National Cat Day

National Cat Day was yesterday! A day that I did not know existed or have not paid much attention to in the past. Coincidentally it also falls in the same week as Halloween, which is Chloe's most favorite day of the year. We are slightly obsessed with our cat. She is quite the character, quite the diva and quite the pet.

In honor of the day, I thought I'd give you a few facts about Chloe:
(Disclaimer: You may read this and you may judge me for being too obsessed with my cat.) 

1. She is a long haired black cat. To say we have a fur situation in our apartment is an understatement. I have officially mourned and moved on from the fact that my living room will never be full of beautiful white couches and tables. No not happening. No.

2. She has this stupid box that Gregg received a shipment from Bonobos in and she climbed inside and never came out. She is always sitting in it. Consequently the box now lives in our living room and is never going away.

This is not a joke.

3. She hates seeing luggage and hates when we leave town.On the contrary she hates traveling and doesn't understand why anyone would voluntarily do it.

 4.She loves to watch the birds. They are her best friends in the world. Even though we know she is plotting to kill each of them in her mind.

5.She will straight up beg for treats until she gets them. I tell Gregg she is peer pressuring me all the time.

6.She believes everything in the apartment is in some way hers and takes possession over things in strange ways.

7. A good amount of the time she looks like she is over me. And over life.

8. She loves the Bachelor and had a deep crush on Juan Pablo. Her feelings about him changed when she saw this happen. 

9.She loves Gregg. They are best friends. She only loves me at night when she magically appears in our bed and starts to cuddle. Such a shacker.

10. She was the greatest souvenir I got from Austin. Gregg may have left with an MBA and a job but I left with a new best friend.

Happy National Cat Day, Chloe!

Grocery Store Trauma

Tonight I was at the grocery store because I don't feel good...my head is full of pressure that is shifting between my ear and my head and back again. I realize my ear is on my head but I have no way to differentiate that so just go with it. It is a fun time. All I wanted to eat was some Rotisserie Chicken Salad from HEB. Sidenote- this stuff is delish.

But I was checking out and the cashier was helping the guy in front of me. Their exchange began with a question I am asked every time I check out at the store. And it went something like this while I waited for my turn:

Cashier: Thanks for shopping at HEB today. Did you find everything you were looking for?

<Me: zoned out>

Guy: No actually.

<Me: zoned in>

Cashier: Oh I am sorry to hear that. Can I ask what you weren't able to find?

Guy: Pillsbury frozen pie crust. You only have the organic stuff. And I looked. You never have what I need. Always having to go elsewhere. And I try to come back here. I do. But you never have everything I need.

And the guy proceeded to just complain, complain, complain about HEB not having things and all of his complaints were rooting from the Pillsbury frozen pie crust. I was kind of dying on the inside. Mainly because I never think twice when answering that question- it's always yes and I move on to checking out my groceries and leaving the store. If I am frustrated enough to not be able to find something then I go find someone and ask them where it is...I don't wait and hold it all inside until the cashier asks his "opening line."

Here is my rule of thumb in dealing with cashiers: This cashier is just doing his job and his job is to be nice- so be nice back. So complicated.

But apparently people have very strong opinions about grocery stores, the people in them and the people who work in them.

Case in point:

But the best is this article by Buzzfeed

Apparently I have only begun to scratch the surface of grocery store irritation among all of us....but have you ever seen anyone respond no they couldn't find what they were looking for?? 

Growing Into My Cut

I cut my hair. Now let me back up. It had been entirely too long since my last hair cut/highlight....my hair had gotten long. Too long. People like my hair long. So they say. I don't really know what my preference is in all honesty. I don't like it really short but I also don't know the magic length. I just know it hits a certain point and it's like my hair won't do anything anymore. Let me back up for a second time. My hair barely does anything as it is....it is straight. So again in all honestly I do not know what my perfect hair length, hair style is....I have been alive 30 years and my hair has nothing to show for it. I feel so defeated.

