Dear Friday - hello my friend...as always, it's so nice to see you again. Now if you could just make these next 8 hours or so fly by that'd be great. We've got places to be and important people to see! Dear clean eating challenge - I was going to sing your praises today. I swear...I was. But then the auditors brought this delicousness in. And because of you I walked away without one...and now I feel annoyed and deprived (and hungry!) So yeah - you are not my friend right now. Dear Zoggs - I hope you're ready for the Chichester invasion!!!!
Dear Cents of Style - well, you've done it again. I mentioned how obsessed I am with your infinity scarves here and the fact that you always have great sales. And once again, you do not disappoint. For today only you can get them for $6.95 with FREE shipping - click here and use code BESTPRICE. You're welcome :) Dear hubs - You rock my world and I know how incredibly lucky I am to be your wife. Thanks for being you (PS...please make note of the above mentioned sale...Valentine's Day is only a couple weeks away...just sayin') :) Happy Friday ya'll <3
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Doing a Photo an Hour Link up with Stephanie and Meg today...ya know - because a Wednesday in my life is oh so freakin' exciting (and because I totally forgot I was going to do this until like 10:30 yesterday mornin'...soooo yeah....here it is...) 10:30am - Snack time (not pictured...the other veggies I had already devoured before remembering I was doing this photo an hour link up...Oops!) 11:30am - Uploading some stuff for the auditors....fun times right here... 12:30 - It's the little things in life... 1:30pm - Account recs that should balance easily...but don't...drive me INSANE! Accountant issues... 2:30pm - Lunch time - leftover soup, chicken, hard boiled egg, and an apple...lots of protein and eating clean <3 3:30pm - These have been taunting me allll freakin' day....apple pie, cake, AND cupcakes...staying strong... 4:30pm - Keying in some journal entries...no one ever said being an Accountant was exciting... 5:30pm - gettin' the heck outta here... 6:30pm - spending a little quality time with the treadmill... 7:30pm - one of my favorite parts of a day...hittin' up the dry sauna after a good workout 8:30pm - Wednesday = salad night in our household 9:30pm - A relaxing bath...which quickly turned into a shower because I was FREEZING and the tub would NOT fill up fast enough ha-ha 10:30pm - Workin' on next week's menu with the hubs since we'll be out of of town this weekend And there ya'll have it...a small glimpse into a pretty typical Wednesday for me...Exciting stuff, huh?! :)
Sooooooo yesterday I was thinking about what today's post will be about. At first I thought I'd just do a post of some things that I currently can't enough of (like these) But then an idea popped into my head. It was a challenging idea...one that would be dfficult for me. But I knew I had to do it - I had to step out of my comfort zone. So with that being said...today's post is to showcase a few of my favorite parts of my house. BUT hold up - here's the back story for anyone who might not know. The hubs and I closed on our house 3 months and 9 days after our wedding day(yeah 2012 was a BIG year for us let me tell ya ha-ha) We had been house hunting for about 7 months before we purchased this house. None of it was fun. None of it I even remotely enjoyed. The thought of owning a house never appealed to me - it was never something I dreamt about or really cared about. But I know it's an investment and I know it just makes sense since we want a family. So here we are...homeowners. When we first started house hunting it was a bit of a shock - the houses we could afford in the neighborhoods we wanted to be in weren't exactly what I thought...ya know they were older, small, and not very updated. Awesome. But we searched and searched and finally found this house...not even close to our dream house but it was the nicest house we'd seen and one that we knew could make work for us, even once we had kids. Even after moving in and doing some work on it - I still don't love the house. I don't enjoy being a homeowner. I'm constantly analyzing every little thing. I'm constantly comparing our house to everyone else's. I'm constantly complaining that it's not big enough (which it's not.) And it doesn't have this...or that...or whatever. But I also know we lucked out with this house. And there ARE some good things about the house that I tend to overlook and forget about. So when this idea came to me I knew I just had to do it. I knew it'd be good for me to focus on the positives instead of the negatives for once. This house isn't our forever home. It's not even close to what my dream house would be like. And I'm not sure I'll ever even really like the house. So, no, it's not perfect...it's not the biggest...it's not the prettiest - but I share this house with an amazing husband in a neighborhood we really like with great schools and so for now it's good enough for us. (Please excuse the terrible pics - I don't have a fancy camera...or apparently adequate lighting in the house ha-ha) So here goes nothin'... Having a powder room downstairs is definitely one of the best parts of this house. When I asked the hubs last night what his favorite part of the house was he said this room ha-ha There's nothing fancy about it but it's convenient and we sure are grateful for it! Most of the houses we looked at only had 1 bathroom so this was a big selling point for us!!
