Mellie Dee ♥

Things I’m Loving | Kindle Paperwhite

January 2, 2017 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

The week before Christmas, as I was perusing the internet, I noticed the Kindle Paperwhite was on sale on Amazon.

I mentioned it to my boyfriend because I couldn’t decide if I should get it, adding that it’s good for the eyes for hours of reading and can hold many books.

His short response was that I shouldn’t get it. His reasoning was because I already own an iPad with the Kindle app which was basically the same thing and because I sporadically like to buy physical books.

Though my heart kept going back to it, his voice kept running through my head.

On Christmas morning, as I waited for him to get ready, I decided that I did in fact want it. But when I signed on to Amazon, I discovered the sale was over. I was heartbroken and figured it was meant to be.

I trudged down the stairs to greet his family a Merry Christmas and we all had breakfast. When we started to open presents, I was so surprised I almost cried. That devil played me!

If you couldn’t guess it from the title on this post – I now own my own Kindle Paperwhite!

I’ve since bought the Fintie Composition Book cover, downloaded a bajillion books, and dusted off my public library card so I can use their free e-book rentals!

Best present I’ve received this Christmas – just in time for my Hong Kong trip! Thanks, Scruffy!

New Year, 6th Blogoversary

January 1, 2017 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

Oh my … six years. Even though it’s actually less if you count the hiatus. Quick recap of 2016 begins ……. NOW!

January

Rang in the new year with my high school best friend and finding out everyone there works for the company I work for.

Having a reunion with my San Antonio loves.

Dined alone in a restaurant.

Vincent and Rachel got engaged.

February

Deadpool was that important.

Bought my first car

Bought my first PS4

March

Ron Pope Concert | Warehouse Live | Mallory

Mallory, Me, Ron Pope

Ron Pope Concert with Mallory

Removed my wisdom teeth

Grouse Mountain | Vancouver, Canada | Scruffy & Mellie Dee

Scruffy & Me taking in the last of the mountain air

Scruffy and I started dating

Receiving a long overdue apology

April

Beauty and the Beast Broadway with Apurva

San Antonio Trip with Scruffy

May

Scruffy and I travel to Waco to bring Luna home

Mallory & John’s baby gender reveal

Joanna’s baby shower

June

Jasmine was born

July

First time at an Escape Room

Seattle & Vancouver Trip with Scruffy – Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

August

Arcodoro | Houston, Texas | Travis, Amy, Patricia, Mellie Dee, Scruffy

Group Picture: Travis, Amy, Patricia, Me, Scruffy

San Antonio loves came to visit

Broseph and SIL reveals to parents they are expecting in February

Diamonds and Desserts event with Sissy

Wacko and Monica gender reveal

The Tasting Room event with Apurva

September

Eating Indian food for the first time in forever

Jenny gets engaged

October

Made my first real meal to Scruffy

Rebelution Concert with Scruffy and Saleh

November

Johnny Junior was born and got to meet him

Broseph and SIL’s baby shower/Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving with both of our families

December

Scruffy’s work party

Colorado Trip with Scruffy

Christmas with both our families

Phew, told you 2016 was a busy year but I’d take this year over 2015 filled with weddings. I felt as if I was running around with my head chopped off. Let’s see what 2017 brings!

2017 New Year Resolutions

December 31, 2016 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

Recap of 2016 New Year Resolutions

Continue weight loss – or more specifically toning
- I totally failed this. I gained all the weight I lost from the previous year thanks to the boyfriend life.
Stay in touch and spend more time with family and friends
- I did way better at staying in touch with family members (thanks to fantasy football) but friends wise, I would say I did way less spending time with them since the ones I usually see either moved away or had a baby.
Meet new people
- Thanks to the boy toy’s friends and family.
Read more
- Read way more than I did last year which is a plus but not as much as I wished I did.
Never stop learning
- I’ve learned so much this year about myself. Some that surprised me and helped me grow a lot.
Travel to somewhere I’ve never been
- Seattle, Vancouver, and Colorado. I’ll say I was super successful in this resolution.
Unplug more and just enjoy life
- I sure did. I was blogging so much in the beginning and started to do it less when I started dating. I also don’t check Facebook as much as I use to which is a plus.

My 2017 New Year Resolutions

Focus more on health and fitness
Read more
Travel somewhere new
Blog at least once a week

They are pretty much the same resolutions I have every year but they’re good ones to keep.

Be safe out there! Happy 2017, y’all!

2016 Colorado Trip

December 28, 2016 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

As promised, Colorado trip recap. This trip was only for a weekend, yet I was able to cross off a few things off my list!

Wednesday, December 14th

Since our flight wasn’t until 10 pm, we all went into work and Scruffy came to pick me up afterward. We finished our last minute packing and waited for Rami and Caitlin (who were going with us) to arrive. Then we had dinner with their parents before we headed off to the land of white.