But Saturday while we were in Dallas I visited my hair stylist and we were chatting. I told her I wanted to try my hair darker for winter....which I did. Then I told her I wanted some length off. Which we did. Then she did a new layered hair style. And before I knew it...my hair was cut and styled and inside I was freaking out and quasi-mourning the loss of the long hair I had just a few hours before and hated. What is wrong with me.

Regardless....here are the results....

Thursday evening- en route to Dallas/McKinney/the rehearsal dinner. Oh yes, did I mention we had a wedding this weekend?  That's all we do- attend weddings, wedding events or wedding planning events these days. I also throw in a baby shower or two also.

Hair cut time

The aftermath- please note my hair won't look this styled with this cut for awhile. This is also a bad pic of Gregg but good of my hair (minus the awkward one strand) so it stays. 

Gregg the groomsman for his best friend and our best man.  It's pretty amusing to go to a rehearsal dinner with long hair and show up the next day with a new do- Be advised that it really confuses people. 

So there we go. I don't know. I am still undecided. Kristina keeps saying your hair is not short. She is right. I think it's confusing me because it's thin on bottom and lots of layers on top. In two weeks I will like it more but I have to get used to the layers. I need to figure this thing out.

I need to "grow into my cut"

Things I Learned This Weekend

Disclaimer: I was supposed to post this last Monday 10/20. Just realized I did not. So here it is a week late and seems very appropriate since my weekend was anything but sitting around reading magazines:

What is your favorite way to relax? I used to think it was just laying around watching TV. It still sort of is...but I have a new favorite...I like to sit down with the stack of magazines that have been sitting on my kitchen table accumulating and do something crazy, read them!

I learned all sorts of things this weekend:

1. From Instyle, I learned that Meg Ryan was supposed to do the part of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman but filming for When Harry Met Sally ran over so she wasn't able to and they cast Julia Roberts instead. On the flip side, Julia Roberts was cast to do Sleepless in Seattle with Tom Hanks but she had a conflict and wasn't able to do that one. These are all movies I could never imagine without the person cast in them, whether it was Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan.

2. The Tiffany T. Awhile back I read that Tiffany's had made some new hires was going in a new direction with jewelry, focusing on the "T" symbol instead. I saw an ad and I have to say the jewelry is really pretty. Wishlist- check.

3. On a similar note, Gregg told me Cadillac is undergoing a new brand look too and you can tell in their commercials they are going after a younger audience. They even changed their logo.

4. They are selling these new pod things for your house so you don't have to take your clothes to the dry cleaners. These things look insane to me. Not something I have on my wishlist at all.

I wanted to do an even five but I forgot the 5th one. In the same way I forgot to post this last Monday. I am totally out to lunch right now! 

Pack. Unpack. Repeat.

7 weekends. And a day trip. From August 22 to October 10 I was out of town every weekend. Every. weekend. Now, I love to stay busy but I think in my elder age of 30, I now know my limit. And that limit? That would be 7 weekends. And a day trip.

Regardless of the amount of caffeine I consumed over these past 7 weeks to stay awake during the week, I have loved celebrating these people in their big moments and making really fun memories in the process. Here is the cliff notes version of the adventures:

August 22-24
Location: San Antonio
Event: Kristina gets engaged!
Disclaimer: Most stressful experience of my life but we pulled off the most ridiculous surprise engagement ever. So fitting for these two. 

August 29-September 1
Location: Houston > Austin > Fredericksburg > Austin > Houston
Event: LC in town, mini visit to Austin, drop off LC at her friend's house for weekend, head to Fredericksburg for a Bachelorette party for Gregg's best man/best friend's fiancé (got that?), back to Austin to pick up LC, back to Houston. This was ridiculous. But I have said it before...LC and I will do crazy things so we get to see each other, even it means we both plan simultaneous weekend events during an LC visit to Texas. We are insane.
Disclaimer: I will never do this much driving in one weekend again. 