Even though this wasn't the kitchen sink or counters we had when we moved in - I do like the outcome of the kitchen update we recently did. I love the undermount sink and the fact that it's deeper than the one we had before. I'm also loving the gooseneck faucet - makes washing big pots a bit easier. Definitely a plus for the house now!!
So there ya have it - a few things I actually like about our first home! Happy Hump Day everyone!!
I have a board on Pinterest dedicted strictly to quotes (which you can find here). Some make me laugh. Others are inspirational. Others are just things I think but would never actually say outloud. And every once in a while, I like to go through that board and read through all the ones I've pinned. Sometimes that's on a bad day when I need a little reminder to keep my head up and stay strong. Somedays it's just because I need a good chuckle. And other days I browse that board just because I feel like it. And today, my friends, was one of those days. And so I've decided to share a few today that I just really liked... And my favorite... That's all for today...Happy Tuesday everyone <3
Monday mornings are never fun...but weekends at home being productive and getting stuff done is!! We were away last weekend and we'll be out of town again this weekend so this past weekend was all about catching up, getting things done, being as productive as possible, and organizing!! And I'd say we succeeded at that!! Weekends like this make me downright happy I gotta say. Little projects that always need to be done around the house really stress me out - I'm just weird like that. So I gotta have weekends like this to keep myself from going over the edge :-p Friday I spent running errands after work. Once I got home we fixed a quick dinner of sweet potato hash and eggs (click here for the recipe - surprisingly good and quick and easy...my kinda Friday night dinner!) The rest of the weekend was spent running errands, rearranging the house a bit, working on projects, working out, and spending some time in the kitchen. On Sunday I actually had some time to make some Paleo friendly food. For dinner I made Chicken Noodless Soup. I followed Erin's recipe from Love, Fun, & Football. I didn't add cauliflower because I didn't have any on hand. I also didn't have any sage so I added some thyme and basil and some other spices and probably put in more veggies than the recipe called for (I never measure anything!!) It came out REALLY good!! It was the perfect meal on a cold, blustery Sunday evening. Then later Matt made these! OMG - sooooo good!! They taste like the chocolate part of a MallowCup. It definitely satisfied our sweet tooth and we'll definitely be keeping these around (Matt stuck them in the freezer....YUM! YUM!) What did ya'll do this weekend? Please share - I love hearing about how everyone else spends their weekends <3
Dear Friday - As usual, I am one happy camper that you're here. Now if you could just make it work so that I didn't have to actually come to work on you that'd be freakin' awesome. Please work on that. Dear Winter - I've mentioned before that I am not a fan of you. I wasn't joking before. I REALLY am, seriously over you and your friends snow, cold, ice, and slush. If you could please go away that'd be really great. Thanks so much! Dear Aruba - I'd really love to see you again...SOON! We need to spend more time together. I mean just look how amazing you are and how happy the hubs and I are when we're with you <3 Why can't we be together right now?!?! Dear Justin Bieber - You are the hot topic right now. But all I've got to say is "really?" I mean REALLY?!?!? C'mon now... Dear Coffee - Welcome back to my life! Oh you make me sooooo dang happy I can't stand it. You make me wanna sing and dance and sing your praises! (and yes - we're still eating clean...who knew that a little pure maple syrup in your coffee could taste so damn good?!?!) Dear Weekend - I have BIG hopes and dreams for you. Please don't disappoint me. We've got a lot of errands to run, a lot of projects to complete, a lot of organization to do, and, most importantly, a lot of clean eating friendly recipes to make :) Let's do this!!!!!!!!!!!! Dear Amazon Prime - You ROCK.MY.WORLD. You can make me very happy with 2 little clicks of my mouse. And then BOOM - 2 days later I'm giddy with excitement as my purchases are waiting for me on my doorstep. Now that's service and I LIKE it! Happy Friday everyone!!! What are you all doing this wonderful weekend?!
