keeping up.

How do people in the blog world even keep up with reading all these posts? I use Bloglovin' to help keep me up-to-date, but dang...when there is 25 new posts I get a little overwhelmed!

Someone let me know their secret!

Speaking of keeping up...whose excited to see Kim Kardashian whine about her pregnancy this Sunday?

While my blogging observations show that a majority of bloggers enjoy Real Housewives, I show my reality TV loyalty to the Queens of  all things "K" and truly believe that I would fit in nicely in their bitchy, estrogen-filled home.  (Poor Bruce, Scott, and sometimes baby Rob).



But that's Sunday...It's the freakin' weekend ya'll!

and this is how I do it for #backthatazzup Friday! 

See ya'll Monday & here's hoping I have something good to report. 

letting go.

Sorry that I've been blog MIA. Since I've moved into our house we haven't done too many new Hawaiian adventures, but I have big plans for the weekend. Let's hope it goes as planned.   react to this term: letting go.

With everything that's been going on this week just looking at this blog challenge makes me anxious. But I'm letting go. So I take a deep breath. I tend to let everything and anything get to me. Brushing something off takes about two or days; and sometimes, even then it lingers for much longer. But, I'm letting go. all I can do is take a deep breath and start again, refocus my thoughts, and tell myself it'll be all be ok. 

liebster.

So I'm feeling so honored right now to say I have been nominated by the amazing Jessica at The Wondering Brain for the coveted Liebster Award, an award given to bloggers with less than 200 followers in a chance to get more blog exposure and make you feel just plain good.

Here's how it works:

So lets get started!

11 Facts about Dana

1. I'm half filipino.

2. I was born in San Diego, California.

3. My favorite color changes daily. (today: purple)

4. I drive a Ford.

5. I've know my husband since high school.

6. I'm a Registered Nurse.

7. I'm a cat lover who has a dog.

8. I have serious control freak issues, but not enough to truly have OCD

9. I hate mushrooms.

10. I'm obsessed with nailpolish, I have over 50 colors, easy.

11. I only like Bath & Body Works Candles.

Answers to Jessica's Questions:

1. What's the meaning behind your blog name?

It started off a play on some old nicknames. I was sometimes called Day-Day or Sweetie Pie by my grandpa so I just put it together! I thought it sounded cute lol.

2. What's your dream job?

My dream job is to become famous and rich like the Kardashians did...having no real talent besides just being good looking.

3. If you can have lunch with someone for an hour, who would it be? 

This is the hardest question for me! Right now, I'd like to have lunch with my mom! I miss her!

4. Exercise addict or couch potato?

Ugh. addicted to exercise so I can be a couch potato.

5. What is your favorite all time movie?

A Christmas Story

6. If you had an extra hour what would you do with it?

Do what I was supposed to do an hour ago.

7. Flip flops or high heels?

Flippy Flops!

8. What is the one thing you can't live without?

My planner. 

9. City life or Country life?

Suburbs?

10. What is your favorite book?

the five people you meet in heaven.

11. Which do you prefer, car, truck, van, or SUV? 

I have a car but I like to think I'm an SUV girl. I like that added security a big ol' SUV can give you.

11 Questions for the Nominees:

1. What made you start blogging?

2. What's your biggest accomplishment in your life so far?

3. Dog or Cat?

4. Chicken or Beef?

5. Which social networking site is more addicting FB or Twitter?

6. Whose "shoes" would you want to walk in for a day?

7. Neat freak or Let-it-be?

8. Favorite food?

9.Favorite Song right now?

10. Drink of Choice?

11. Do you believe in love at first sight?

My Nominees for this awesome award:

1. Sweet Tea & Sunday Mornings

2. Life as I Pretend to Know It

3. The Carb Monster

(Sorry ya'll I am new to blogging and don't know that many blogs yet! So thank God for this award so I can blog hop some more)


sweetly & grateful,

the girl who liked cats.

