Fall TV Talk: 12 New Shows I'll Be Trying Out

It's time again to get all excited for Fall TV! Ultimately, I end up disappointed and liking very, very few shows but hey, still gotta start out optimistic! Last September, I went into the season interested in these 13 shows... here is how they fared:

1. 1600 Penn: nope, just didn't think it was funny even though I tried for several episodes. CANCELLED
2. Beauty and the Beast: I kind of halfway watch it in the background while doing other things - it's just not very good even though I want it to be. RENEWED, but I don't care.
3. The Carrie Diaries: I REALLY liked this little show - super cute. Never missed an episode and enjoyed it. RENEWED
4. Elementary: Me and Austin both liked this modern-day Sherlock with Lucy Liu. RENEWED
5. Emily Owens, M.D.:  Nope, didn't work for me. Too slow and silly. CANCELLED
6. Go On: Nope, nothing. CANCELLED
7. The Goodwin Games: Nope - way too silly. CANCELLED
8. Made in Jersey: By the time I got around to watching it it had already been canceled so I've yet to see an episode. CANCELLED
9. Mistresses: I'm watching this now since it didn't come out until the summer - I'm in! RENEWED I think - I don't know that it's super firm yet
10. The Mob Doctor: Watched this regularly and Austin did, too - not sure what happened- kinda fell off the face of the earth? CANCELLED
11. Nashville: Love it, probably my favorite new show! RENEWED
12. Revolution: Sounded like a good post-apocalyptic tale so naturally, I was in, but I didn't like it and found most of the main characters unbearable. Boo. RENEWED, but I don't care.
13. Zero Hour: Just couldn't get into it at all. CANCELLED

So after all that, I only ended up with four new shows: The Carrie Diaries, Elementary, Mistresses and Nashville. Don't worry about me though (haha)  - I still have several other shows that weren't new last year but that have been renewed, including: Hart of Dixie, Law & Order SVU, Parenthood, Scandal, Grey's Anatomy, Revenge, Once Upon a Time, Castle, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, Glee, New Girl, The Mindy Project, and MasterChef. Not to mention non-network shows. Yes, yes, my plate is full.

• Want to check out which shows were cancelled? I looked here and here.
• Want a brief overview of new shows? See this article.

And the new shows I'll be trying out:

1. Betrayal: It sounds like a soapy, twisty mystery and it follows Revenge so why not give it a whirl?

2. The Blacklist: James Spader pretty much sells it for me. He'll play a fugitive helping the FBI. Maybe one I can watch with Austin?

3. Brooklyn Nine Nine: Love Adam Sandberg who plays a cop in this comedy.

4. The Crazy Ones: It has Sarah Michelle Gellar and David E. Kelley is writing so I'll watch it - love supporting her even in that horrible show I've already forgotten the name of where she played evil twins a couple years back. In this one, she'll play Robin Williams' level-headed daughter at an advertising agency is one of my favorite cities - Chicago!

5. MasterChef Junior: You know it! Love the adult show so why wouldn't I love kids in the kitchen? The commercials are already cracking me up with Gordon screaming at kids to "step it up."

6. Witches of East End: Witches? Charmed-esque? You got me. I'm in.... for at least 2 episodes. 

7. Trophy Wife: I kind of didn't like the main actress, Malin Akerman, in 27 Dresses, but I love Bradley Whitford (West Wing!) and it looks like it could be funny (e.g., her dealing with his two ex-wives and three children).

8. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: An Alice in Wonderland based Once Upon a Time spinoff? Sure, why not? 

9. Mom: I love Anna Faris who plays a recovering alcoholic/single mom as well as Allison Janney (West Wing, again!) who plays her overbearing mom.

10. The Michael J. Fox Show: Well, I love the actor and since the title indicates it will be about him I'll be watching!

11. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D: An avengers story by Joss Whedon (Buffy!)? Yes, yes. May even get to watch with Austin.

12. Almost Human: A futuristic crime drama by JJ Abrams? I have to try it, right? It basically pairs up humans with droids to fight crime.

Not gonna lie... i'm not super excited about this line up. BUT, I'll be a good sport/American/consumer and try them out.

And now, it’s time to say RIP to four of my shows that will be no longer: 9010, Smash, Private Practice, and Gossip Girl. All ended by choice, well except for Smash. I'm going to miss that show and honestly thought that it was popular? Apparently only on my DVR - eek! I'm going to miss Private Practice and Gossip the most - thank gosh I can still rewatch on Netflix!

Q: What are you going to watch this fall?

Q: Any of your favorite shows being cancelled?!

28 Weeks: Thanksgiving Pic & Nursery Progress!

Here's some pics of me at 28 Weeks! We had a family baby shower on Thanksgiving, complete with this adorable cake! First time seeing 'Mom and Dad' - eee!

You can really see the belly in this shot, as well as how Beckett's nursery is coming along! All that's left is printing 2 pictures and hanging the curtains - so i'd say we're 98% done - more pictures coming soon!

Hope you're all having good days! All is good here, although I got up and got to the gym and just didn't feel it - at all - so I didn't work out. I did sit in my car and watch Mob Doctor. That's just like working out, right?!

Q: What's your favorite show on TV right now? I'm loving Nashville, Scandal, Mob Doctor and Good Wife. I'm watching MANY others and probably need to quit them... but I can't do it - it's an addiction!

Fall TV - 13 New Shows I'll Be Trying Out!