So this Clean eating/Paleo challenge has pretty much consumed our lives. It's all I think about...all I talk about (like here and here)...it's basically our life right now. So I figured...why the hell not?! I may as well make today's Hump Day Faves be about my current favorite foods while on this challenge...ya know, just in case you were wondering what exactly I've been eating (this clearly is not all inclusive - this is just a small list of what I consider my favorite foods that are allowed during this challenge. My REAL list of favorite food would include the likes of chocolate, and marshmallows, and bread, and pizza...all of which are non-existent in my life right now *tears* *deprived* *cravings*) Larabars... Before this challenge I ate a lot of granola bars - Nature Valley trail mix fruit 'n' nut bars, Luna bars, Nature Valley crunchy granola bars...all SO yummy...BUT full of sugar and other ingredients not allowed *boo* Soooo these bars have been a lifesaver. They satisfy that craving for a granola bar and they actually taste damn good (I was skeptical at first...not gonna lie) So if you're looking for a healthy alternative to a granola bar try one of these for sure. All Natural Peanut Butter... The hubs and I are both PB fanatics - I've been known (ya know...just once or twice...) to eat it straight out of the jar with a spoon. But most peanut butters have loads of sugar and there was NO WAY I'd go without PB for 7 weeks. So luckily natural peanut butter is easy to find in stores these days. Now that I've been eating this I actually prefer it over the other stuff - it's tastes much more natural - not artificial at all and has a much more intense peanut taste. Eggs... You can't go wrong here. Good source of protein, inexpensive, filling, and so many ways to eat them. I eat either 2 or 3 egg whites plus 1 whole egg all scrambled for breakfast as well as a hard boiled egg at lunch. They're perfect for on the go!! Bananas.... Seriously, these are a lifesaver for me. I'm not sure if this is good or bad but on this challenge I eat 2 of these bad boys every day - sometimes 3 of 'em!!! I always eat one before I work out and this has been our dessert. At night the hubs and I both crave something sweet - so we've been taking a banana, smearing it with a little of the abovementioned PB, and drizzling it all with some honey. It satisfies our craving for something sweet without the guilt!! Last night we even sprinkled some cinnamon and cocoa powder on top - soooo freakin' good!! So there ya have it - some of my favorite clean foods to get me through the days :) What healthy foods do you like to eat?
So here we are...day #9 of clean eating and we're still going strong! Neither of us have had a cheat day (even while we were away for the weekend and were tempted with homemade pasta, pancakes, cake, and pizza!!) But who cares about all that...you wanna know how it's REALLY going, huh?!
Let me tell ya - this isn't nearly as easy as I thought it would be. The hubs seems to be doing much better than I. I'm not sure if I'm not in the right mind set or what but even though we're still doing great this is way more challenging than I ever anticipated. I know I mentioned here that we're doing this through Matt's CrossFit gym. I'm not technically part of this challenge since I'm not a member (I'll stick to my running and women's only gym thank you very much...) - I'm just taggin' along to support Matt and be more aware of what we're actually eating. So maybe that's why my mind isn't in the place it needs to be. All I know is I'm struggling. I don't have all the extra energy I thought I would (I think I just need to give it more time for that to happen.) I'm constantly thinking about food (MORE than before and I didn't think that was possible LOL.) I feel like all I do is complain about this challenge to Matt (which isn't being supportive at all which was the main reason I'm doin' this.) AND I still have a lot of cravings (coffee and donuts pleeeeaaaase!) BUT...I will NOT give up. We have 6 more weeks. I will focus on the foods we CAN eat instead of what we can't. I will (try) to think more positive about this whole experience. I will focus on the good its doing for my body. I will stay strong and be a positive support system for my husband. I will falter. I will have cravings. I will want to gorge myself on cake, and pizza, and wine. But I won't because I'm not only doing this for the hubs but for myself. So to anyone else out there trying to be healthy and struggling - stay strong. Do this for yourself. Because...YOU. CAN. DO.THIS. (On that note I leave you with these quotes...) We spent the weekend visiting my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Kelly & Kevin, and niece and nephew, Katelyn & Connor!! We had so much fun!!! The main purpose of our visit was to have a 'Katelyn, Uncle Matt, & Aunt NeeNee' special day (though we were lucky it was also Connor's birthday weekend - BONUS!!) As part of her Christmas present, we gave Katelyn a gift certificate for a day with us where we'd do whatever she wanted!! She was so excited to plan the day. So our Saturday consisted of going shopping for a birthday present for Connor, lunch, roller skating, and going to see the movie Frozen(Katelyn's THIRD time seeing the movie - she's loves it!!!) It was such a FANTASTIC day :) I don't know who had more fun - Matt and I or Katelyn!! Sunday morning Matt and I were lucky enough to go to a hot yoga class with Kelly and Kevin at their local Y. I forgot how much I enjoy hot yoga (and what a good workout it is - I'm SORE today!) After that we got ready for Connor's 2nd birthday party!! Happy Birthday, Connor! It was an absolutely awesome weekend! What did ya'll do this weekend?
Dear Friday - Yes! Yes! Yes! You are FINALLY here again! And for that I am truly grateful <3 Dear clean eating - I know you're good for my body. And I want to sing your praises. But right now I just can't. Because right now I want a VERY large cup of coffee with 2 Truvia packets in it, and a crap load of yummy, sweet, sugar-laden creamer. But you don't allow all that goodness. And black coffee - puleeze (as I gag in my mouth...) So right now - you SUCK!