September 6-7
Location: Dallas
Event: Co-host A&M game watching couples shower for Gregg's best man/best friend and his fiancé.
Disclaimer: When hosting one of these, it is nice if the game is not on a rain delay for 2 hours. Oh well, clearly we made do with other entertainment. 

September 12-14
Location: San Antonio
Event: Kristina is a bridesmaid for one of her childhood friends.
Disclaimer: My family loves a wedding. Don't believe us? Wait until Kristina's. 

September 19-21
Location: San Antonio Riverwalk
Event: A's Bachelorette Party weekend
Disclaimer: I may be from San Antonio but I know nothing about the Riverwalk and had to use my GPS to navigate us around all weekend.

September 26-28
Location: Galveston
Event: Hayley's Bachelorette Party weekend
Disclaimer: When you are celebrating one of your college besties getting married with the other college bestie who is 6 months pregnant standing next to you, all of a sudden you feel like it is the end of an era. You also feel old.

October 3-5
Location: San Antonio
Event: Wedding planning with sister-zilla
Disclaimer: Everytime we are home, Kristina somehow gets tricked into doing all this handy work around the house and I manage to avoid it. It's good to be the older sister. 

Surprise weekend event: I'm a MOH!
Disclaimer: I do in fact plan to share all the behind the scenes fun and fighting of the next 10 months of my life helping to plan this. 

October 11
Location: College Station
Event: A&M vs. Ole Miss
Disclaimer: Technically this was not considered a weekend trip because I didn't have to pack a bag and got to spend the day with Gregg. (you may have noticed this husband of mine was absent from the majority of these weekend trips) However, it required driving. It also ended at 2am when we got home. Therefore I am throwing it in as a bonus.

BOOM. This may or may not explain my blogging absence. Not that anyone cares other than my mother but there you go. Even though the weekend trips and events are not over, I do have a free weekend in my future. It might as well be a giant finish line being crossed. I require that every once in awhile to recharge. It could also be called Analisa crawls into a cocoon for the weekend with TV, wine, pizza, pinterest and Chloe. If Gregg is around then that is a bonus too, but not required.

Cheers! 

Friday 5

1. Last week while traveling to Florida, I picked up Vogue magazine on a whim for my flight. I came across this announcing Christian Louboutin was coming out with a pricey and chic nail polish line to resemble his shoe line. The signature color of course being red.

Perfect gift in my opinion for the nail fashionista, or yourself. My question is if I could ever bring myself to use it seeing as how pretty it is unused.
photo cred Sephora 

2. The greatest thing about a vacation is calories don't count. Travel and Leisure confirms that with their list of America's best bakeries. Making the list is one of Gregg's favorite from NYC, cookies from Levain bakery. When I visited, he took me to try one and with the hot summer sun melting the chocolate as I stuffed my face with a chocolate chocolate chip cookie, sitting on a bench in the Upper West Side, I decided that was heaven.

Be sure to add them to your list next time you are in NYC
photo cred Levain Bakery

3. #blackcatselfie This article said people in the United Kingdom are not adopting black cats because they don't photograph well. Ridiculous. Needless to say, we are obviously big black cat fans around here.

Does this look like someone who does not photograph well? 

4. This made me laugh: 8 Thoughts That Go Through Your Head When Everyone Around You is Having Babies and You're Not 

5. It is 100 degrees and I am dreaming of new pajama pants. Go figure.

Have a great weekend! 

Bachelor in Paradise Episode 1

What combines Mondays, crazy people and a beach? Why it's Bachelor in Paradise of course. 

• Is it going to be a train wreck? Yes. Absolutely. 
• It is also going to be something for all of us to look forward to on Monday evenings. Because let's face it, we could all use a little crazy after surviving a Monday. 

Initial intro observations:

• There is a lot of wind and these girls are having issues holding on to their flowy maxi dresses in wedges 
• You can already see a lot of insecurity in the girls fighting for the same guys
• You can already see a lot of crazy in some of these girls...cough cough Michelle...cough cough
• Lacy from Juan Pablo's season, who are you? 
• Elise from Juan Pablo's season, who are you? 
• And everyone loves Graham....yet again. The ultimate Bachelor, Bachelor Pad and now Bachelor in Paradise repeat.