We somehow scored a drink coupon and put it to use. A Bailey’s coffee and whiskey shot for me and a Lagunitas Ale and vodka (?) for him.

We landed and waited an extremely long time for our bags. Apparently, the trolley that carried our luggage broke down. Once we collected all of our bags, we headed outside where the cold, crisp air hit us in the face as we waited for our bus to take us to our car rental place.

After much debate on the car situation, we made our two-hour drive to Keystone. We were literally a minute away from our abode but a wrong turn costs us a two-hour delay due to us getting stuck in the snow. It was a freezing experience but a memory I won’t ever forget.

Thursday, December 15th

Rami and Caitlin went snowboarding while Scruffy and I dug the car out for a little adventure.

We had breakfast at

The Pour House
40 Cove Blvd
Dillon, CO 80435
(970) 368-6416
http://thepourhousecoffee.com

We split the Bagel Sammich [egg, cheddar cheese, sausage] | $6, and each got a Small Latte | $3.50. I forgot what type of lattes we got but we both loved the sandwich which also came with a side of honeydew. Yum!

After our tummies were full, Scruffy drove around as I snapped pictures of the gorgeous landscape. We walked into a gift shop but all they had were clothes. After a long while, we decided it was lunch time and went to

Zuma Roadhouse
91 River Run Rd
Dillon, CO 80435
(970) 262-2202
http://zumaroadhouse.com

Burgers and fries for him. Steak, fries, and potatoes for me. Mmmm … so much leftovers for dinner that night. After lunch, we headed to pick up our skis.

Christy Sports Rentals
23080 West Highway 6
Keystone, CO 80435
(970) 468-5775
http://rental.christysports.com/

They people there were very nice and got us fitted very fast. We then drove back home for nap time. I continued to sleep as Scruffy ran to the grocery store with Rami and Caitlin. When they came back, we watched telly, talked about our adventures, and ate our leftovers and whatever else they bought at the store.

Friday, December 16th

Ski day. Let’s just say, I am a horrible person to be around when I cannot do something. I gave up after a short while due to the ski boots cutting off my circulation. Hopefully, next time, if there is a next time, I can take snowboarding lessons and get fitted correctly.

While Scruffy snowboarded with Rami on top of the mountain, I went home and changed into my comfortable snow boots. I snapped some more pictures while I waited for the bus to meet them back up for a drink. It had been snowing all morning and was so happy to see this puppy in it’s element.

9280′ Tap House
140 Ida Belle Dr.
Keystone, CO 80435
(970) 496-4333

We drank our one and only beers before Rami went back up the mountain for a few more runs while Scruffy and I went on more adventures. We had dinner at

Sauce on the Blue
358 Blue River Parkway
Silverthrone, CO 80498
(970) 468-7488
http://sauceontheblue.com

We used the Bread | free to dip into our appetizer.

Sauteed Mussels [New Zealand green lipped mussels, basil pesto cream, crostini, shaved Parmesan] | $14 was my favourite dish there. I just love me some pesto and Parmesan. Mmm …

Chicken Parmesan [marinara, mozzarella, spaghetti, fresh vegetables] | $16

Chicken Marsala [mushroom Marsala sauce, fettuccine, fresh vegetables] | $19

The pastas weren’t bad. I would choose the chicken Parmesan which tasted better than the Marsala.

We headed back home and hung out a bit before Caitlin headed to bed. Scruffy and Rami set up the Wii in our room to play while I read magazines in bed before calling it a night.

Saturday, December 17th

We woke up to this sight. Inches and inches of snow piled on high.

Scruffy and I took the bus to River Run to do some shopping at various stores. We decided to eat something small and went into

Luigi’s Pasta House
140 Ida Belle Dr.
Keystone, CO 80435
(970) 468-0300

We threw back some beers and shared the Fat Luigi [5 meatballs, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese & marinara – add a sausage link for $2] | $10.

We added the sausage but my advice – skip the sausage and stick to the meatballs. The sausage was sub-par but the meatballs were on point.

When we asked if we could have some bread we were told that was only given during dinner time. They were nice enough to bring some to us though, with no charge. Great service!

We decided to dig the car out again for some more scenery shots and ended up at the

Beef Jerky Outlet
167 Wildernest Rd
Silverthorne, CO 80498
(970) 368-6196
https://summitcounty.beefjerkyoutlet.com/

where we each bought a bag for our dads. If you love beef jerky, this place has so many to choose from.

Later that night, we ordered delivery from

Last Chance Pizza Co.
40 Cove Blvd
Dillon, CO 80435
(970) 513-0900
http://lastchancepizza.com

The food wasn’t spectacular but it hit the spot as we spent the rest of the night playing card games, listening to music, and knocking back a few drinks.