Dear sweater I'm currently wearing - You're not worn very often. And every time I do wear you I'm reminded as to why you aren't a regular in my wardrobe. There's just something about you - you don't fit right - you aren't comfortable - just somethin' about you is...off. I'm sorry but you will be going in the donate pile at the end of the day. I hope you find a happy new home where someone loves you just the way you are. Dear self - What's up with the negativity and bad attitude today? It's Friday AND you have a fantastic weekend ahead of you. Get over yourself and enjoy this day!!!! I usually take Fridays as my rest day from working out. Matt still goes to CrossFit so he doesn't get home until after 7. I've started spending those precious couple hours of alone time meandering around fun stores like Hobby Lobby, Target, Old Navy, and Kohls. This past Friday I went to Target (after spending about an hour and a half in Hobby Lobby!) in hopes of finding some cute new clothes (I had some gift cards and cash just burning a hole in my pocket ha-ha) I ended up buying 4 items of clothing but two of them I just absolutely LOVE and are definitely a current fave of mine!! I love, love, LOVE this tank from Mossimo (I got it in black...of course!) I don't know about ya'll but I can never have enough tank tops. I love the lace trim - and I like that it's slightly longer than some of the other tanks I have - perfect to wear under cardigans but also pretty enough to wear on its own! I'm going to watch for sales on this baby because I'd definitely like to stock up on 'em! I just looove this boyfriend cardigan from Mossimo (again!) I'm actually wearing it today with black leggings, riding boots, and a tank underneath with a chunky necklace - cute and comfy but totally work appropriate. I'll be wearing this baby year round for sure!! I love Chevron. I love infinity scarves. So this is perfection in my eyes. I have this in black from Cents of Style (you can find here) BUT hold up peeps...these go on sale ALL.THE.TIME (do you really think I'd pay $26 for a scarf?!) So sign up for their newsletter and you'll get an email when these go on sale ($7.95 with FREE SHIPPING!) The hubs got me a light pink one for Christmas (not from here though) and I recently sent one to a friend as part of a sunshine package I sent her after her surgery. I love 'em because they're super lightweight - gauzy like - and they'll be perfect in the summer with a tank top (but they're also great for now too!) I have a lot of different scarves (which I love all of 'em) but I do find myself wearing these more often than some of the others I have. After the hubs and I ran the marathon last year we said we were going to get tattoos (yes, mom, this is about tattoos...you should probably stop reading now...) to commemorate us accomplishing this goal. That was last May and we have yet to get one (insert sad face) But I came across this one on Pinterest and am currently ob-sessed! I think this is THE ONE for me - but I want to add a little running stick figure at the end (letter's wouldn't be so big so there'd be space to allow that.) What do ya'll think?!?! That's all for today's edition of my Hump Day Faves - the weekend is almost here - hang in there everyone!!
We all know the hubs is my true love. But I also have a 2nd love that I hold just as closely to my heart (and no it's not chocolate!) :) Ain't that the truth?!?! Running. Yes, that's right. Running is my 2nd love. It's like a drug to me (quite the dramatic statement...I know, I know) But it's true. Let's go back in time...the year is 2010. I'd been going to the gym for about 2 years. At that point I wasn't really doing any cardio - I was mostly doing the strength machines and ab exercises. Matt got this brilliant idea for us to do a local 5k. Up to that point I'd run maybe a mile every once in a blue moon but it definitely wasn't something I was doing regularly. I struggled with training for this 5k - I think I ran 3 miles once before my knee started acting up. Because of this knee issue I wasn't even sure I was going to run the race until like 10 the night before. But we did it - and it was A-MA-ZING! I was SOLD! Over the past 3 and a half years I've stuck with running and worked my way up to running a few more 5ks, 5 10ks, 3 half marathons, and 1 marathon. Running is my THING. It's that thing that's just for me. When I run I get to leave the rest of the world behind. I can think. I can figure things out. Or I can just listen to my music (I've been known to sing out loud while on a run outside ha-ha)and legit zone out. It's my saving grace.