Each year I get SO excited for new shows, especially after i've burned out all of the NetFlix and Hulu shows. Last year I set out to watch 14 new shows - I was thrilled... then subsequently disappointed for the most part.

1. Terra Nova*: Ended up like it (not loving it) - but just got word: CANCELLED.
2. Hart of Dixie*: Liked it, love Rachel Bilson, it could be better and hopefully it will as I'll continue trying to ignore some of the silliness. RENEWED
3. The Playboy Club: Kinda liked it, but it only made it like 3 episodes before being CANCELLED.
4. Ringer*: Similar to Hart of Dixie in that I find myself only watching it to support Buffy! LOL It did get better towards the end and I continue watching out of solidarity but it's been CANCELLED.
5. New Girl: Surprisingly, I enjoyed it! I like her roommates better than her but it's all cute, funny and growing me and yay, it's been RENEWED.
6. Unforgettable: Couldn't get into it, and I guess other people couldn't either as it was CANCELLED.
7. Up All Night*: Wanted to love it for Christina but it just didn't do it for me and 'Ava' got on my nerves. It has been RENEWED though, but I don't think i'll be watching.
8. Free Agents: Nope - couldn't watch it, made it 2 episodes and it was CANCELLED.
9. Revenge*: A favorite and YAY it's been RENEWED.
10. Charlie’s Angels: Tried to watch it and couldn't - too bad - and it was CANCELLED.
11. The Secret Circle: Couldn't get into it, was burdened by so many other witch/vampire/werewolf shows. It was CANCELLED.
12. Whitney: Painful... tried a few and didn't laugh just felt uncomfortable. It was RENEWED though.
13. Grimm: Like it! Am behind, but will definitely catch up especially since it's RENEWED.
14. Pan Am: Watched a few but didn't love it and it was CANCELLED.

Last September, my premonition was that the following would be cancelled: Hart of Dixie, The Playboy Club, Ringer, Charlie’s Angels, The Secret Circle, Whitney and Free Agents. I'm sorry, Hart of Dixie, but I was right about the rest... although I missed a bunch! hehe All of this being said, I'm excited to continue watching Hart of Dixie, New Girl, Revenuge and Grim - 4 of 14! NOTE: Smash and Scandal started later in the game and I LOVE them both.

• Want to check out which shows were cancelled? I used this chart. 
• Want a brief overview of new shows? See this article.

Here are 13 New shows i'm interested in trying out:

The Carrie Diaries

1. 1600 Penn: A comedy about a dysfunctional first family (NBC) funny video preview!
2. Beauty and the Beast: The cute girl from Smallville is in this remake! (CW) short preview
3. The Carrie Diaries: A look back at Carrie Bradshaw in the 80's - I will love this or hate this -no doubt. (CW) trailer
4. Elementary: It's a modern-day Sherlock with Lucy Liu - I will try it. (CBS) 
5. Emily Owens, M.D.: Cute-looking show about a female doctor (CW) extended preview
6. Go On: Matthew Perry is back! Again! This time as a sportcaster trying to move on from loss (NBC) trailer
7. The Goodwin Games: Looks cute; has Scott Foley (love him from Felicity!) and Becky from Ugly Betty; about 3 siblings whose father leaves them his fortune only if they agree to his terms (Fox) trailer
8. Made in Jersey: A NJ woman uses her street smarts to compete in a Manhattan law firm - could be good? Kind of has a My Cousin Vinny/Ugly Betty thing going on? (CBS) trailer
9. Mistresses: It has Alyssa Milano on it so I must try it! It's about 4 women and the "scandalous romantic lives they're living." (ABC) trailer
10. The Mob Doctor: Looks good! A surgeon shifting focus between her career and her lifelong debt to the Chicago mob - yay! (Fox) trailer
11. Nashville: Love that it takes place in the south! And it has the mom from Friday Night Lights and Heroes' Hayden - will definitely try it (ABC) trailer
12. Revolution: Sounds like a good post-apocalyptic tale so naturally, i'm in.  (NBC) trailer
13. Zero Hour: A magazine editor gets pulled into a conspiracy - could be good. (ABC) trailer

The Goodwin Games

I'm always looking for shows I can actually watch with Austin, and I think 1600 Penn, Elementary, Go On, The Mob Doctor, Revolution and Zero Hour stand a chance! 

And now, it’s time to say RIP to two of my shows that will be no longer: One Tree Hill & Desperate Housewives. I still can't believe either of you lasted as long as you did, but I watched you both through and through and will miss them!

Q: What are you going to watch this fall?


Q: Any of your favorite shows being cancelled?!

New Slowcooker Recipe, Once Upon a Time

Hello! Hope you're having happy Saturdays! I am - just chilling at home watching Once Upon a Time. I've never seen it, but am now on the second episode and it's great! (thank you, Hulu Plus & to those of you who recommended it on facebook!). :) Other than that, today was just a visit to the chiropractor, the grocery store, CVS, Home Depot, Total Wine & More and the bank - busy, busy day! I also cooked a few recipes, most notably, this new one:

Slowcooker Creamy Mexican Chicken
Adapted from Food.com
Makes 4 Servings
Nutritional Information: 458 calories, 64 carbs, 3 fat grams and 35 protein grams.
Review: Excellent! Interesting that it was creamy and spicy. It was like an thick, heavy alfredo sauce - but instead of an alfredo flavor it was taco flavored! We're fans. We tried it reheated and frozen and it kept its thickness very well. Check out the recipe on Healthified Kitchen!