Sunday, December 18th

We ate leftovers for breakfast, packed the rest of our stuff before heading out and took pictures. We made a stop at River Run and the Beef Jerky Outlet so Rami and Caitlin can do some souvenir shopping before ending up at

Sunshine Cafe
250 Summit Pl
Silverthrone, CO 80498
(970) 468-6663
http://locu.com

Scruffy and I split the Chicken Fried Steak [southern favorite served with vegetables, mashed potatoes, and gravy, and a roll] | $9.95, and Soup of the Day: Curry Soup | cup $3.95. We subbed french fries instead of veggies but as you can see from our plate, they probably thought we didn’t want mashed potatoes either and gave us a crap load of fries. I was sad we didn’t get to try the mashed potatoes but it was okay since we were stuffed. Definitely a good place to stop for breakfast/brunch.

We started our drive back to Denver making a stop at

Falling Rock Tap House
1919 Blake St
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 293-8338
http://fallingrocktaphouse.com

for a couple beers since we had time to kill before heading to dinner at

Ted’s Montana Grill
1685 Briargate Pkwy
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
(719) 598-6195
http://tedsmontanagrill.com

Pickled Cucumbers | free tasted a little weird at first but after a while, I couldn’t stop! My favourite were the ends while everyone else chomped on the middle parts.

Karen’s “Flying-D” Bison Chili | cup $5 wasn’t anything to rave about. I think Scruffy’s homemade chili tastes 95% better than that. I could be biased though.

Swiss and Mushroom Bison Burger [swiss, mushroom, sour cream] | $17

Green and Hot Bison Burger [pepper jack, grilled jalapeno, guacamole, chipotle ranch] | $17

Both the burgers were a handful. Literally! There were so many ingredients jammed in there – just like a burger should. If I ever have a chance to come back, I’d want to try the regular burger and see how it holds up.

After dinner we headed to the airport to fly back home in the land of the humid. On the flight back, we watched the movie, Chef, that I downloaded off Netflix and both ordered one drink to end the vacation. We were exhausted once we got back home and all we did was sleep in.

This trip was filled with many fails but those fails make great stories. I cannot wait for our next adventure together – once I save up enough money. Where are we headed, Scruffy?

Babies, Events, and Christmas

December 27, 2016 by Mellie Dee Leave a Comment

It’s been a long while since I’ve last updated. Life took hold yet again and I don’t regret it at all! Sometimes you just gotta live so here are some highlights of the past couple months.

I had two blogging opportunities that I keep forgetting to recap. The Tasting Room at City Centre (with Apurva) and Diamonds & Desserts (with Sissy).

I had fun at both and found my promise ring, engagement ring, and wedding ring at Robbins Brothers. Just kidding, I am not the type of girl that fantasized over getting married and I highly doubt these will be the ones. Nonetheless, it was fun to try them on and spend time with Sissy.

Broseph and SIL finally announced to the world about their pregnancy and Sissy and I threw a family baby shower. I will be Auntie to a little baby girl in February!

Mallory and John welcomed their bundle of joy this year. Look at that face!! I cannot wait to see him grow up!

Speaking of babies, Wacko and Monica’s little Emma is to be born any day now! Eeep! So excited. So many babies!!

Bombay Grill
1852 FM 359 Rd
Richmond, Texas 77406
(832) 595-9400
http://bombaygrilltx.com

I tried Indian food for the first time since I last almost threw up and … I survived and even ended up liking it more than I thought I would. It takes a while for the food to make but it’s worth it and we’ve been back a second time since then.

I’ve never truly made Scruffy a full meal since other people were always around and I was afraid of the critique. I found an opportunity one week and voila! He told me it tasted really good so … I’ll take his word for it.

Scruffy’s favourite band, Rebelution, played at the White Oak Music Hall which was a whole new experience for me. You could definitely feel the love of music that night.

Scruffy, Jamie, and Ashy accompanied me to Via Colori. Artwork was done with chalk on a sidewalk. It has always been on my list of things to check out so I’m happy that I was able to finally go. These people are hella talented!

I was able to attend Scruffy’s work Christmas party at Backstreet Cafe. This has always been on Apurva and I’s list of places to hit but never had a chance to. The food is pretty good but it’s not a place that I will crave to go back to.

Christmas this year was super busy. On the 23rd, Scruffy’s intermediate family met up for food, white elephant, and saran wrap ball game. On the 24th, we drove up to Dallas for my immediate family for some all you can eat Korean BBQ, gift opening, games, dinner, and baby room reveal before driving back down. On the 25th, Scruffy’s immediate family had breakfast and gift opening in the morning, and at night, my intermediate family had dinner and gift opening. We are both all Christmas’d out!

We also went to Colorado for a weekend getaway but I’ll do a recap in the next post.