Let's go back even further. I was not the least bit athletic in school. I did run track for a year but I wasn't good so the coaches didn't really bother with me and I really didn't enjoy it (I was a 'sprinter' - definitely not my thing!) I never participated in any other sports (I have zero coordination ha-ha) So when I clicked with running I became obsessed with it. It's allowed me to do things I NEVER in a million years imagined I'd do! Running, in my eyes, is good for the mind, body, and soul. It gives you a huge sense of accomplishment. It gives you confidence (something we all need more of, am I right?!) It strengthens you, physically as well as mentally. The running community is incredible as well. There's nothing better than taking out your ear buds at the end of a race and listening to complete strangers cheer you on - they are legit excited and happy for you!! It's one of the best moments. Running makes me happy. Running is just a part of who I am now. It has helped me grow. It has been my saving grace too many times to count. I have never once regretted a run - but I've regretted not going for a run. Even when I don't feel like it (because that does happen!) I do it anyways and ALWAYS feel better afterwards. For me personally, I hit my stride after 3 miles - any distance longer than 3 miles is in my sweet spot - 10ks and half marathons are my favorite distances to run. Another thing I love about running is that it's one of those things that anyone can do. It truly doesn't matter how fast or slow you go - it doesn't matter if you're at your goal weight or want to lose some weight. It just matters that you go. I am by no means a fast runner and I'm A-OK with that. I don't run for that reason. I run because of how running makes me feel. And my hope for this blog is that it inspires someone to go out and run today. Even if it's just for one minute...who cares?! You DID it!!!!! That one minute will soon become 5 then 20 then 60 minutes. Give it a chance and stick with it - running will change your life. I have mentioned briefly in previous posts (like here, here, and here) that the hubs is big into CrossFit. He truly loves it and I'm so glad he's able to do it. I support him 110% with it (though I do make fun of him sometimes because he might be borderline obsessed with it and talks about it A LOT! ha-ha) But nonetheless, I am super proud of him. One night I came home and he told me about this eating challenge they were doing. Basically, it's a sort of Paleo/clean eating challenge. He was going to do it but I didn't really want any part of it. I thought it'd be too hard...too expensive...too restrictive. But once I received the information on it and read the rules and such I was in. First off, I wanted to support Matt in this. I know firsthand how important it is to have a support system when it comes to being as healthy as possible, especially when it comes to eating. Second, I loved the fact that this isn't a diet. It's not about losing weight (neither Matt nor I want to lose any weight.) It's about fueling your body. It's about eating clean. Eating healthy. Making good food choices. It's no secret that Matt and I both love to eat. And while we already eat healthy most of the time, we both have tendencies to raid the kitchen around 9:30. We like our sweets. We like our chips. We like our cereals. So we both figured this would be great for us. Thirdly, this is a CHALLENGE. A competition. And Matt and I both have a little competitiveness in us. And finally, there is a cheat day(BONUS!). Plus if you're having a REALLY bad day and just need to have that glass of wine or serving of pasta - you totally can - you just lose 1 point (everyone starts their day with 5 points...you deduct 1 point for anything on the 'no list' or an extra helping of the 'limit 1 per day list.') So we're all in. Here are the rules if anybody else would like to join us: Yes, it takes effort to plan your meals. Yes, it took more time at the grocery
store (we couldn't believe how much food we were eating that had hidden sugars in them!) Yes, there will be cravings. But you CAN do this. And it WILL be worth it!! So we say BRING.IT.ON!!! I am truly blessed to have this girl in my life. This was hard for me to post...this is not the sort of post I expected from her...but I am grateful and was moved to tears! Above all else, I am so thankful for Christina and our friendship. Hi everyone! So I volunteered myself to be a guest blogger. I'm pretty sure Renee was like 'that's great' but at the same time freaking out because it's out of her control :) I've never done a blog before so here I go. At first I thought I should share something about myself and then I decided this should be about Renee. She gives 110% to everyone, so I'm going to give her back 111% on this blog. I first met Renee college, she was a sophomore and I was a junior. I think our hidden crush on "Eric" was what ultimately made us friends ;) It's been over ten years and we are best of friends. We've been through breakups, marriages, deaths, births, vacations and illnesses. I'm so blessed she was by my side through everything. I'm a busy person with 3 kids under the age of 4 and I live far away, but our friendship is very strong. Again she puts in 110% and I'm going to top her this year at 111% :) So let's get started.... Renee you rock and you know it - she will never admit this but she does. So today I challenge everyone who reads this blog to write a comment and tell her just one thing you love about her. We all love so much about her, but what's the one thing today that you love about her? In my life right now the one thing I love is my sunshine package, her care packages. She made me smile when I was at my worst the other day. Now that she sees how loved she is from all her followers let's move onto the special, lovely Renee. I could do the ABCs of Renee but I think I will change it up and do her name.... R - Radiant. She's so radiant everyday even after a long workout. I need to know her secret. E - Energetic. She could be so tired but if anyone needs something she will sacrifice her relaxation time for others. N - Neat. She loves things to be neat and organized. To the point of perfectionism. That's why we get along so