NuRide

If you aren't currently worried about our planet, shame on you!  I've become a better "green" person as I've gotten wiser (not older, I'm not turning 30 next year...i'll just stay 29). There are some things I'm good at like recycling, not wasting water, carpooling/bus riding and there are some things I'm not willing to give up like disposable diapers...cloth diapers, gross!  It's just not happening.

San Antonio has become a big promoter of recycling as of lately and they even recently added some electric charging stations for electric vehicles in the downtown area...not to mention the B-Cycle stations and hybrid express buses.  We're taking things in the right direction...
Now granted we are about 10 years behind other cities because in San Antonio we like to "Keep San Antonio Lame" which is great and all but maybe we should hop on the "Keep San Antonio Weird" band wagon like Austin does...full of hipsters, the educated, and Green folk.  We need less carbon footprint, less pregnant teens,  less barbacoa & big red and more college educated, community leading, computer saavy.  You know...okay this has turned into more of a venting session....what I really wanted to share was this website www.nuride.com  

It's pretty awesome, you can log all your "green" commuting mileage whether it be on the bus (Shout out to the Via #6 bus riders), biking, walking, carpooling, etc.  You earn points and with those points you can redeem them for rewards.  My favorite rewards are the HEB $5 off $50 coupon, the Aldaco's Buy 1 entree, Get 1 free, $2 off boxed lunch at Sip, $5 off $20 at Bigz Burger Joint plus more!

So if you are driving around a gas guzzler and work downtown, I encourage you to visit www.viainfo.net and see if you have an express route or park & ride near by.  Just try it...I've been driving to work for the past few months and have been bad!  But, that all ends after April 1st, I gave up my $70 parking spot and will be on the 6 once again.

That's all for now :)

John Mayer

John Mayer is my favorite musician currently, this is a title not easily won.  Now granted I know he had a few interviews a couple of years ago that made him sound like a total douche but to understand those interviews full of word vomitt you have to have been a long time listener and follower of his music.
His music is full of heart felt lyrics, soul and not comparable to anyone else I've heard lately.  He writes, he sings, he plays guitar and he's a real person not just a "rock star".  That's why I love him.
If you aren't familiar with him...you should familiarize yourself.
Be sure to check out some of my favorites...

Room for Squares - Neon

Room for Squares - Back to you

Continuum - Clarity

Continuum - Split Screen Sadness

Continuum - Home Life

Battle Studies - Half of my Heart

Battle Studies - Heartbreak Warfare

Battle Studies - Assasin

Battle Studies - Edge of Desire

So study up on some of these favorites because soon we will be enjoying a new album coming out next month.  I'm anxious to hear it and hoping that he has outdone himself again.

If you have the chance to see him in concert, I recommend it too, he's amazing live.  Just ignore his funny mouth motions when he sings, everyone has a quirk...cut him some slack!

FanFiction

Okay, so I spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer and there are occassions when I need to find creative ways to keep myself entertained...you know like writing a blog, searching for cars I can't afford, shopping real estate in my area, sorting through craigslist to see if there's anything of value, checking in on my blog writing friends...that sort of thing.
Well, a few years ago I became a reader...I mean, yes I of course knew how to read before but I despised reading.  This was all pre-Twilight era.  Well after reading the Stephanie Meyer series, I became desperate for another fix of some new fiction books that I could get lost in.  Hence, the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries books come into play.  Well after reading all of those and the Hunger Games series and a few books here and there in between I am in waiting mode for the Fifty Shades trilogy to be delivered from Amazon so I lean on FanFiction...sometimes its the only thing that can get you by on a readers dry spell.  So I recommend checking it out http://www.fanfiction.net/   Check it out and select your favorite books and see all of the stories written by the fans on how things should have gone, might have gone, side stories, even more "explicit" stories in case you waited through 3 books to hear about Edward & Bella's honeymoon only to be disappointed by the one page description in the book 4.  Ugh! I know.
So anyway, Sarah's reading recommendations...
Twilight Series (4) - must read
Sookie Stackhouse books (soon to be 12) - must read
Hunger Games (3) - it's no Twilight but I definitely enjoyed reading.
Fifty Shades Trilogy (3) - I'll let you know...I read a small part and immediately got on Amazon to order them.
Also, a small side note...call me crazy but I've decided to write my own stories...not really fan fiction because its not based on anything else but fiction based on reality.  Does that make sense...twisting stories based on real life into what I want them to be.  We'll call them Sarah Fiction.  I'll let you know when I'm willing to share...work in progress. 

