Dierks Bentley Concert!

hey y'all!


So if you have been on my facebook page/twitter, you would have seen what happened to me last Friday night!..


From the beginning...Downstream casino is a client of mine at work.  They were so wonderful, and gave me tickets to the Dierks Bentley Concert last Friday night. Karrie & Michelle went with me.  Before we left, I was joking about how I was going to make my way on stage and sing with him! So before we left, I had my graphic designer at work, Jennifer, make me an 8x10 cardstock sign that said..."Dierks, I want to sing with you! Love, your #1 girl."


We had close to the stage tickets and whenever we got to the concert (a tad bit late), a bunch of people noticed that I had a sign and pushed me to the guard rail that was about 3 feet away from the stage but as close as you could get.


Dierks noticed my sign and pointed at it first.  THEN, he looks at me and says, "Do you know the words to the song?" I look at him and said yes! Then all of these security guards came around me and Dierks walked over to me.  I thought that he was just going to put his microphone down and have me sing into it. NOPE...he pulled me up on stage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHH!


Well....(because I am NOT computer savvy, here is a link to the video)
Me Singing with Dierks!


-As you can see, I sang with him for about 4 minutes! AND I made up my own words on the spot, and I undressed his shirt on stage!!!


SO...after the concert, HE TWEETED A PICTURE ABOUT ME.....

It was such a fun night!!!! Too bad he didn't ask me to run away with him or join the band or something.  hahaha! It was definitely a night I WILL NOT FORGET!

Grilled Zucchini Pizza!

Tonight, I made an AMAZING dinner! I literally could not get enough! Ben even praised it over and over again! I made Grilled Zucchini Pizza. I have been trying so hard to stay away from bread (carbs) and so I ran into this recipe and it is BETTER than regular pepperoni pizza.  Here is the recipe:

Cut slices of zucchini about 3/4 inch thick, then brush both sides lightly with olive oil.

Grill the zucchini slices on one side for about 7-8 minutes, or until there are some grill marks and the zucchini is starting to get tender.

Put about 1 spoonful of pizza sauce on each of the zucchinis.  THEN, add cheese, and any other toppings! I added Pepperonis and Mushrooms.

Place back on the grill for about 8 minutes (or the oven).  Just make sure that the cheese is melted and your toppings are done.

ENJOY!!!!

I'm Back!

I'm back!....


Well, looking back, it has been quite a few months since blogging! I have had a few people tell me to start back, (Kati B for one*), so I am ready to start back.


What has been going on...
1. I graduated COLLEGE!!!!
2. I now work for CitiScapes Magazine! 
3. I moved into my own townhome!
4. I have been to 9 concerts since the last blog!
5. I have started working out almost everyday with Karrie&Michelle!
6. Ben & I traveled a lot!!!
7. I got an IPHONE!
8. I spent most weekends at the lake!
9. I have started drinking twice as much wine as I did before (THAT'S ALOT!)
10. I've been loving life and I have never been as happy as I am right now!


ADDICTIONS:
1. SHOPPING
2. PINTEREST!!! OMG!
3. GIRLS NIGHT W/WINE!!!
4. COOKING!! (Can't wait to share all of my recipes!)


I promise to blog more often! Hopefully EVERYDAY!!! I have so many great things that I have on my list to tell you all about! 

So excited for the ROYAL WEDDING!!!

This video is HILARIOUS!!! Oh I can't wait for the Royal Wedding! :)

Exciting Things To Come...

So.. obviously, I have been WAY to busy to blog!, BUT I had an extra 30 minutes this morning and so I thought I would blog!! YAY


So I have lots of really exciting things about to happen in my life & I just can't wait!!!!!


1. Pagnozzi Charity Event next Friday night with Ben & another couple!
2. Ben & I are attending our first wedding together next weekend!!!!! YAY Ann     Wizer & Jordan Difani!
3. The start of moving into a new place May 1st!
4. GRADUATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. Starting a new big girl job May 16th! :)
6. First Bachelorette party in Memphis for Mallory! :)
7. LAKE every free weekend!!!
8. Throwing my first Bridal Shower for Mallory! :)
9. 22nd BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!
10. Mallory & Tom's Wedding Festivities & then THE WEDDING!
11. Did I mention LAKE?
12. Texas with Emily for Miss Texas as my dear friends Jordan wins! :)
13. JULY 4th @ the lake!!!!!!!!!
14. Ben & I weekend vacation to ST. LOUIS for the U2 concert!!!!!!!!!!!!
15. LAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!
16. A summer vacation for Ben & I in August! (not sure where yet!)
17. Ben & I celebrate 1 year together!!!!!! 


Wow! What great things these next couple of months have in store! I am so lucky to have great friends, family & man in my life!!!! God is so good to me!!!