well. E - Encouraging. Always is there to encourage everyone when they need motivation. E - Endless. You probably think why endless?...not an adjective...but it's a great word for her. She gives us all endless amounts of love everyday. She never keeps a tally, she just gives. C - Calmness. She will always be calm on the outside but will be a wreck on the inside but has the strength to be calm when it's what a friend or family member needs. Amazing quality. H - Helpful. If you need soup or someone to call you 'just because' she'll be there for you. Even if you need her to move a heavy piece of furniture she will do it. I - Intelligent. She always was an A student. And now in life she stays educated about things. I'm glad someone does because I need the 411...I don't have time to read everything. C- Child. She is a child at heart. She always gets on the floor and plays with my kids no matter what they ask of her. Balloon rockets were the highlight this last visit. H- Happy. In all the years I've know her she is finally truly happy in life. I wish her nothing but the best with her happiness. I finally see the glow of happiness on her face. Thanks Matt for doing this for her! E- Energetic. Not sure where she finds her energy but I want to know. I think she keeps it a secret because she likes to have more energy than me :) S - Smart. She is smart with her advice she gives everyone. Now if only she could realize that. Guess I have the rest of my life to teach her. T- Travel. She loves to travel. If you get a chance to travel with her do it. My best vacation was in Jamaica with her. She loves to dance and enjoy some wine. E- Edgy. She's always in fashion but never thinks she is. R- Reliable . Always there for anyone when you need them. Renee is my best friend and I'm so blessed she's in my life. I just had major surgery and she was in my head the whole time before I got put under. She's just that amazing! I can't see really well right now but I get so excited to read her blog. Hope I spelled things right on her blog. I know how hard blogging is for her, it's helped me more than she will ever know. I could go on forever on her blog but until next time. Cherish ever moment with Renee because there is only one Renee. She's my inspiration. Love you! Keep on blogging for yourself and others! With love, your best friend from college. Yes, she's this wonderful and sweet all the time. Yes, we've had our ups and downs...lots of laughs...and lots of tears. But above else, Christina doesn't judge me. She doesn't look down on me. She does nothing but support me. I'm her friend no matter what (even when I get bitchy and throw temper tantrums...which has happened a lot over the past 10 years!) She inspires me to be a better person. And I hope one day when I have my own kids I am able to find the balance she has - she's an incredible mother, loving wife, and fantastic runner!!Here's to many more years of friendship. Christina - thank you for writing this. Thank you for being you. Thanking for EVERYTHING!
PS - Just one thing - there was nothing hidden about my crush on Eric...I think the googly eyes and drool kinda gave that away...LOL Dear Friday ~ Oh hello my dear friend, Friday, it's just little ol' me again! I am so, so, sooooo glad to see you again. What a week... Dear House ~ If you could just magically clean yourself this weekend that'd be great. I really have no desire to waste my precious time doing things like scrubbing toilets, washing counters, and dusting baseboards. There are WAY more important things I could be doing (ya know - like sleeping and catching up on some TV...) Dear People who can't park correctly ~ There are two yellow lines there for a reason. Please use them. In case you aren't sure how they work - you park your car BETWEEN them...NOT like this... Dear FitBit Force ~ After Stephanie's review on you (which you can read here) I NEED you in my life. Good thing my birthday is in a few months...in 4 months...from today...to be exact...*hint* *hint*
Happy Friday ya'll - enjoy the weekend! <3 So yeah - it's Thursday...and yet I'm still going to post what I should have posted yesterday (because I know ya'll are just dying over there waiting to read all about my current obsessions...I know, I know - it's intriguing stuff...) I don't even have a good excuse for not posting this yesterday - basically shortly after 10 last night when I finally had the chance to do this...I chose, instead, to sit my butt on the couch with the hubs and eat this amazing goodness ....priorities people...priorities! :) These my friends are...aaaaaaaaaaamazing. No joke. It's like a box of Lucky Charms minus the cereal. Best $0.79 I have EVER spent. My friend Christina gave this to me...my FIRST Alex and Ani bracelet (I have the Best charm - she has the other one) and I've been obsessed ever since. I'm up to 3 now - special thanks to my mother-in-law for poppin' a couple of these in my stocking (I got a C charm and a Taurus charm) I can't wait to grow my collection! I especially love that these are adjustable - I have tiny wrists so bracelets are hard to find for me. Not to mention they are lightweight and go with EVERYTHING! So......what are you waiting for?...Stop reading this...and go get yourself some :) The last few days have been BRUTAL temperature wise (I'm talking NEGATIVE 15 with the wind chill...) So this baby has been my lifesaver. Putting in the gas fireplace was some of the best money I've spent on the house so far (right after the money we just spent getting rid of the orange kitchen walls of course! And no, I haven't forgotten...a full kitchen reveal WILL happen...eventually...once everything is actually done ha-ha) Yes, both of these came home with me (and YES, I'm JUST jumpin' on the riding boots bandwagon...I'm a little behind the times...I get it...) Yes, I had a slight meltdown after buying the Nine West ones (the Ralph Lauren ones were bought with a gift card so that was a little easier to swallow than the swiping of MY credit card for an amount that I've never spent on a pair of shoes before {besides running sneakers of course}...YIKES!) Yes, it took a lot of convincing from the hubs to actually do it. But I did it (and that my friends is a BIG step for me ha-ha!)