Yes, today has been a good one! My week wasn't bad either - just lots of work and I felt a bit under the weather, so I didn't go full out with all of my workouts - boo. While I never felt up for running, I did do well with my P90X, and I'm still sore today from yesterday's back & legs workout - eek!

Q: Anyone have any other Netflix or Hulu Plus shows I should watch?!


Q: Just bought a pound of asparagus - anything in particular I should make?! Last resort - grilling it up!

The OMG Booth, The Hills, The Sickness

Who says you can't have fun with the people you work with?! This is extremely important to me, especially as of late being that I've been working far, far more than a standard 40-hour-workweek. I know it will get more reasonable and my life will get more balanced (2012?! Q1?! Yes!). Anyway, I think I mentioned a plethora of end-of-year celebrations - everything from my leadership program graduation celebration to my team luncheon, department party and company holiday party. Here are pics from the department one! My team is part of the Marketing Department, and our awesome CMO rents out Eclipse Di Luna each year for a luncheon where awards are given, tons of door prizes (i'm talking iPad 2s, Kindle fires, etc.) are given and it's just kind of awesome. We get out at 2 and we're welcome to leave, or stick around and drink open tab until 5. GOOD times, friends! They also do a photo booth - why not, right?! So in addition to a yummy lunch and prizes (I only won a $50 gas card - not too bad though, right?!), I have these photos to commemorate my time with my company and co-workers/friends!

Love these peeps - been working with all 3 of them for 6 years!! So glad we took an 'old school' crew pic

The team! Well, minus Todd and our soon-to-be boss Randy on 1/3 and our soon to be associate manager Leslie on 1/9!

Stacy & I: Take 1 - I thought I looked goofy

Stacy & I: Take 2 - we were both disappointed and felt we looked ridiculous

Stacy & I: Take 3 - we went with this one - at this point we were laughing so hard we thought it best to just walk away !

Me, Stacy & our new Peeps who are AWESOME: Ali & Amanda!

There you have it, folks, pics from a work celebration - do you see why I like working with these people?! In all seriousness though, I feel so lucky and fortunate to be at a company that takes care of its peeps, does fun things like this in part to celebrate, in part to team build, but also to recognize all of the hard work everyone did throughout the year!

Back to life, back to reality. I've been in bed sick. I have some kind of funky/sinus infectiony/misery - grrrr. All I've seen is this:

Yes, it turns out I had stopped watching the Hills at Season 3.  The apparently made 3 more seasons and for some reason I thought it would be "funny" to watch one and see where I left off. Well I got sucked back in and have been watching it nonstop - eek! Save me! LOL

Q: Any holiday work parties for you?


Q: Photo booths: love 'em or hate 'em?


Q: The Hills: yay or nay?!

Weekly Workouts, TV Update

Happy Hump Day! Still not believing it's already Wednesday, but i'm going to go with it - woo! Quick updates on my weekly workouts! Monday: Home sick with tummy trouble - finally made it to the gym in the evening but took it easy. Just ran a mile, walked a half mile, did 5 minutes on the lateral elliptical machine and about 10 minutes of abs - not bad! Then it was home to the fam for chill night.

Tuesday: Tuesday two-a-days were BACK! The tummy felt better (hopefully just a bug I never meet again!) and so I did a light a.m. workout (biceps & shoulders). Then I worked, worked through lunch, then headed down after work for a 'rip & ride' class (part spin; part strength) - but it was full! DANG. That happens to me far too often. Instead of sulking and leaving the gym like I so wanted to - I decided to run. I ran 2.5 miles at 6.3, then walked a half mile at 4 mph, then did back & legs. Good, sweaty workout!  Then it was home to the fam & fall TV, which brings me to updates!

Really?... Really?

Hart of Dixie: I liked it. I read someone say it was like Doc Hollywood and Sweet Home  Alabama had a baby, and its name was Summer Roberts from the OC. I totally agree with this so what's not to like? Well, as usual, it made me ashamed to be a southerner from Alabama as the depictions of this geographic region are absurd. I mean really. Pros: cute story, has some arches that could be fun, big fish/small pond thing going on, I'm a Rachel Bilson fan, I like her clothes. Cons: Kinda cheesy, campy and condescending. I give it a B- and will continue watching (such a glutton for punishment over here).

Also, Terra Nova: The premiere was 2 hours. oy. But me and Austin buckled down and watched it last night. Pretty good. Jurassic Park meets Dawson's Creek with a dash of Lost. Definitely has a mystery arch which is fun, and I liked the scenes from 'our future' and why we had to 'go back.' And of course being of the Jurassic Park generation I'm obsessed with any scene that had a dinosaur and loved that, like Jurassic Park, these characters also came in contact with herbivores first (so convenient). The mom is a little too passive for me, the dad too rouge and the son too stupid (really? first day and you're just going to head 'OTG' = outside the gate? Stoopy), but i'm in for a couple more episodes now that the stage is set. I give it a B- as well. 

In shock that there are no A's for me! Geez! Perhaps i'm being too hard on the line up? No, no, I refuse to lower my expectations of what good TV should be!

Q: Did you watch either of these shows? If so, what did you think?!


Q: Ever done a spin + strength training class? it was weird. good weird. I think I love it!

Slowcooker Buffalo Chicken Mac, TV Update

Happy Monday! I hope you're having a good one! I'm home with an upset tummy. Ugh. No fun - I hope I don't have a bug! I also hope to get in a workout tonight and feel well enough to go in and spin in the a.m. Hmmmmm. Perhaps i'm aiming too high?! On a MUCH other note, here's a new recipe I made last week that we really liked: Slowcooker Buffalo Chicken Mac!