How is this show going to work 

• Bachelor style dates, if you get a date card you get to choose who goes on the date with you
• 7 girls, 6 guys....there is an elimination so soon. 
• Someone will be leaving paradise very, very soon if you don't make a connection with someone. 

Who.is.Lacy...

• Apparently she left Juan Pablo night 1...is this the best ABC could do? 
• Lacy runs into the ocean with Robert and lets him whisk her away into the waves.
• Marcus is still not over Andi and he proclaims this while wandering into the ocean in his underpants. Makes complete sense. And now Lacy is in the ocean with him. And now Sarah is upset. Did you get all that? 
• Now Lacy is back with Robert. 

AshLee vs. Every other girl in the house who likes Graham

• AshLee has planned their wedding and already registered them at Pottery Barn. 
• AshLee claims she is the only normal person here.
• AshLee is mad Graham couldn't be loyal for 24 hours

First Date Card....Clare....

The date drama

• Clare picks Graham. 
• Clare sense drama and vents her frustration to this guy:

• This guy helps Clare decide to un-pick Graham. And pick Robert. 
• Sidenote: I think Clare and Robert are super cute. Let's hope this means Parrrrraddiiiiiseeee.

The Vista Date highlights:

• Clare: "I don't even know what a vista is but we walked out of a vista" 
• Then Robert gets attacked by ants. He loses his shoes, his backpack and his shirt and now he is magically not itching. 
• Meanwhile I am sitting here watching the TV itching still 5 minutes later. 
• Clare thinks Robert is "a cool, fun, funny guy." 
• Clare is afraid of heights. Oh right, right duh. My bad. I forgot about being afraid of heights. Even in paradise heights still exist. 

Second Date Card....Sarah

• Sarah picks Marcus
• Lacy from night 1 of Juan Pablo is bummed. 
• Sarah is taking leaps and leaping into the water with Marcus 
• Sarah is done leaping and kissing Marcus

Michelle Money arrives...dun dun dun...with a date card...dun dun dun...

• Michelle takes Graham away for a secret handshake that reminded me of The Parent Trap a la Lindsay Lohan. 

• Michelle picks Marquel for a date card. 

Lacey receives a date card and asks Robert. 

• This means poor Clare.
• This also means poor Marcus who likes Lacey. Who went on a date with Sarah. Who Sarah jumped in the cave water with. Did you follow that? 
• Marcus is upset. He just got over his heartbreak with Andy. He is now having to get over heartbreak with Lacey. And his un-heartbreak with Sarah. 

Rose Ceremony time or as Ben put it so eloquently "It's cocktail time!" 

• Now begins watching all of the contestants try to lobby for a rose....it's always fun watching people who are not good at communicating try to communicate through persuasion
• AshLee thinks she is safe safe safe because she has Graham in her back pocket. 
• Should your rose be strategic or based on friendship??? Marcus can't decide. 
• Oooo interesting development: This time the roses are not anonymous. There is no secret Pier One lockbox room. 
• Crazy Michelle voluntarily decides to go home. 
• Michelle Money has some serious hair going on

• Graham picks AshLee because he is afraid of being stabbed while he sleeps.
• Marcus picks Lacey who picked Robert for a date who went on a date earlier with Clare. Did you get that? 
• Robert picks Clare. Clare is over Robert but thankful for the rose. 
• And here comes Ben who ha been strangely quiet this episode which I think is a strange omen to the rest of the season. Silent but deadly wins the race on these shows. 
• Ben picks Sarah. 
• Daniella is going home. 

Who will listen to AshLee cry now? How will the girls get revenge on Robert and Marcus next week? And how will Chris B's arrival challenge Graham's control of the house? Will I continue writing about this nonsense? Stay tuned....