Guest blogger (get your head outta the gutter peeps...) Hello blog world! I am the “hubs” that you may have heard about in previous posts and when my amazing wife asked me to guest post I just couldn't say no. This is all new to me, as it is to her, but I really have no experience with blogs other than what I have seen and read here. So I was a little nervous to attempt a post but here goes nothing... A - Accent you wish you had Australian mate B - Baking or Cooking? Definitely cooking, I’ll leave the baking up to Renee...her sweet treats are amazing btw! C - Can't Get Enough..... Guitars, even though I haven’t been playing them nearly as much as I wish I could D - Drink you can't go without COFFEE! no question E - Emotion you get when those Hallmark commercials come on Emotions? what are those F - Fictional Character you relate to This one is really hard!! If you don’t believe me try it on yourself and post in the comments OR if you know me and can think of one for me post that G - Guilty Pleasure Hmmm, probably all the “girly” TV shows Renee got me addicted to (i.e. - Grey’s Anatomy) H - Hometown Wayland...finally an easy question I - Ice Cream Flavor Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food...MMMMMMMM J - Jumpstart Go To (aka how you get your day started) Coffee, see D K - Keepsake Item Don’t know that I have one L - Life Verse(s) Don’t sweat the small stuff...and its all small stuff M - Memory that makes you smile Our picturesque evening at Ponte Vecchio in Florence listening to live music and eating gelato! N - Non-fiction writer you want to have dinner with Rich Froning, when Renee looks up who that is she will probably roll her eyes O - Opulent Item You Want (something that is way out of your price range) Vacation home in Italy...I know I copied Renee’s answer, but hey it’s a good answer P - Pattern You Love Does solid count?!?! Q - Quirk You Have This is a tough one...probably that I fold different t-shirts different ways R - Relaxing Spot Aruba S - Snow or Sun?
Sun for sure right now...did I mention its -15 degrees with the wind chill right now?! T - TV show you miss Now, this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down and I’d like to take a minute just sit right there, I’ll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air or Seinfeld U - Unique Fact About You I really don’t know, maybe Renee can help you with that one V - Valentine's Day ...big deal or not? Like Renee said, we don’t go all out on gifts, but we do make sure we do something special together and that's what its all about to me W - What's Your Sign? Depends on which magazine/newspaper you are reading. June 21st birthday so I am on the cusp of Cancer and Gemini (does that count as a unique fact?) I don't know/care enough about that sort of stuff to tell you which one I tend to act more like. X - X-Factor Song You Would Sing Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin' (very poorly) or something by Jason Mraz Y - Yoga or Not? Absolutely, thoroughly enjoyed my stretch of yoga with the wifey at Breathe, file that under M too Z - Zealous Dream You Have Build our dream home...again a good answer is a good answer So ya know how in the blog world Mondays are weekend recaps? All these awesome (ahem legit) bloggers recap their super, fun, awesome weekends. Yeah - well clearly my weekends aren't exciting enough because the last couple Monday's have been failures in the blog world. Yup. Awesome - right?! So yeah - I don't have any fun pictures. I don't have a great story. I just spent my weekend working out, cleaning, organizing, running errands - ya know - really fun adult stuff (we did, however, go out Saturday night to listen to a friend's brother-in-law's band and have a couple drinks ...but I'm still a slacker since I don't have any fun pictures to actually prove this ha-ha) So since I CLEARLY need to vamp up my weekends, today's post is inspired from Jess at Being Mrs Beer. So here goes nothin'... I am wishing I didn’t live so far away from one of my best friends. Today is a big day for her and I wish I could be there. I keep trying to be fashionable. I just don’t have the eye for that…or money…or decision-making skills. I wish I could make everyone happy. I know a lot of people probably wish this and struggle with this. I sing terribly, but a lot (especially in the car!) So if you see me on the road – belting out a tune – please don’t point your finger and laugh at me... I dance when I’m home alone and I’ve got the music blarin’. True story. I just hope there aren’t any hidden cameras in our house… I think about every.little.thing…to death. Overanalyzing is just my thing (though I wish it weren’t!) I really need to start focusing on one thing/project at a time so it all doesn’t seem so overwhelming. I need to make time to have more fun, more often. I should be going to bed earlier, especially since it’s our crazy time of year at work and I’m working more (and have a lot more work related stress!) I can still remember what I wore on mine and Matt’s first date…and what I ate! I like things to be organized and for every little thing to have its own place…and yet in the same breath I can say… I like to keep things and usually have way too much clutter for my liking! #RenéeIssues I make some sort of homemade/crafty gift for family and friends every Christmas. I always feel better about things after a run. Always. I love to eat. Seriously. I’m a total foodie. That's all folks - Happy Monday!