Slowcooker Buffalo Chicken Mac
Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Information: 428 calories, 54 carbs, 5 fat grams and 42 protein grams.

Great recipe! Loved that it didn't have any 'cream of' anything - nice sauce based on the milk. I will say that I used penne, and I'd prefer it with a smaller shape like macaroni. Next time! I think my favorite part was that the recipe was one pot - everything cooked in the slowcooker so it was easy peasy - tough to mess up. And the calories/fat grams were great for a filling serving. Check out the recipe on Healthified Kitchen!

In staying home from work today, I was able to catch up on some TV. As you know, I was SO excited for new Fall shows... I've been underwhelmed so far, you? Here's my Fall TV reviews thus far.

1. Terra Nova: N/A debuts tonight!
2. Hart of Dixie: N/A debuts tonight!
3. The Playboy Club: N/A still catching up on the DVR!
4. Ringer: C+; Happy to see Sarah Michelle Gellar back but oy - not a very good show. It just looks cheap, fake, green-screened, and the content/story is kind of slow. Sad. I've seen 2 episodes so far - am going to try to keep watching it for SM but if it doesn't get better soon I'll have to cut it!
5. New Girl: D-; Only made it about 7 minutes - nothing for me. :( Just kind of forced funny/awkward.
6. Unforgettable: B-; We liked the first episode! Good mystery and like that there is an overarching mystery in the background. Like the characters - will watch again!
7. Up All Night*: B- Christina Applegate is back - yay! I want to like this show. It's pretty funny too. But really disliked the second episode where they were basically insecure & dorky. I'm like no - make them cool like in the first episode - please! going to give it another chance.
8. Free Agents: D-; couldn't make it through an episode! Kind of boring, trying too hard, didn't like the characters. Meh - not for me.
   
9. Revenge*: B-;  good stuff - like the mystery, like the characters, like the setting - just the right amount of campy and evil for me. I'll keep watching.
10. Charlie’s Angels: N/A Haven't watched yet.
11. The Secret Circle: C-; it's kind of bad. To Danielle's point, I wanted it to be more like The Craft - I do have a feeling it will get better. 
12. Whitney: N/A
13. Grimm: N/A
14. Pan Am: N/A still DVR catching up!

And now, here is my update TV schedule for the fall…

Monday
8 p.m.: Gossip girl; Terra Nova (new)
9 p.m.: Hart of Dixie (new)
10 p.m.: Castle; The Playboy Club (new)

Tuesday
8 p.m.: 90210; Glee
9 p.m.: Ringer (new)
10 p.m.: Parenthood; Unforgettable (new)

Wednesday
8 p.m.: Up All Night (new)
9 p.m. Modern Family
10 p.m. Revenge (new)

Thursday
8 p.m. Charlie’s Angels (new)
9 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy
9 p.m. The Secret Circle (new)
9:30 p.m. Whitney (new)

Sunday
9 p.m. Desperate Housewives
10 p.m. Pan Am (new)

Q: Any of the new shows working for you? 


Q: What's your favorite mac & cheese? I really liked this variation - i'm also a fan of taco mac. Any cheesy noodles with random toppings make me happy apparently!

New Spin Class, Livestrong bikes?, Ringer Review

How is it not Friday yet?! Longest. week. ever. Already! haha Quick update on yesterday: In the a.m. I took my first spin class at my new company gym.  GREAT class. My favorite part? The Livestrong spin bikes! They had an electronic console to track your RPM/distance/time - so the instructor could tell us "you should be between 90 and 100 or whatever at a level 8 resistance" and we could better determine what that is, if we we were following what the instructor intended, etc. Does that make sense? haha I found a pic of it and have been reading reviews- they seem favorable. My time was 56 minutes and the distance was 27.7 km (17.2 miles) - is this good? Sound right? Need improvement? I know it's more important that you got a good workout - to me high resistance/slower songs/more concentrations means less mileage, right? So many questions - would love your thoughts!

So, for me, Pros: TWO water bottle slots, ability to track RPM, ability to track distance, can wear a chest strap and it reads your heart rate; very smooth ride; very quiet/no noise; cool handlebars - ability to grip in lots of different ways.

Cons: uncomfortable seat (the seat is almost too wide - I got sore from a spin bike which I haven't gotten in a long time but it was like on the way outside of my butt - weird); most bikes get easier when you stand, this one didn't and if anything got harder; the resistance wasn't a lever it was a dial so it was hard to tell visually how hard you were working (it was like left is less and right is more); it was heavy/clunky to move.

Anywho - GREAT class! After spin I just worked, then worked through lunch (meetings!), then worked more before heading home to work (more!) before hanging with the fam! I did carve in time to watch that new Sarah Michelle Gellar Ringer show. I wanted to love it. I love her. I want this to be her comeback, but I worry. The filming was really bad. Distractingly bad. You could just see the green screen and it looked almost homemade at times - so weird! I'm definitely going to give it another shot but was disappointed in the quality and worry it will hurt ratings/the show's success. Also, do you any of you watch ABC's Family The Lying Game? This reminded me of that - more adult nature but similar deal... and sad to say but the ABC Family version (for tweens!) is better made. True story..


Q: Watch Ringer? What did you think if you did?!


Q: I still don't have spin shoes. I heard the clips are different so I should wait. What is your take on this? And if you think I should get them - what kind should I get?! I hear it makes the workout even better and am in - so long as the clips are universal or else i'll need to wait until I make my gym decision!


