One of the first things we did after announcing our engagement was register. I was so excited that after years of living with roommates and family, I'd have my own kitchen, with my own pots and pans, dishes and kitchen gadgets. I love to cook. I love to try to make recipes based on meals from my favorite restaurants. So, once we got into our new place, and got married, and got many many gifts of kitchen stuff, I began to cook. I've cooked a lot. It's only been a month, and I've cooked so much that Chouaib and I can't fit into our favorite jeans anymore (he his and I mine, we didn't share a favorite pair). Chouaib took a picture of me trying to get mine on.

The good news is that a new gym just opened up near the salon where I work. Saturday, I stopped in for their open house, filled out a form to win some stuff they were giving away, and walked out with the 'grand prize.' It included a giant canister of protein shake, two travel bottles for my protein shake, complete with little whisking balls inside (aren't you glad I didn't say whisker? gross) that mix it up really well, some tanning lotion and regular lotion as well as some free tans from a local tanning salon (I already called and asked, and yes, I can subsitute mist-on tans for the coffins), and some supplements. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention, that includes two weeks of free personal training. I don't think two weeks is long enough to take off what I've put on, but it's a start. I hope my husband realizes that me trying to lose weight = no more gourmet meals for him. It's peanut-butter jelly time! Maybe I could just buy him fish to eat. That means we're both happy. He gets to eat and I don't want to. WIN WIN! And the bonus? He won't end up with a wife who looks like this (except we don't - will never - have a cat and I don't smoke). Maybe I should just get pregnant, then I'll have an excuse. JUST KIDDING, MOM.