Have a great week!

New quote!/Church sermon really touched me...

I was really touched at Cross Church on Sunday.  


Let me first give some background---I have been stressed out about a lot of things here lately.  I am getting ready to graduate, I have so many assignments and tests coming up, I am trying to figure out what I am going to do whenever I graduate, I just started a workout called CrossFit & I am trying to work that in everyday, I work a couple of days during the week, and my laundry is adding up daily because I have no time.  I have a couple other personal things stressing me out as well & I have really just been about to scream with life in general.  I have been wondering when it would all pass.  I have tried so many different remedies such as extra coffee, 30 minutes extra sleep in the mornings, running to really good music, hot tea, when all along....I JUST NEEDED TO REALLY PRAY!


I have been feeling like God has just ignored me whenever I have been praying.  Of course, I hear him telling me, "Tressa, you need to be patient!" And this is just HARD! God knows that I am not one to just sit around and wait! That is so hard for me! 


On Sunday, Pastor Nick Floyd at Cross Church was talking about how everyone has something in their lives that they try to take care of themselves without letting God in on it.  Well God knows everything! And the point of the message was that we can't do everything on our own.  We need God! We need to take that thing in our life that is bothering us or that is wrong and turn upon God to help us with it.  Pastor Nick Floyd kept telling quoting verses where God kept saying "Put your trust in me and I will be with you."  Pastor Nick said a quote that has really helped me A LOT this week....


ME + JESUS = ENOUGH!


How true is this quote?? WOW! I really felt like God was really talking to me through Pastor Nick.  This week, anytime that I have felt really stressed out about something, I have just said this quote! I have learned this week that God is always there to listen to my prayers and I really just need to have patience! And wow, I have felt so much better! God has really taken all of the worry and stress from my heart this week and has just been telling me, "Tressa-have patience!"

Well, Well, Well....

I have never been so busy! I can't believe that I have gone so long without blogging! Well, I am going to make a point to really start back blogging again! It is coming to the end of the semester and every teacher is wanting a paper and a test all on the same day & everything else in life is just crazy busy too! I hope all my blogging friends are doing great & having a great week!

Bachelor Final & AFR!

So last night was a night that millions of viewers have been waiting on for a long time...Was Reality Steve going to be correct with his first prediction of Chantal or with his second prediction of Emily? Well as we all know now, EMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My opinions....

I am first going to start with Brad--


-At the beginning, I really thought Brad was a hottie! Great smile, great body, great hair! What else would you want?? Oh wait...then we found out about his past.  VERY indecisive when it comes to love and a woman.  We know that last season he couldn't pick a girl and became an ass to every woman in America.  Then ABC decides to give him a chance.  After the first 2 shows of this season, I was so sick of hearing him say, "I am truly here for the right reasons!..." BLAH BLAH BLAH!!!!! I bet he said this line over a million times! Then throughout the season we also discovered his anger problem.  Emily touched base on this a little last night as well.  WHO WANTS A MAN WITH AN ANGER PROBLEM???? Not me! OR anyone else in the world! Maybe instead of going to a therapist for love, maybe he should go to one for ANGER MANAGEMENT! 


-I kinda thought that Brad was a little bit awkward too.  With every girl, he seemed to have told them the same things over and over.  I felt like he seemed a little desperate.  He had 25 girls that wanted him, I felt like he needed to step back just a little bit.  He was a little over the top.  It just got weird and awkward when he was with girls toward the end.

-Emily!
-I just love her! She truly is a genuinely great girl!  I always wanted her to win from the beginning! She is a guys dream girl! But my favorite thing about her is that she is a LADY! She is very classy and always true to herself! I think that is why she won in the end.  


-Who wouldn't want a girl like Emily?


-As far as the final date & after the rose!---I felt like the final date, she was a little pushy and needed to chill out.  She kept asking him basically the same questions over and over again.  I understand that her daughter means the world to her & Brad needs to understand that.  BUT--She asked him.."If my daughter falls and bust her little head open and we have to rush her to the emergency room, are you going to be there to go too?" WELL DUH EMILY!!!! Do you think that he is just going to sit there and laugh and say "see y'all later!" "Have fun!"...NO!!!!! Of course he is going to be there.  It was like she was talking to him like he was under her and like he was an idiot.  Of course he was going to get a little upset! (But he was getting too mad! That is once again, his anger problem!)


-I also thought that she was a little mean last night.  She kept turning to him telling him that she loved him but then trash talking him! 


The one thing that really bothered me about last night was that she Emily was upset after every Monday night.  I just feel like this is something that she should have known was coming.  Did she expect Brad to be rude and stand offish from the other girls and only on to her?? NO! When Emily signed up for the Bachelor, she knew that she was not the only girl.  She was 1 of 25.  She was going to be dating a man who was also dating 24 other girls! I can understand it being hard to watch but that was just going to be part of it.  She won him in the end! Not any other girl.


