Welcome!
Hey there! I'm Holly. A 40+ year old insurance-nerd wife, mom, beauty lover, and about a million other things in between.
This is the place where I share about our lives, what I'm currently loving, books I'm reading, plus-size style, beauty recommendations, health + fitness endeavors and anything else I'm finding interesting at the moment.
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Monthly Archives: January 2012
January Favorites
Every year in January I go on bit of a shopping hiatus. It’s never really intentional, but I think with the last quarter of the prior year being ALL ABOUT DEALS! ALL OF THE TIME! I just sort of retreat from spending exorbitant amounts of money. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy making purchases, but they just generally tend to be smaller purchases on the cash spectrum.
Here are my favorite cheap thrills that I’ve purchased/put on my wish list this month! It’s only halfway through January so you have a couple more weeks to get in on the action. Most are fitness/beauty related because I think those are the kind of purchases that don’t necessarily cost a lot but can really make a difference.
1. Trader Joe’s Spa Face Wash with Tea Tree Oil – If you are interested at all in going from regular face wash to exploring the Oil Cleansing Method, I think this could be an interesting gateway. It’s got a blend of coconut oil and tea tree oil, plus some other earthy smelling ingredients that will give your face the Oil Cleansing feel, but with the convenience of a drug store container. At under $6 I thought it was worth a try, since you know I’ll try just about anything when it comes to skincare. Even Garrett likes it, although every time he gets out of the shower he makes a big To-Do about how he smells like a hippie. I think it smells pretty delicious!
2. Jennifer Aniston Rollerball Perfume — Oh. My. God. You guys, I know this one is so silly. So when I read about this perfume over on Style Lush, I was kind of intrigued. Floral is usually not my cup of tea when it comes to fragrance, so I was doubtful when I heard it smelled “jasmine-y” but review after review said it smelled beachy. When I walked into Sephora recently, there it was in a tiny little rollerball. And it DID smell beachy! And delicious! And I have worn it every single day this month, and I will tell you what, it’s a little piece of summer! And to have that feeling this time of year, for $18? Is a steal!
3. Kirkland Signature Workout Clothes — Yep, I’m talking about Costco. Have you seen their workout clothes lately? Pants, crops, tanks, zip ups — they are all cute and comfy and relatively cheap. I have been rocking the tanks 2-4 times per week for almost a year and they are still in super good condition. I know workout clothes from Costco doesn’t sound super sexy, but they work well and will have you look cute while working out. BONUS!
4. Cute Makeup Bags – I was just discussing how having The Good Stuff in my gym bag gives me something to look forward to when I work out and since I am (desperately) in need of a new makeup bag I have been searching around. I think this one will do the trick! It’s kind of splurge if you think of it as only a makeup bag, but if you think of it as a guarantee that you will get your butt to the gym a few mornings a week — well then, I think that’s worth its weight in gold!
5. Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy Lip Gloss in Hottie — Ok, so the name is kind of lame, I’ll give you that. But what if I told you that it was a dead ringer for Chanel Glossimer in Spark. And it is only $12! Um, hello: STEAL! It’s not quite as nice as the Chanel version (obviously) but at more than half off, I think you will get over it. I kind of want one in every color.
6. Pomegranate Sparkling Water – This last one is kind of a touchy subject. I am COMPLETELY ADDICTED to fizzy water. So addicted that I should not be advocating on my website that you go out and buy ANY type of fizzy water because it is a danger zone! But this particular flavor is such a treat! And every time I go to the grocery store I pick up a few because for 89 cents IT MAKES MY ENTIRE AFTERNOON! I mean what can you even get any more for under a buck? Let alone something that will change your life for under a buck! Plus it guarantees that I won’t be tempted to pick up an afternoon cup of coffee, so you know — swapping one addiction for another? I don’t know. But if you see it in your neck of the woods, please try it. It is amazing!
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So, I’m curious — any little cheap thrills making your day this month?
On Creativity + Work
I saw this on Amy Tangerine this morning (re-posted from this original source) and it really spoke to me.