live LAUGH love

My sister turned me on to this website that has different sayings and video clips/images to go along with them...it absolutely is the funniest thing I've seen on the world wide web aside from the Funny or Die video called "The Landlord". http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/74/the-landlord-from-will-ferrell-and-adam-ghost-panther-mckay

Anyway, you should check it out...  http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/  There are too many funny ones to specifically point out and they are updated daily so be sure to save to your favorites for a good laugh everyday.

Musical selections for the week...Fun. - We are young...but honestly, call me a gleek but I prefer the Glee Version of the song...way better!  http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/we-are-young-glee-cast-version/id483006781    Also, wouldn't this make a great karaoke song! YES!  Tap Exchange Friday nights!  http://thetapexchange.com/ (Yes, this is the famous Sarah weekend hang out next to my gym)

Pure Romance

It's strange how your perspective changes as you grow up...some of the things that I think now wouldn't have even crossed my mind 5 years ago.

For instance, Pure Romance would have been taboo to me...I would have thought that it was on the same level as those creepy adult megaplexish "book stores" that people go to buy kinky things for bachelorette parties or as a gag gift.  Well my eyes have opened since then.

After attending a Pure Romance party and having hosted one I took the plunge and decided to become a consultant yesterday (yeah, a spur of the moment kind of thing).  My stroke of genius moments usually come on fast and I can't stop thinking about them until I put them into action.

So for all of my friends that think like I did 5 years ago, I invite you to take a walk on the wild side :)  It's not as wild as you may think.  But, have an open mind!  It can change things, at least it did for me.  All women are different and what work for some don't work for others. 

http://sarahyates.pureromance.com/

Sarah's Top 3
1. Micro Bullet - OMG, that's all I have to say about that.
2. Ex-T-Cee - Enhancement Cream
3. Coochy - Shaving Cream to prevent rashes...it works!

Old school...

The things I really miss about the 90's ish/2000ish...

Mail, you know...not bills, not e-mails but actuall mail.  I used to write letters, receive letters...hand written letters mind you and it was so thrilling.  Now it is such a chore to go to mail box, there's never anything good in there :(  Well, sometimes there is...like when its my birthday or someone in the familia's birthday.

CD's, okay so cds really just came out in the 90's but weren't they great...pre-ipod.  Take your cd with you wherever you go in your giant cd binder with the covers filled with pictures of your favorite artists...for me I was a grunge child, Nirvana, Weezer, Garbage (not literally garbage, but the group...you member, member?) and lets not forget my Veruca Salt phase.  I don't care, they are still awesome and I will admit on my ipod playlists.  Recently my sister reminded of the high of a newly mixed tape/cd that I would make for my friends and I would make for them.  By the time I got my first car, I was all about my mixed tunes.  Man, I was cool :)  Julie sent me a cd mix of her itunes "songs of Sarah", lol...complete with some of my favs, John Mayer, of course...a Breaking Dawn soundtrack compliment, T-swizzle live in concert, Keysha because it reminds me of a drunken excursion for sister bonding time at Tap Exchange, and a new found love of Coldplay...oh and some weird songs that she either picked up at American Eagle or Philly in general.  I can't keep tabs on her musical selections now that she's an East Coaster. Love you Julie!