So, I'm that girl.

The girl who begs and begs her husband for a dog and soon realizes the nightmare & responsibility that dogs can be.

A dog that is not a puppy, but 2 years old who was unfortunate enough to not have a home or people patient enough to keep him.

And unfortunately that person is me.

But before I get a lot of backlash when my blogging days have just begun. I think I'm in a overwhelmed-new-dog-owner stage. Is that a real thing? 

Despite the fact I cannot sleep at night and I'm obsessed with the dog "messing up", I know he's harmless and his little doggie mind doesn't know what he's doing and he's trying his best to please us. 

My husband says give him time, and while everyday is an anxiety attack waiting to happen. Dog Training starts next Saturday and I'm praying that we can make it until then. 

Or I can make it until then.

Duke.

of hazard. 

what i miss.

So the Steel Magnolia is sitting in the driveway, safe in my driving hands! I definitely asked my car how she likes Hawaii. (no reply).

No matter how many times I go to the beach, eat out, or hike; I'm still in denial that this is my "home" for the next 3 years.

And since the time difference technically puts me in between #throwbackthursday and #backthatazzup, I'm feeling somewhat homesick and at the same time looking forward to my future here on Island.

What I miss about my Southern home:

My family.

My friends.

Chick-fil-a

My cats. 

yes, I'm a self proclaimed Cat Lady.

While I clearly miss hometown glory, I also have things I don't miss:

Bike Week

If you know about bike week, you know how inappropriate it becomes so here's a picture that makes it look cool.

Deer ( and their direct correlation to my driving anxiety)

Rednecks.

Being here in this new place has given me a whirlwind of emotions. But, everyday I'm thankful that God has given me this opportunity to experience such a beautiful place, even if it comes with the sacrifice of being away from my family. 

My back that azz up song choice is more of a sit that azz down and enjoy this rendition of the most over played song ever. I guarantee you'll want to overplay with this version =)

Have a great weekend ya'll! See you Monday!

                                                                           Sweetly,

i got 99 problems and summer can fix most of them.

beach days, sun, cool drinks, and excuses to grill everything.

Summer.
 I didn't truly appreciate the season until I was well into my second year of college. Just that giddy feeling of all the plans you make for that long, warm break.

ah-mazing.

 Summer to me is my cue for ultimate relaxation. Everything is refreshing and bright.  And now I live in a permanent summer. Which right now seems awesome. But, I will miss fall time and real reasons to wear my UGG boots (for real, I heard 65 degree weather here calls for the furry boots to be broken out. whaaat?)

Oh and my birthday is in June. So I clearly have bias to this well weathered season.

fave five

So if you don't already know I'm new to the blogging world and all it's wonders. I hope that I eventually interest people other than my mom,dad and other friends who I force to read my posts. I started blogging because I was bored out of my mind and because my real life best friend at Oh my darling & I told me that I should.  So here I am, 18 posts later, and I'm still going strong! I started off writing about the sites that I've experienced so far here in Hawaii. I even did a fashion piece...but lets get real...I wear Nike shorts and a t-shirt daily so I'm not really your go to person on that sort of thing. While I'm still figuring out what direction I'm taking, I have been so inspired by reading other blogs who have got their stuff down pack and some who have shown me some blog love when I'm just a little blip on the blogging radar.

The Fab Five( in no particular order) blog everyday in may challenge
1.

Real life best friend and the reason I started blogging. Her daughter (my Goddaughter) is the sweetest thing. ever.

2.

Stephanie over at B&G is definitely a blog inspiration, hilarious, and even via the web I can tell she is awesome. And her cupcake recipes omg. yum.

3.

Awesome lifestyle blogger. She won me over when she wrote a post about young love on AIM and people you see at the gym. 

4.

Nicole at Sweet Tea and Sunday Mornings. Is also one of my real life besties and a fellow lover of Essie nail polish.  She is the sweetest girl and has the sweetest blog. When I do have to get out of my Nike shorts and college tee, I look at what she's wearing to inspire me.

