looks.

Finally there was Sean. His family played a few jokes, which was cool although the jokes were kind of lame. But then Sean is kind of lame. What I mean is that he is sappy. He is a little too emotional for me. When their date was over Emily got in the car and was leaving and Sean ran after her to get one more kiss. That was romantic and cute, but some of the things he says are just too much for this gal.

In the end Chris went home like I said. And as the episode progressed any viewer knew that was coming. So next week they are off to Curacao and that is where this journey... and subsequent blog posts... will end. Like I said yesterday, it is beginning to wear on me so this will be a much welcomed ending. I am pulling for either Jef or Arie. And if I remember correctly Arie was one of my favorites from the very first night! I obviously know how to pick'em!

xoxo Sara Marie

Just Stupid

This weekend in Port Aransas my BF and I saw this...

A 99% sticker (and Obama 2012) on a new BMW. Really? 99% in a luxury car? If that is not an oxy-moron, I'm not sure what is... Let's not let these folks make the big decision in November. Clearly they don't quite understand...

xoxo Sara Marie

Fotografias

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this blog post will be around five or 6 thousand words.

Blackberry picture dump:

This is my sister at Minute Maid Park with her favorite Astro, Biggio (who went to her colligate alma matar, Seton Hall!)

My Dado and his buddy fixing my tire (in the rain) after I had a nice little blowout on I35 in Dallas. I love this car, but in 2 years she has required two new tires. I think next time I will make sure to purchase the tire warranty too! Lesson learned!

My girl, Dirty E and I made some delicious pasta dishes during our Monday night Bachelorette watching parties. This one was pasta shells with squash, spinach, mushrooms and a lemon sause (on the right) and a butternut squash pasta (left) Top Chef here we come!

My sister and her law firm in the Texas Lawyer Magazine. Her boss, and the signer of the message written, is on the cover. NO BIG DEAL. Sisterpants is on the far left!

That is my brother in law jumping massive waves out on the Gulf in Port Aransas inbetween storms this weekend. It was insane!

Dirty E at the Top Shot gun range on our office's 9mm Friday. The boss treated us to about 700 rounds of his 9mm and that masked man target was destroyed! Don't mess with the B&A gals!

Happy Summer!

xoxo Sara Marie

Presidential Post

About a year ago this was essentially a political blog with a few recipes thrown in there. Now-a-days I sometimes forget there is even a Presidential race occurring. I think it is funny how personal interest in something can really determine how important something seems in the world. A year ago there was nothing else except politics. I was on Twitter and Politico and Drudge and Real Clear Politics constantly all day. Now in my spare time it is Pinterest and the pool.

And it is not because the race ended or it became any less (or more) important in the world, I just shifted my focus. The race will go on whether I am involved or not.

So let's discuss that race as it stands now...

Romney will win. If the race were today, Mitt Romney would be the President of the United States come January 2013.

The economy is still sucking. Bailouts, President Obama's plan after plan, did not work… And this Obamacare that is not a tax; is now a tax so says the Supreme Court.

And while we are on that... everyone is pretty pissed-off at Chief Justice Roberts, but come on, he handed the election to Romney. You declare this--at the highest court in the land-- exactly what Obama said it was not, and you've made the President a liar… A liar and responsible for the largest tax increase on the middle class in the history of the United States. The conservatives should be thanking Roberts.

Romney needs help...or needed help. And he got it in the form of a Supreme Court decision. Couple that with higher gas prices and/or a few more bad jobs report and this thing, the Presidency, is the Republican’s to lose.

To think that the one guy, Romney, who is going to beat Obama(care) is the one Republican that tried the same concept and was responsible for the framework of the very issue that will allow him the win, is beyond me. But it is what it is... and that is a Republican victory on Nov. 6, 2012.

Here's to us not screwing this up...again.

xoxo Sara Marie

My Shows

Ok so I missed Bachelorette last week. I do know that Doug and Wolf went home…no shocker there. I called that last week, but whatever. So we are down to our last 4 guys and my top two are still Sean and Chris. With that said, apparently in the episode I missed Chris was a total douche bag. So maybe I'll just have a top guy, Sean.

Now, I did hear about a spoiler that said something about Jef being spotted at a Virginia airport recently over a weekend, and during that weekend Emily and Jeff were silent on Twitter; while Sean and Arie were both Twitter-active. That could be a stretch, I've flown through VA airports before, but it could also mean he was with Emily. We will see...

Now I have to be honest and say that I am getting bored with Bachelorette. I think it is a lot like American Idol. I love the beginning of the show with all the auditions, but when it gets down to the top 10 or so I lose interest. I think I am more of an entertainment type viewer, not an invested viewer. What I mean is I watch for entertainment value, not to be invested in any of the participants.

And guess what perfect timing I have in my television ADHD?!?! Well, WEEDS is back.

Now if you have never seen an episode of WEEDS, I suggest you start at the beginning. Almost two years ago, ok about a year and a half I bought the first 4 seasons or so for my BF after he went through knee surgery. Talk about getting invested in the show, I was flat addicted. After blowing through the first four seasons it was back to Target to get Season 5. Then I watched Season 6 via YouTube, and finally the 7th season aired last year, of which I did not miss an episode.

Now during the 7th season it was said that it was the final season. It ended with a MAJOR cliffhanger and what do ya know? They're back.

This will be the final season, and I am distraught over not having picked up Showtime yet. Thus I did miss the first episode of this new season last night, but have plans to watch it On Demand tomorrow. Don't worry; I will obviously let yall know exactly what I think of it!

Until then...

xoxo Sara Marie