K - i'm out! Tomorrow I have a book review to share (James Patterson's Cross Country) and a recipe to share - Buffalo Chicken Wontons!! And yes, my bum is STILL sore today - sad!

Fall TV Talk: 14 New Shows I'll be Testing Out

Oh Fall TV. Each year I get SO excited for new shows, especially after the sad wasteland of nothingness that is TV during the summer. Don’t get me wrong, I make use of NetFlix (getting into even more TV shows that I missed the first go round like Fringe and The Good Wife), but it’s just not the same. In making full use of my absolute sick Sunday (in case you missed it, I have bronchitis), I spent the day checking out all of the new shows and deciding what I will tune into! Let’s talk about the new shows! starred (*) shows are ones i'm MOST excited about. hehe I have too much time on my hands when i'm sick. clearly.

1. Terra Nova*: Dinosaurs? Done. I’m in. I’m obsessed. For more details, premise: takes place in 2149, humans have destroyed our world, so a group of peeps led by what looks like some military faction jump in a portal which takes them 85 million years in the past for a second chance to make things right. And there are dinosaurs. The end. Bonus: I can watch with Austin.
2. Hart of Dixie*: Love Rachel Bilson, love the premise (a NY doctor in AL) and while I’m sure a lot of cheesy over-souternizing things will piss me off I’m still in! And it was created by the Gossip Girl peeps so that promises a level of drama I can get on board with.

   

   It even has that guy who played the basketball player who Brandon tutored from 90210!
3. The Playboy Club: Looks cute! I’ve heard it called ‘a poor man’s Mad Men’ but whatever. It’s Chicago. It’s the 60’s. It’s all a big party, smoking and drinking and behind the scenes at the Playboy Club. Premise: boy, Nick Dalton, attends the club a lot; I see a love triangle; I see an accidental murder. I’ll give it a try!
4. Ringer*: Sarah Michelle Gellar is back! Yessss! Being a HUGE Buffy fan I’m excited to watch a new show with her. The preview is a little… weird and ambiguous (there’s two of her? One dies and takes over the other’s life, maybe?) Whatever. I’m in!

   

   Yay, Buffy, you're back!

5. New Girl: I’m not a huge Zoey Duschmel fan but I’ll try it; it looks cute and like I’d get a few laughs from it (premise: she’s socially awkward; her BF breaks up with her so she moves in with 3 guys who are going to help her date).
6. Unforgettable: Part crime-solvers, part romance – focuses on a female detective in NY who has a “blessing and a curse” – she remembers everything – she has hyperthymesia (superior autobiographical memory). Looks pretty cool – I’ll give it a go!
7. Up All Night*: Christina Applegate and her husband have a new baby hence the title, Up All Night. All about them adjusting to life with a baby. Looks like a hilarious, cute comedy!

   

   So glad she's back! I even liked her in Samantha Who - she's so funny!

8. Free Agents: Giles from Buffy is on there! Love him! He plays the boss of two PR executives who are both on the rebound – jokes look funny – I’ll give it a try!
9. Revenge*: Riley from Buffy is on here! And Emily Van Camp from Brothers & Sisters and Everwood. Not a huge fan of hers, but this looks good. Premise: she’s taken away from her father (and dog – sad trailer!) as a young girl. We don’t know why, but she knows who did it and she’s trying to get revenge. Looks juicy, high drama, takes place in the Hamptons – I’m in!

   

   I might be most looking forward to this and sidebar, this looks like a really chic wedding party, no?  haha

10. Charlie’s Angels: I have to at least give it a try – loved the movies and I was named after a Charlie’s Angel after all. :)
11. The Secret Circle: Witches. A mystery. I’m in! Premise: girl’s mother dies mysteriously, she moves to a small town to live with her grandmother, joins a new school and is identified as the 6th witch needed in a circle – looks good enough to try it!
12. Whitney: Female comedian gets her own funny show – I’ll try it!
13. Grimm: A show where scary fairytales come true and this guy, a grimm, can see things before they happen and help prevent them. He happens to be a cop, too. Looks pretty good – I’ll try it!
14. Pan Am: Looks cute – takes place during a time when flight attendants are the new woman. I worry there won’t be much of a story there though, but I’m willing to give it a try and love that Christina Ricci is in it – so cute!

I’m going to be SO busy, well until some of these shows get cancelled (premonition: I think it will be Hart of Dixie, The Playboy Club, Ringer, Charlie’s Angels, The Secret Circle, Whitney and Free Agents).

• Want to check out which shows were cancelled? I used this chart.
• Want to see what’s new and when it’s airing? I used this (just scroll down a bit to see it).
• Want a brief overview of 31 new shows? See this slideshow.

And now, here is my new TV schedule for the fall… I have a lot to watch!

Monday
8 p.m.: Gossip girl; Terra Nova (new)
9 p.m.: Hart of Dixie (new)
10 p.m.: Castle; The Playboy Club (new)

Tuesday
8 p.m.: 90210; Glee
9 p.m.: Ringer (new)
9 p.m.: New Girl (new)
10 p.m.: Parenthood; Unforgettable (new)

Wednesday
8 p.m.: Up All Night (new); Free Agents (new)
9 p.m. Modern Family
10 p.m. Revenge (new)

Thursday
8 p.m. Charlie’s Angels (new)
9 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy
9 p.m. The Secret Circle (new)
9:30 p.m. Whitney (new)

Friday
9 p.m. Grimm

Sunday
9 p.m. Desperate Housewives
10 p.m. Pan Am (new)

Not sure where One Tree Hill and Cougar Town are on the schedule, but I will be watching these as well!