Letting kids play outside...I used to love being outside...riding my bike, taking walks with friends, sunbathing in the yard, the ice cream truck.  Now as a parent and a product of living in the 7th largest City in the US and maybe watching one too many Law & Order Episodes...I can't let my kids do it.  No walking to school, playing outside, getting ice cream from the ice cream man in their future, sorry...call me paranoid.  I think I'm going to have to invest in awesome snacks and some kind of play ground or entertainment in the backyard so that my kids aren't the outcasts but they are the kids with the cool mom who feeds the neighborhood kids sugary snacks and lets us hang out at their house...Yes...that is the key!

Okay so that is all my ranting for today...

I'll post some things that you should love soon...these are just things that you should miss.

Coldplay, Hunger Games & local tapas joint...

Well this week I thought I would share with you one of my favorite jams...I've been listening to it a lot while I work out...so yes I have been following through with my non-fast food, exercising lifestyle...

Coldplay - Paradise.  You will not be disappointed...or at least I hope not.  So go ahead and download :)

Ummm...so if you haven't heard of the Hunger Games you better come out from under that rock you've been under.  It's happening...the great series is coming to the big screen on March 23rd.  Just enough time to read the 3 books...or at least the first one that the movie is based on.

Lastly...tomorrow (also payday Friday) it has become a new lunch tradition to go out on an all girl outting with the gals in my office...some but not all participate in these lunches...and thats okay.  It's fun and its kind of like when you are a kid and they wheel in a tv and vcr on a cart or if your class takes a field trip...it makes for a fun day not just a fun lunch.  So anyway tomorrow we are going to Signature Tapas...it's a little off the beaten path of the Riverwalk which is okay by me.  Sometimes its fun to be a tourist downtown San Antonio checking out the sights and sometimes its fun to be a local and know about the good food spots that are rarely ever crowded.  Signature Tapas (not to be confused with Topless...haha a tourist thought I said topless when they asked me for a good place to eat "around here") is legit...I like appetizers and tapas is just a fancy spanish version of saying appetizer!  Yum!  Mix and match...I can't wait!

http://www.riverwalkplaza.com/wine-and-dine.htm

These are a few of my favorite things...

Wait, what?  Target (my favorite store) is showing a sneak preview of Breaking Dawn Part 2 (most anticipated movie) in their store on Friday.  Yep, it's true.

http://www.target.com/c/favorite-characters-Twilight/-/N-56haa/#/store-finder#?lnk=Other_HP2_020512_ESPOT-2|ESPOT-2&intc=420103|null

Now, don't get me wrong...I would love to go BUT on the other hand I don't really care for all the groupies that are sure to be there, waiting in line and staying up until 1 am.  If it weren't for those factors I would totally be there.

So I will go pick up my copy after the hype on Saturday like a regular shopper but the sneak preview that I'll be missing will probably bum me out.  Hopefully someone with record with their iphone and upload to Youtube...not that I condone that kind of behavior but if you do...email me think link!

Well that's my highlight of the weekend.  It's Breaking Dawn DVD release weekend!  To celebrate we are ordering Chinese food from a local joint...China Stix (super yummy and they deliver).

Side note - if you haven't noticed I use a lot of ... and !!!   Sorry, that's just me...

Healthy Lifestyles

My name is Sarah and I'm addicted to Fast food...and unfortunately I think my kids are too!  Iit was yesterday as I drove through the CVS Pharmacy Drive Thru line and my 18 month old started whining for a french fry from the prescription bag that I thought to myself...Do I really go to McD's that often???  The answer Yes!  I've gotten way better about it but if my 18 month old is conditioned to ask for a hot fry out of the bag I know I've got to change my ways.