I really hope that Brad & Emily make it! I am not sure that they will, but if they can really work at it, I think they would be great! :)


JUST MY OPINIONS OF THE BACHELOR!

Spring Cleaning!

So I am really excited about Spring Break being next week! What am I doing you may ask?? CLEANING OUT MY LIFE! 

I have been making a schedule for the week of what I want to accomplish each day! 


Sunday-Laundry (I think I have about 6 loads to do!)
Monday-ATTEMPT to put all of my laundry away! (Closet is BUSTING right now!)
Tuesday- CLEAN! DEEEEEEP clean my room & bathroom.  I may have a really messy room and closet right now, but somehow, I have been cleaning around it all.
Wednesday-Go through my closet of a million clothes.  My motto is going to be.."If I haven't worn it/If I haven't seen this article of clothing in at least 3 months....PLATOS CLOSET!!!!"
Thursday-Take all of the bags of clothes to Plato's Closet for $$$$$$$$.
Friday-RELAX! I am off work and I can do NOTHING!!!!


**The best part about my week is that Ben is going to South Carolina & my roommate is going to Cabot! I have no one distracting me from getting this done!** (But I will miss both of them so much!)


After this next week, I will feel clean, productive, organized and FREE of clutter!


*I will post before and after pictures!

Out of a bag!

Do you ever wish that you could just eat anything and it never affect your your body image? And why is it, that the best food is the worst food?? I have found, that the BEST food/WORST food is out of a bag....

Cheese is probably the BEST thing in the world to eat out of the bag! But of course, SO BAD!

This is my new obsession...just chocolate chips out of the bag! Just a little NOT healthy snack! Oh they are so good!

I could eat the ENTIRE bag at once of Nacho Cheese Doritos! These are the BEST & I just love licking off the cheese from my fingers after! But so bad!

Now, I know that nuts are healthy to an extent, but that is my problem! I would eat the ENTIRE bag of these cashews! Yummmmy!

Ben introduced me to these around Christmas time! BEST M&MS EVER! These are like heaven in a bite! So good!


Wouldn't it be so nice to be able to eat all of this anytime?? This is what I would eat all day everyday! 


What are some other things out of the bag that you could eat all day everyday??

Busy Bee!

I have been so busy the last 2 weeks! I was doing so good blogging everyday but so many things have taken over my life!!!!

I have been just a little stressed the last couple of days and really wanted to pull out my hair! BUT----

Coffee has helped me so much! I have been able to stay up really late finishing things that needed to get done & really, coffee has just helped me get through the days awake!

I have never had so much homework these last 2 weeks than I have EVER had in college! I guess this Senioritis that I have is really killing me inside & so it just feels like a lot of homework! Not to mention, I should be finishing a project right now that is due at noon! :)

But I promise after this week is over, I have so much fun stuff to blog about! 

Hope everyone is having a GREAT week!--

Most AWKWARD thing in my life right now!

MODERN DANCE 2! 


To graduate from the University of Arkansas in the Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences (which is Communications), you must take 6 hours of Fine Arts! For my first 3 hours, I took Music Lecture which was a joke! I think that my final grade in the class was a 98! There is not a whole lot of classes to pick from whenever you need your next 3 hours of fine arts! So--someone suggested "Modern Dance" to me.  They said that it was a really easy class & all you did was learn the basics of dancing.  So of course, the class was already full whenever I went to sign up for the class.  I emailed the teacher & she said that she would give me an over-ride to her "Modern Dance 2" class.  She then asked me if I had any dance experience because it was required.  I told her NOOOOO! I have NEVER taken a dance class EVER! And--I was a cheerleader in middle school and high school BUT I was awful! As you can see in this picture....

Yes-That is me right in the middle! 

So the instructor STILL gave me an over-ride into this class! So the very first day of class, she gave us the syllabus and told all of us that we had to dress out everyday of class! I thought that sounded GREAT...until she gave us the instructions for how we HAD to dress out.....

Oh yes! This is how we must dress every Tuesday & Thursday!!!! So crazy!!! 

Well--that is NOT even the WORST part of it! So the first day that we all dressed out, every person had on these little shoe things right under their toes.  Well I didn't! I have never danced before! So the instructor then told all of us to get in the corner and sachet leap all the way to the other corner! We did that for about 10 minutes! UMM WHAT IS A SACHET LEAP????????? Well, I found out REALLY quick! And of course, the teacher has to STOP the class to CORRECT ME! After about 5 times of COMPLETELY stopping the class to fix ME, the other "dancers" were starting to get frustrated.  People kept asking me, "Where did you take dance at growing up?" UMM--NO WHERE! 