Day to day I work in the insurance industry, and sometimes I forget that my passion for creativity and communication can overflow everywhere if I want it to. I just have to let it. I think sometimes, as creative folks, we can let our passions get a little stifled in the day to day. I thought this was a good reminder that creativity isn’t sitting down completing a project. Creativity is something you can express in your every day life — whether it is through what you wear, how you interact with others, the projects you scheme for the future. It’s an overarching lifestyle, not a singular expression.
I feel like chewing on that this week. YUM!
Also this post on Long Work vs. Hard Work from Lemon and Raspberry. An excerpt:
Long work is working in a call center. Being there *in case* the calls come through. LONG work is the data entry, the cleaning every night after the store closes, the weekly grocery shopping for your boss. The mindless tediousness.
Hard work is writing a blog, every day, for weeks on end, building the audience that can little by little by very little help build your income. HARD work is solving your clients’ problems, working on the prototype of a new product, photographing that wedding with your own unique vision. The draining but still invigorating creativity.
I started some exciting freelance work last week. Garrett and I also fleshed out an idea we have long had for a business together. Both of those things have my brain all atwitter! But all of that plus my day job, plus blogging, plus working out, plus being (somewhat) social, plus cooking and eating and sleeping and grocery shopping and BREATHING. Oh my god, the breathing! So time consuming! 🙂 It has felt like A LOT over the past few weeks. But also? It has felt AWESOME! Because despite the generalized fear of it, Hard Work Feels Good. Reading that came at the perfect time.
Saturday Snapshots: Daily Edition
Thanks for all your fun iPhone app suggestions the other day. Gold mine, I tell you! This is why I love the internet — I can say, “Tell me something I don’t know” and BAM! Schooled. Also, for funny You Tube videos. The internet is always good for that!
Anyway, one of the things I have been loving about my new little toy is the ability to photograph the silly parts of my everyday life. The best camera is the one you are carrying, right? So even though I’m still in the “I take crappy cell phone pics” phase of documenting my life, it’s kind of fun to see what unravels. I think this will be helpful this year with Project Life and also, just for fun to look back on.
I thought I might occasionally share some of the dailies on the weekend as an exercise in improving my photography skills.
Here are some snaps from this week:
New Library Books
So many books, yet so little time to read lately. It’s a bummer, but just the possibility in a stack of new books always puts a smile on my face.
My Favorite Shoes Lately
A little sparkle from Payless always improves the day right? Also, for some reason seeing it in a photograph makes me kind of love my kitchen floor. It’s funny how you can see something everyday and not really appreciate it until you see it “on film.”
Scribbles
This is my editorial calendar for the blog, and also one (of the many) idea notebooks I keep around all the time. I know there are so many electronic ways to keep track of these things, and maybe I will get there someday, but for now — I just love the combo of ideas+paper+pens. It makes my heart happy!
Mid-Day Yum
I don’t drink Coconut Water that often (mostly post workout and NEVER just the plain flavor, because: YUK) but it was warm this afternoon, I was super dehydrated and Passion Fruit is DELICIOUS! I have a case of these autoshipped from Amazon every month because it’s a cheap little good-for-me treat to have around on a gorgeous day.
Epiphany
Speaking of gorgeous days, this was on my last run of 2011 and in this moment I just felt so happy to be outside, running, enjoying the weather and feeling healthy. There are times when I hate that losing weight takes work. There are times when I wish I could lay on the couch and still be lean and fit. But then there are times when I am just so grateful for my ability work on my body and my fitness. Everyone doesn’t have that opportunity, so sometimes I need a reminder that it really is a gift.
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I took most of these photos using Instagram, which I’m actually enjoying much more then I thought. What do you know, it’s not just an app that lets you give your photos a retro feel, it’s actually a fun way to connect and share the little pieces of your life.
If you’d like to follow me there, my username is hollywouldifshecould.
Lamb Stew with Artichokes, Tomatoes and Bacon
I’m not very secretive about my affinity for Rachael Ray. I know she’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and she makes A LOT of pasta which — ALRIGHT, ALREADY! That’s enough. The world does not need 900 variations on mac and cheese. BUT! The woman knows how to get a quick meal on the table, and she has definitely helped me see ingredients I formerly thought were scary, as easy and approachable. (See: greens and MANY spices.) I love this about her, and for all of that, I’m not ashamed to say so.
Enter: Lamb.