5. The Honeybee She doesn't have a button and I feel creepy swiping a picture from her page. But you know you have those blogs where their life looks perfect and they have all the things you want? She looks like she would be friends with Lauren Conrad. She actually makes LC look kind of poor. And, just a side note, I want to be friends with LC. 

It's hard to choose 5 because I actually love like at least 20 blogs. All unique and never boring! But these are some must-go to blogs no matter if the title was like "Weekend at the Nursing Home"  What are your favorite blogs?

a picture is worth a thousand words

It really is hard to choose a "favorite" photo of myself. I'm one of the most indecisive people ever put on this earth, which plays a huge part in this "favorite" photo process. Also, I was a pretty adorable looking child(not to brag or anything right?) and each photo holds a special memory in my heart.

There's nothing like bringing it back to my toddler years and showing how early my diva love for chocolate was though.

Definitely a favorite. 

Sweetly,

#backthatazzup

How annoying can I be with like 3 posts in one day?

So just back your azz up to this amazing jam and forgive me.

my lot in life.

So I'm starting "this" post early in my blog and getting it over and done with. I said it and that is that. Thanks to the Blog Everyday in May Challenge. My lot in life. Which this phrase has a lot of different connotations, primarily referred to in the biblical sense. And I just see it as something in your life you're dealt with... Food. My relationship with it and how it's shaped me literally and figuratively.  I love food too much. Too much, that I'm on a constant weight battle. But, I'll keep it short and simple. Since moving to Hawaii I've been a lot more determined than before. And my excuses for not working out are slowly coming to a close.  Don't worry, I won't be a weight-loss blogger. I want to change my relationship with food and that means not talking the talk without walking the walk. But, I admire those who do post daily, post awesome recipes,  and hold themselves accountable. It keeps me motivated! So my lot in life, a constant struggle, but there's no better time like the present!

Koko Head Trail. Nature's Stairmaster!

My biggest supporter. He loves me through thick and thin! literally. 

(those tradewinds really got my bun  all cray cray)

since I've been gone

We have internet!

It's literally been a week, but it feels like longer and I have so much to say! But I don't want to drown this post so I'll try and keep it fairly short and sweet.

Being out of the hotel has been great and settling into our new place has been even greater. We've hit some bumps, but I'm excited to call this place my home. 

 I've been drinking my wine on the reg. With my DirectTV and home cooked meals.

The Steel Magnolia has landed (or sailed) to Hawaii...but unsafely...

We picked up my precious Ford from the shipping processing center and as I was about to drive off into the sunset my husband called me and said, "Um, your muffler is about to fall off."

WTF

I am like...not a car person, if my car even shakes in the slightest I freak out and take it to the shop (I've been stuck on the side of the road one too many times with my mom's van, riding dirty in high school, a story for another day, but anyways... I take car issues very seriously).

So, I turned my car around just for the man to zip tie my muffler and tell us to take it to a car dealer! WAH. The zip tie didn't melt, despite my brain telling me otherwise. But the part needs to be ordered, though it is a quick fix that won't cost me a fortune so I'm fine with that shenanigan.

Something that I'm so happy to be doing is cooking again! This lady loves to cook. I'm an avid pasta lover and I claim it to be my specialty.  But every once in awhile I try something different and I fell in love with this lemon chicken one pot meal I made last weekend!

pan-roasted chicken with lemon-garlic green beans
photo courtesy of pinterest;)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound trimmed green beans*
• 8 small red potatoes, quartered
• 4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)**

*note: I used asaparagus

**note: I don't like bones in any meat, creeps me out. I used boneless and it turned out just fine if that's all you have in your freezer/fridge!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.
3. Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Another post is headed your way, but Grey's Anatomy finale is about to call, being 6 hrs behind has it's pros and cons.

sweetly,