What I WILL NOT be watching – H8R. Oh my – it’s a show on the CW where they bring “celebrities” in to meet people who hate them. For instance, this girl hates Kim Kardashian. She films this hatred. Mario Lopez swoops in and connects these two people. Kim shows this girl that she’s really a good person. They present it as though it’s heart-warming. Absolutely not. And I Hate My Teenage Daughter. Again, oh my. Two women each have daughters who treat them like shit and disrespect them and we’re supposed to laugh? No. I can’t watch people get ran over, especially parents who are supposed to be in charge! Can’t do it! And others like Last Man Standing (I love you, Tim Allen, but no), Man Up and Suburgatory (could be cute but I think they would annoy me), and The X Factor (no more talent shows).

And now, it’s time to say RIP to two of my shows that will be no longer. 

Brothers & Sisters – you will be missed, even though we both know this last season was a little slow. And I never liked that Calista’s character’s name was Kitty. There, I said it. And lastly, Hellcats – you were so bad, but I loved you anyway. Your soapiness will be missed - what will I watch now whilst multi-tasking yet still keeping up with the plot? I just don’t know.

Q: What are you going to watch this fall?


Q: Any of your favorite shows being cancelled?!

New Art, Impromptu Road Trip, Taco Night

Hi! I hope you're having a great Sunday! I have had such a wonderful day. Woke up early, started laundry and started the slowcooker! Once that was going it was dishes, poodle baths, a trip to the grocery store  and a fro yo run. Then more cooking, blog reading, and chill time - such a great day! I also snapped a few pics of one of our new pieces of art for one of the guest rooms!

The room looks kinda halloweeny here- I swear it's not - there's a patterned chair that brings these colors together and  I now wish I'd taken its picture too! LOL Oh well - the new art is over the bed!

And a close up - without the glare in the first one! Love the little animals, especially the  middle one. Reminds  me of our little Barney, a dachshund who became a member of our family when I was 6 years old - I love and miss him!

Backing up to yesterday, it was a long one - it started out early with a trip to my hometown. I think I've mentioned on here that my mom and stepdad are getting a divorce. Part of this has involved dividing their things and my sweet mom had a list of beautiful things she wanted me and Austin to have. Some of it furniture, some jewelry - she was incredibly generous. Also generous, was Scott, who loaned us his truck. Alas, we made the 4-hour trip there, then returned - sweet Austin drove the whole way (I offered but was truly nervous - I haven't driven an F-150 gigundo truck ever!). So it was definitely a long day of travel under sad circumstances. :( While we didn't get to visit long, I'm looking forward to seeing my mom in Atlanta next weekend! Always a good time when me, her and my sis are together. :)

When we got back to Atlanta we unloaded the car, showered, whipped up my favorite guacamole then headed over for dinner with Mel and Jon! They made an awesome taco bar with grilled steak and chicken and tons of toppings - YUM. We got to see their adorable  little girl Madison, and meet Terry & Sara's new baby Samantha - so perfect and tiny! We were also very entertained by Chad & Jose. You always know you're having a good time when, before you know it, it's late! Great night - can't wait to try to replicate that steak!

Q: How has your Sunday been? Relaxing I hope - I'm really enjoying my day with Austin, my now-clean poodles, now-stocked fridge and full tummy (just had pizza muffins - I'm a happy camper). 


Q: Have you ever seen 'The Good Wife'? We got the first disc from Netflix and i'm a couple of episodes in - loving it!

New Italian Recipe, TV Update, 10K Training, New Product

Yay - happy Saturday indeed! SO GLAD Austin is back - i'm freakishly dependent, right? :) Anywho, sorry to bore you with all of the car dealership drama but I just hate those guys! Grrrr. Whatevs - yesterday was a much better day. I worked from home for a bit, had a 9 - noon offsite meeting, then walked 3 miles, headed back to the office, and worked some more. After work I hit the gym. I didn't want to, but I had locked my stuff in there during lunch! This run sucked. I did it - 3.5 miles straight at 6.3 mph - with a 1/4 mile walk in front and back - but my body was like no. Stop. Don't do it. Cramp in my tummy. Ache in my left shin. But it's DONE.

Part of me was like Kel, listen to your body, it wants to quit. But I knew my body was just being whiney because it wanted to go home and see Austin! And it was CRAVING this recipe I through together based on this new product I've been DYING to try:

So I raced home, visited with Reuben and Austin, and through together what i'm calling:

Baked Italian Sausage Pasta

Idea adapted from a For the Love of Cooking recipe!
6 Servings

My serving

5 Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage links, casings removed
11 oz. pasta of your choice (I used Ziti)
3 tbsp parmesan (I used Kraft)
93 grams fat-free ricotta cheese (I used Sargento)
2 tbsp fresh basil, finely diced
2 cups low-calorie spaghetti sauce (I used tomato & basil classico)
50 grams Fresh Mozzarella, grated (I used Trader Joe's)
1 tsp dried basil

Preheat oven to 400. Set a large pan (that has a lid) to medium and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set a pot of water to boil. Add sausage to pan, and top with lid. Add pasta to boiling water. Cook sausage for 15 minutes, turning and breaking up with a spoon every few minutes. Cook pasta for 11 minutes, drain and set aside. In the meantime, in a large bowl, combine parmesan, basil, ricotta cheese and 1.5 cups spaghetti sauce and mix thoroughly. Add cooked pasta. Stir. Shred now-cooked sausage with two forks. Add to mixture and stir. Place mixture into a baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spread remaining ½ cup sauce on top and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and dried basil. Bake for 10 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes.