So this blog is about starting to get back on the health band wagon...I know!  We all set out to get healthy in January but I need this New Year Intention to STICK.  So, I joined a gym...Anytime Fitness.  I was a little hesitant about joining a mega gym because that is what is all over my side of town but after touring Anytime Fitness I knew I made the right choice...they have TV's on each elliptical so I can get lost in the world of TLC to distract myself from the timeclock...free tanning (okay this wasn't a must but it might be nice to show up to a beach vacation without being ghostly white) and it's open 24 hours a day so that I don't have to worry about my husbands crazy work schedule.  I'm in!  http://www.anytimefitness.com/gyms/2877/san-antonio-tx-78259

Also, I've been using MyfitnessPal for some time now but I need to be more diligent with it.  I've learned that I can eat that Reese's Peanut Butter Pzookie...as long as I EARN it via killer workout.  http://www.myfitnesspal.com/SlimmingSarah2011

Okay, so you should love Anytime Fitness too, they are everywhere and if you want to sign up there, tell me first...I think I get an extra month for free or something like that if I refer people.  Holla!

Peace out homies!

Thirty-One Deals & Steals

Okay, so I think everyone that knows me in real life knows that I am a Thirty-One Independent Senior Consultant...so yes I love Thirty-One and so should you but TODAY is especially awesome!

Some of our best selling products were featured on Good Morning America this morning as part of their Deals & Steals for Super Bowl Sunday.  http://www.thirtyonedeals.com/

In the market for a Market Thermal?  Largely interested in a Large Utility Tote? Picnic planning?
Enjoy some of our best items for 50% off...and no I don't get any commissions from this but it is still a really awesome deal.  I love good deals as much as the next gal...

Happy Shopping!

Sarah Yates
www.mythirtyone.com/sarahyates

Movies that make you feel something

So last night I got to have a gal's night out with my bff Patricia...we've been trying to do this adventure for weeks now but since we both have kiddos and bedtime routines its an act of exact science to get the GNOs to happen.  Anyway, we went to the BEST movie theater http://drafthouse.com/san_antonio/stone_oak , it's one of those have beer with your movie type of joints and they have delicious food too and still have the basics that we've grown to be so fond of...popcorn and candy.

Okay so the night started out promising because we had been waiting to go see a movie that wasn't a flop...so Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close seemed like a sure win because it's been nominated for awards and stuff like that...plus, Tom Hanks, nuf' said.

We weren't prepared for how good it was, lots of tears,  truly moving and made you really feel attached to the character.  It also recaptured the panic of 9/11...we all remember that day and always will.  They just don't make movies like that any more but this one was a MUST SEE. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477302/

Warning:  May cause temporary heartache, bring tissues and plan on not being cheerful immediately after seeing.  Sleep is best after.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Pzookie

Okay so if you've ever been to the restaurant BJ's Brewhouse you might have discovered how awesome their food is however, it is easy to be too full for dessert there.  I get it, I've been there!  But, the Pzookie is honestly the main attraction to BJ's, some people may say that its the brew but who are we kidding...desserts people, it's all about desserts!  Look at the menu, need I say more... http://www.bjsbrewhouse.com/menus/desserts

Anyway, it was in a recent post by my blogger bff (okay, she doesn't actually know me but I follow her daily), I discovered her version of the pzookie, Volcano Cookies.  Thanks Shelly! http://cookiesandcups.com/volcano-cookies/

So I decided, if Shelly can do this so can I and I did and it was AMAZING!  I took it upon myself to of course give it a Sarah twist and by that I mean it has Reese's my favorite candy of all time.  Julie, my sisters favorite too...see her blog here.  http://www.runningwithsprinkles.blogspot.com/

So anyway, here's what you need...

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough - you can make from scratch but I'm the easy kind of gal that likes shortcuts so Tollhouse makes a tub with dough already made for like $3.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - one per person

Butter

Flour

Vanilla Ice cream

Muffin Pan

An appetite!

1.  Butter and Flour your pan to prevent sticking

2.  Take about a tablespoon of dough and smash into the pan

3.  Place a Peanut Butter Cup on top of dough

4.  Add more dough

5.  Flatten into the pan and make sure its filled up about 3/4 of the way

6.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees

7.  Take out and let sit for about 2-3 minutes

8.  Dump out your creation onto a cookie sheet or wax paper and voila!

Serve in individual bowls with ice cream.

Warning:  This dessert is highly addictive, may cause future cravings.

That's all for now folks!  Ciao :)