So then--the instructor told us that at Mid-term we would have a test.  The test is over a dance.  We will learn a REALLY long ballet/modern dance and then perform it to the teacher and we get a grade! Well I might as well just not show up for that class day because I think that a 40% and a 0% is around the same! ALLLLLL just a big fat "F"! I am NEVER going to be able to pass this class!

So after going home and CRYING after about 4 classes, I decided to talk to the teacher.  She said that she could tell that I was struggling.  She just couldn't believe that she allowed me to take this class!!!  

I really would like CBS or ABC or some news station to come and do a show on me in this class.  The ratings would be SKY HIGH because of how comical it would be! So if anyone knows someone who knows someone who knows someone....let them know!!!! 

I'm off to practice my new dance that I HAVE to know! Yippee....

True Story! (Get ready to cry!)

In Phoenix , Arizona , a 26-year-old mother stared down  at her 6 year old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia. 

Although her heart was filled with sadness, 
She also had a strong feeling of determination. 
Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up & fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible..the leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dream to come true. 

She took her son's hand and asked, 'Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up?  Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?' 

Mommy, 'I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up.' 

Mom smiled back and said, 'Let's see if we can 
Make your wish come true.' 

Later that day she went to her local fire 
Department in Phoenix , Arizona , where she met 
Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix  

She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her 6 year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.  
Fireman Bob said, 'Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary Fireman for the whole day.  He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards!  

And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat - not a toy - one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, and a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots.' 

'They're all manufactured right here inPhoenix , 
So we can get them fast.'   
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, 
Dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. 

Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. 
He was in heaven.   
There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day 
And Billy got to go out on all three calls. 

He rode in the different fire engines, the Paramedic's' van, and even the fire chief's car. 

He was also videotaped for the local news program. 

Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy, that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible. 

One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed 
In the hospice concept - that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. 

Then she remembered the day Billy had spent 
As a Fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and 
Asked if it would be possible to send a fireman 
In uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition. 

The chief replied, 'We can do better than that. 
We'll be there in five minutes.... Will you please do me a favor? 

When you hear the sirens screaming and see the 
Lights flashing, will you announce over the 
PA system that there is not a fire?' 

'It's the department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will 
You open the window to his room?' 

About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window-------- 
16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room with his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they LOVED him.   
With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, 

'Chief, am I really a fireman now?'

'Billy, you are, and The Head Chief,  
Jesus, is holding your hand,' the chief said with those words, Billy smiled and said, 
'I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and  
The angels have been singing..' 

He closed his eyes one last time. 

Twitter!

So the girls at work have been begging me to get a twitter! I really have never understood what twitter was/is.  So, I decided today that I would get one! My username is hortontressa.  


So I started adding or "following" people and I came across the Kardashians.  So, I decided to tweet Khloe and ask her to follow me.  I guess that was kinda dorky to do that! haha! Well she is not following me yet!!!


Anyways---Maybe someone famous one day will start following me!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIFFRAFF!

It's Riffraff's 2nd BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!! What better way to 


celebrate than with a little PARTY!




We'll have cupcakes, champagne, auction items, and a


special discount for everyone who walks through the 


door. ALL NEW spring clothing, gifts, furnishings, and 


accessories. Hurry in so you don't miss out!




When: Saturday, February 12


Where: Riffraff (on the square!)


Time: 10-6!


YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS PARTY! 


EVERYONE WILL BE THERE!

A Good Sleep!

Something about a snow day helps with sleep! I have been running crazy the last couple of days with so many things going on! I am so very thankful for this snow day!!!! I slept like a little baby until NOON!

So have you ever fallen asleep in the weirdest position but it was the BEST sleep that you had?? Last night I fell asleep on my bed but sitting up with a book.  I slept that way until I woke up at 5:15 from the University's text about school being closed! When I woke up, I looked around and realized that I had fallen asleep while reading my book! BUT it was the BEST sleep that I could have had! I then just fell back asleep in that same position! IT WAS GREAT!!!!!!! (Then I woke up at NOON!)

I know this blog post is pointless, but I just thought it was so funny how you can fall asleep in the craziest positions and it be the BEST sleep that you could have possibly had! :)

HAVE A GREAT SNOW DAY!!

Chevron Print!

Stripes are simple, elegant and timeless. In bold size they are able to make a graphic statement while remaining clean and uncluttered in appearance. A fresh take I've noticed around lately is the chevron stripe (also called herringbone).

The interesting thing about this trend for me are the variations that have developed. The look emerged in the past couple of years with other 1980's revivals, but the trend is evolving to include more sophisticated, classic looks like the red bed cover, and the grey and white variations below.

Also, my favorites include this simple but fun chevron print rug and the black and white window panels! I am looking forward to May to add some chevron to my new place! :)