Lamb is not something I cook with often. I don’t know why, I enjoy eating it when I go out, but at home it just seems so…foreign. This year I am trying to get more experimental with my proteins though, so when I came across a recipe for a Lamb Stew with Bacon in this month’s issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray I was intrigued. The first time I made it, I didn’t love it though, so I tried again and came up with an adaptation that I did love, and I wanted to share it with you in case you, too, are afraid to cook with lamb. This recipe proved that this is the best stainless steel cookware. This recipe couldn’t be easier, and a few little ingredient tweaks from the original recipe made it hearty, complex and a perfect dish to have simmering on your stove top on a weekend afternoon.
Lamb Stew with Artichokes, Tomatoes and Bacon
adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray
Serves 4 hungry adults
Ingredients
5 slices of bacon, diced
2 lbs of boneless leg of lamb, cubed (I had the butcher at Whole Foods do this. SCORE!)
Salt and Pepper
2 Medium Yellow Onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 small sprigs of Rosemary
1 Cup Chicken Broth
2 10 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped (not packed in oil)
1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained
Method
1. In a 7 quart dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. Then transfer to a medium bowl. Drain renderings from the pot if you have more than 1 TBS.
2. While the bacon is cooking season the cubed lamb liberally with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, brown on all sides. Give the meat time to brown. It is worth the flavor addition. The browner, the better! When each batch is done, transfer to the bowl with bacon.
3. Add the onion and rosemary to the pot with 1 TBS of drippings and again season liberally again with salt and pepper. Layering your seasoning throughout gives this stew great flavor. Cover and cook on low heat until all is softened (about 5-7 minutes.) Add garlic in and then stir until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn.
4. Add the broth, bring to a boil over medium high heat, and cook until nearly evaporated (about 5 minutes.) Then add lamb, bacon cans of tomatoes, and chopped sun dried tomatoes to the pot. Press a piece of parchment on top, cover pot and cook on low heat until lamb is tender (about 2 1/2 hours.) It’s lovely to just have this simmering on the stove top making your house smell good.
5. Remove parchment. Your stew will be very liquidy at this point so you can do one of two things. Cook on high until the liquid evaporates more and becomes more stew-like in its consistency (if you have time.) Or you can add a slurry of 1 TBS arrowroot + 1 TBS water and then continue to cook until stew gets to desired thickness, (about 5-10 more minutes.)
6. Remove rosemary stems, stir in artichokes hearts and ENJOY!
On iLove, iEmbarrassment, and an iCall For Help
Things I have learned in the 2 weeks that I have had an iPhone
*If you don’t really go anywhere, you won’t be any good at FourSquare
*I really *can* refresh my inbox 24 hours a day if I want
*Refreshing said inbox is so much more awesome from under the covers of your bed
*Garrett is not a fan of email reading in bed
*A phone can actually feel like an extra appendage
*Runkeeper means I don’t have to go out and buy a Garmin anymore
*Pandora stations have some funny names
And most importantly: MY LOVE RUNS DEEP
I also learned how to turn down the volume, which was something I should have learned to do BEFORE I brought my new phone to work, but you know I’m never one to get bogged down with time lines!
You see I brought my phone to work last Friday, into my very quiet and conservative office where I sit no less than 20 feet from the Director of My Department. The area is pretty highly trafficked and it’s kind of a nice place to sit, actually. Unless you turn on Pandora and a completely vulgar and inappropriate song is playing, you haven’t hooked up your headphones, and you don’t *really* know where the volume button is. Imagine being that person who walks into the library with their phone NOT on silent and then gets called over and over by their psycho ex boyfriend. ONLY WORSE. AND WITH MORE VULGAR INNUENDO.
So my phone starts playing some loud ass rap! And it takes me a second to realize that YES! It is my phone that is shouting “ASS” over and over and over. Slowly I have the realization that everyone else also knows that it is my phone. Sure I could have covered the speaker. I could have plugged in the headphones that were sitting on my desk. I could have HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON ON PANDORA. Oh, there were a million things I could have done! But you see when an awful song is playing at top volume and everyone realizes it’s coming from YOUR phone, and people start standing up to stare, and others start acting shocked at the lyrics coming out of your phone, and the DIRECTOR OF YOUR DEPARTMENT comes out of his office where he is meeting with the DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS to find out what all this ruckus is about — well, let’s just say you don’t always do the logical thing. The logical thing isn’t what pops right into your mind. You know?