Close up of whole pan

Yum - 6 servings

Nutritional Information: 401 calories, 45 carbs, 13 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: Wow. This product tastes like the real thing. I loved the sausage and thought it meshed well with the other ingredients and cooked evenly. I was glad the fresh basil was in, with the dried, and the three cheeses tasted YUMMY! Austin was a fan too – this will become a staple. We also calculated the cost of this meal - $8.25 total – so $1.37 a serving!

After dinner we watched The Event... couldn't do 10 minutes. This is off of our list. And my mom sent news that My Generation has been cancelled - thanks, madre - I won't get attached! Then we had a few glasses of wine, caught up on our weeks and called it a night - GREAT evening.

Q: Do you like turkey sausage? Have you ever tried this product? I'm LOVING this product - only $5 for 5 links/6 servings!

Q: Do you ever calculate the price of your recipes? I find it shockingly awesome sometimes!

More TV Pilots, 10K Training, Kirnfest

Hey ladies! How has your weekend been?! Mine has been great so far - loving that I still have a good bit of Sunday left!! Friday was just work, Seasons 52 during lunch with Stacy, work more and then after work I did this chest/tricep/shoulder workout, and a bit of abss.

After my workout I came home and hung out with the family, had a few beers, and watched some TV with Austin & Reuben! Great chill night - LOVED it.

Saturday I slept in a bit, cleaned a bit, then hit the gym for a 3.5-mile run - yay! I walked 1/4 mile, ran for 33.5 minutes straight at 6.3 mph, then walked another 1/4 mile.

Great workout - I think I'm ready to move to the next week in my running plan! Can't wait and am so excited at how well it's progressing!! After my workout we got ready and headed over to Mike & Mandy's for Kirn Fest! They do a beerfest each year at their home - good times, yard games, fun friends and flip cup - love it! We took a break from the festivities to watch the Auburn game - WAR DAMN EAGLE! It was a little touch & go but the Tigers pulled it off - yesssss. We're 4 and 0! Anywho, here's some pics:

someone brought Tiger beer hehe

Forgive the fact that this picture was taken a bit late night - but they had 3 of these tables with holes in them flled with buckets, then they would use the 6-packs to make labels to show drinkers which beers were in which tub - CLEVER! Cute set up.

Me, Austin & Reuben after the win!

Stacy helped us take care of Reuben all day - he loves her so much!

Me and the ladies!

After the win we stayed up WAY too late and then went to sleepy!

Today I got up around 8 a.m. and headed home from the Kirn's! So far we've had a lovely, lazy day with a bit of laundry, a bit of cooking and LOTS of TV pilots:

• The Event: C- I'll try it again but really didn't think it game me enough information.
• Shit My Dad Says: B- I want to like it. I love William Shatner. And I like all of the characters except the main guy - hate him. He's an annoying whiner so I don't know if I can watch again. Sad!
• Outsourced: A+ Loved it. Hilarious. Cute sitcom and different with it taking place in India. I think it's going to be funny - am definitely watching again.
• Hellcats: C I mean... it's bad. It's one tree hill meets bring it on. But I like bad/girly shows so i'm sure i'll watch it anyway! Great to have on while you're doing something else. Definitely doesn't require attention.
• Bluebloods: A+ LOVED so good to see Tom Selleck, loved the family dynamic of the cops + DA and thought that it really set up a lot of interesting storylines. Can't wait to see another episode!
• Other than the above, I also watched Parenthood for the first time - I liked it! I think i'm going to start watching it. And I watched Love Happens. What a sad, sweet little movie - I enjoyed it as well!

Q: What was the highlight of your weekend?

Q: Seen any of the shows above? If so - yay or nay?!

10K Training, 7 Miles, New Comfort Food Recipe, Cooking Fever, 3 TV Pilot Reviews

Thanks, friends! The breakfast really was yummy! Sounds like bagels get a lot of love too, and am so glad i'm not the only one out there loving on Modern Family (well clearly not the "only" one - they won a shiz load of emmys - but you know what I mean, in the blog works!). Moving on! haha Yesterday was a great day! I popped up early feeling wonderful - and hit the grocery store at 7 a.m. for a few more items for new recipes! Then it was on to work at 8 and get stuff done! During lunch I headed to the gym - I walked 1/4 mile at 4.0, then ran for 3.5 miles straight at 6.3 mph, then walked for another 1/4 mile. GREAT workout! I did all of this in a little under 41 minutes. Then I just stretched, headed home, and worked more. At 5, I headed back to the gym for a 3-mile walk at 4.0, taking my total miles today to 7 miles.

Then it was time for a cooking marathon. No, I didn't need to cook, but I wanted to! So I made some stuff that could be frozen. hehe Here's a pic of my prep meals: LOVE IT!