Dear Friday - Ahhh my dear - it's so good to see you again!! Dear Coffee - A few months ago I could barely stand you. Now I look forward to our weekly morning dates. I know, I know - I only allow myself to indulge in you a couple times a week - but the wait is always worth it. Thanks for giving me something to look forward to - you make Wednesdays and Fridays that much better (and daaaaang you just taste oh so good with loads of yummy creamer...match made in heaven right there!!!!!) Dear lovebug - Thanks for being so awesome these past couple weeks! I really appreciate you and all the work you've done and projects you've accomplished. You rock my world!! Let's keep up this motivation we've got going on :) Remember........................................................................ Dear Snow - I am OVER you. Please go away. That is all. Thank you.
Happy Friday everyone!! Enjoy the weekend!! {13} - Favorite article of clothing Even though I didn't get them until the end of the year, these skinnies from Aero are my FAVE!! I never in a million years thought I'd be so in love with a pair of jeans... {12} - Favorite movie you watched I'm not much of a movie watcher so this one is tough for me (heck - I can't even remember what movies I watched in 2013 because they were so far and few in between...which you'd think would make it easier...but nope, not for me! Seriously, I have NO memory...) But the hubs and I did go watch Gravity which I thoroughly enjoyed. {11} - Favorite TV series Now THIS is a hard one!! We are TV addicts...I don't think I have an absolute favorite - all the ones we watch are AWESOME!! But for the sake of this post I'm going to have to go with...{drum roll please...} Big Bang Theory (just because it legit makes me laugh EVERY single episode!) {10} - Favorite restaurant I'm going with Los Gallos - a new Mexican place we found. When we moved we knew finding a Mexican place close to our new house would be top priority. And I think we were successful - we really enjoy this place - quick service, delish food, inexpensive...win, win combo right there!! {9} - Favorite new thing you tried I'd have to say brussel sprouts. I know...you were probably expecting me to say blogging. But ever since I tried brussel sprouts I've been OBSESSED!! I could seriously eat them EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. {8} - Favorite gift you got Ooooh....I received so many amazing gifts this year. How can I possibly choose a favorite?! However, as I sit here...freezing...knowing it's probably around 10 degrees outside...and knowing I have to get my long run in....I dream of this amazing gift I received at Christmas. I CANNOT wait for it to be summer...to lounge in this baby...drink in one hand and a book in the other...YES please!!! {7} - Favorite thing you pinned Ok you can't ask this of a self-proclaimed Pinterest addict(I have over 3,800 pins!!) Every pin I pin is a favorite - why else pin something?! I mean seriously...this is impossible for me. So I opened my Pinterest page and randomly picked a pin....So yeah, that's my answer and I'm stickin' to it! {5} - Best accomplishment Definitely finishing the Buffalo Marathon with the hubs. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd run a marathon. One of the most amazing days EVER!! {4} - Favorite picture I do love this picture. We were in Rome - eating gelato - listening to musicians perform on the street on a balmy summer night - it was just how I envisioned Italy to be. It was perfect. {3} - Favorite memory I can't pick one. I just can't. There was so many amazing memories in 2013 - ALL of which are my favorite. {2} - Goal for 2014 I have many for 2014. You can check them out here. But the one I am looking forward to the most is paying off Matt's undergrad loan. I know - not very exciting - but to have this paid off will be huge for us. So the day I make that final payment will be one very happy day for me (champagne and happy dance, anyone?!) {1} - One little word Says it all. |
AuthorHey ~ I'm Renée...just your ordinary, 30-something Accountant, new mommy, wife, runner, foodie, & Pinterest addict! Welcome to my newest adventure...stay awhile...look around...and keep comin' back! Archives
January 2018
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