4 chicken enchilada casserole, 4 egg soaked ham & bacon breakfast pizzas, 6 brunch pizza squares, 3 cheesy slowcooker chickens, 5 poppy seed chickens, 6 taco soups and 6 southwestern cream of chicken soups

We had new recipes for lunch and dinner! Then we watched some more TV pilots. The Undercovers -meh - wasn't feeling it. Was only able to watch about 20 minutes. Not for us - we didn't buy the actors who were playing spies. Then we watched Lonestar - it definitely caught us early on. Great beginning, interesting story (man in TX leading a double life) and it was nice to see Jon Voight! It got a little lost in the middle but we're going to give it a chance. Lastly, we watched My Generation - being a class of 2000 graduate myself, I TOTALLY loved it, especially the year 2000 references with music, events, and seeing where people ended up - so cool! I'm going to watch this for sure. K - here's what I had for lunch - GOOD!

Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen
Poppy Seed Chicken

Makes 6 Servings

20 oz. diced cooked chicken
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can fat-free cream of chicken soup
1 cup fat-free sour cream
20 reduced-fat Ritz crackers, crushed
2 tbsp light land o’lakes butter melted
1 tbsp poppy seeds
3 cups white rice, cooked

In a bowl, mix together soup and sour cream until well blended. Stir in diced chicken.
Spread creamy mixture into a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. In a small zipper bag, crush crackers. Then add poppy seeds and butter to bag and seal. Toss to coast. Sprinkle cracker mixture over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

yummy 6 servings!

My serving


Nutritional Information: 390 calories, 52 carbs, 6 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Awesome. It was super creamy and flavorful. I did have to add a bit of salt to mine, but other than that it was yummy, filling and creamy southern comfort food (without all of the extra calories!).

SIDEBAR: This song has been making my runs fly - LOVE IT!

Q: What song has been pumping up your workouts lately?

Q: What's your favorite comfort food?

I'll post a new recipe tomorrow for the soup we had for dinner (LOVE), and I finished Jane Green's The Beach Trip during my afternoon walk - i'll post a review!

Book Review, 10K Training, TV Talk

Thanks you guys!! I agree - it's not selfish, it's necessary to ensure that you take care of yourself and like you said, that you have fun at the events you can go to - love it! Austin said don't be surprised if we still end up going, but we'll see - right now I see PJ's, productivity and chill time! Thanks for hearing me out, sharing your 'hey it's okays' and for the support!!

So Sunday on the way home I finished James Patterson's The Beach House. I give it a 5/5 - hand's down. Loved it. It was basically a story of a boy who goes home to bury his 21-year-old brother who committed suicide. Or did he? BUM BUM BUM. It then has so many twists and turns as he discovers far more than he wants to about his brother, his town, his girlfriend, and more. It was really a shocking book that, to me, read like a Law & Order book complete with courtroom drama and then some. Yes, there was a part where I was like WOW, can't believe they're doing this, but they situated it in reality and made it make enough sense for me to go with it. Great book, and I recommend it for those who like mysteries. There is a bit of, let's say, gruesomeness, so know that the descriptions to some parts are a bit vivid.

On to yesterday, in a nutshell:

• Work.
• Walked 4 miles during lunch.
• Work.
• Walked 1/2 mile after work and ran 3 miles (at 6.3 mph). Not going to lie, the 3-miler is getting... dare I say it? Easy.... er. I just feel much more comfortable. Love it.
• Went to the dealership to get my floor mats. After checking to ensure they were there. Twice. They lied. The mats weren't there. I left pissed and they said would deliver by Friday. Um, yes, you will because i'm not going back to your unorganized dealership.
• Watched some new fall shows - couldn't make it through Hawaii Five-oh, loved HBO's Boardwalk Empire - believe it will be a favorite and thought Mike & Molly was cute - love Melissa McCarthy.
• Chilled out with the fam and continued my side project: recipe organization. oy.

Q: What new shows are you loving? So far... Boardwalk Empire. I'm going to watch some tonight - The Event, Lonestar and something else?

Q: Any side projects/organization projects you have going on right now? Mine is just the recipe organization - can't wait to finish!

Sunday Photo Funday, 24 FANatic, 4 Miles

Thanks you guys! I really did have a glorious time with my friends on Friday (as evidenced in the last picture post!). Great weekend for sure - I love when you have lots of fun and get tons done - best of both worlds!

Sunday was pretty much spent working on Austin’s party and working on my upcoming house project (adding recessed lighting to the kitchen/seating area/pool table room which also involves having the ceiling painted and having new crown molding added). Sigh. I LOVE planning stuff but I’m SO ready for this home project to be OVER! I also went through the whole house and made a list of frames that needed updated pictures – then ordered them online! Can’t wait for the prints to get here! Here's a few of the many I'm having printed!

Other than that, I hung out with the family, went grocery shopping and cooked 4 servings of chili/rice and 4 servings of chicken enchilada bake. I ended up at 1,742 calories, 252 carbs, 63 fat grams and 59 protein grams. Here’s what I ate.

Monday I was SO tired. Damn you Jack Bauer. (note: I stayed up late watching season 6 of 24with Austin & Reuben!). I just worked, walked 4 miles during lunch, worked more and then headed straight home to my PJ’s and more 24 with my family! I also had chili + ½ cup white rice + 2 tbsp fat free sour cream. The bomb. For the chili I kept it VERY simple, just 1 pound 96/4 beef, 1 packet McCormick spicy chili seasoning, 1 can diced tomatoes, and 1 can kidney beans. Fab. I ended up at 1,628 calories, 214 carbs, 44 fat grams and 95 protein grams. Here’s what I ate.

Q: Are you a 24 fan?! I would like to go as a CTU agent for Halloween. I realize the show is over but it’s just so. Dang. Good.

Q: Are you bad about getting pictures in frames? I am – I just NEVER print anymore!