So yeah, that was embarrassing. And for your listening pleasure (and because I think it really lends to the fuchsia inducing portion of this story) I’m going to link to the song (COMPLETE WITH LYRICS, OMG THE LYRICS) that was blasting out of my phone FOR OVER TWO MINUTES (do you know how long that is in embarrassment minutes?) in front of my entire office. It played and played and played until I finally ran over to the youngest person sitting in my row, threw my phone in his lap and said “MAKE IT STOP!”
And thank god he did.
And then I died of embarrassment. Which is cool because the whole situation made me feel about 80 years old, so at least I lived a long life.
Let me tell you, internet: I have learned my lesson on the volume thing. But I’m still a little slow on everything else. I have downloaded maybe 5 apps and I’m sure there is a world out there waiting for me to explore it! (What do you use for your feed readers?) Bethany was already kind enough to email a list of her favorite apps (LOVE HER!), but I’m sure that all of you have something to contribute, yes?
Care to share what apps make your heart sing? Please just not top-volume-dropping-F-bombs-for-two-whole-minutes-in-front-of-my-entire-office singing, mmmkay? Maybe apps that make your heart sing a nice lullaby or something, eh?
Style Problem // Style Solution
So I’m in a bit of a style funk. Maybe that’s not entirely true — I don’t hate my wardrobe, my clothes are all fitting well — it’s just that I’m not feeling all that excited to get dressed in the morning. Wow, that just made me sound like an ad for seasonal depression. Not the case. It’s more — Inspiration! That’s what it is, I’m lacking some inspiration! You understand.
Here are some things I’ve been wearing lately:
Not horrible, but I clearly haven’t deviated too far from the 30 Days of Denim uniform of pants, shirt, cardigan. And since it’s been five months I am wishing I had made a bit more progress. (Remember, I’m all about Progress this year!) I haven’t really tried anything too exciting and new except for this cropped collarless jacket from Gap, and tights with a dress (watch out, I’m gettin’ crazy!)
But both were fun! And I miss the feeling of being experimental with clothes. I think what I’m telling you is that I’m gettin’ lazy on the style front, friends and I need a little fun, fashion injection!
No big deal though, because I found a solution. Remember the other day when I mentioned those 5 Real Life Style Blogs You Should Be Reading? Well Kayla from Freckles in April is hosting a 10 Day Wardrobe Challenge that starts on January 23, and I’m going to participate.
Are you interested in giving yourself a little zap of style inspiration? Well I’m here to convince you that you should play a long with me. I’m fun to play with, I promise!
Some Things to Consider:
*It’s only 10 days — no need to spend tons of time doing this, it’s a quick 2 week refresher to keep you inspired.
*Kayla is doing all the work by picking prompts, all you have to do is let them inspire you to get dressed. You’re already going to do that anyway, right?
*With many people participating there will be tons of inspiration for the future
*It’s just for fun! DON’T YOU LIKE FUN? WHAT KIND OF PERSON DOESN’T LIKE FUN?
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As most of you know, I’m not super fashionable and don’t desire to be a big, fancy style blogger who looks super chic all the time. Sorry, I like my sweat pants from Costco a little too much. But I found when I did my own style project last year that it felt good to spend a few extra minutes thinking about what I was going to wear. Positive Self Care is where it’s at, so if you are looking for a fun, social, internet-y way to get back to caring about what you wear, or want to experimnt with your own style for a couple of weeks, you should join me.
What do you think? Wanna play along?
Ass Kickin’ Chicken – Recipes For Those Who Love Breasts
Chicken Breasts are a household staple, yes? While you all know I am on a quest to make the world love chicken thighs I do have love for chicken breasts. But WOW can they go from really convenient to really freaking boring in the blink of an eye, right?
So let’s talk about my 3 favorite ways to enjoy that ho-hum chicken breast without falling asleep of boredom mid-meal.
Because no one likes food on their face.
1. Brine It
I have always been sort of scared to brine, it seems messy and hard and like it would only make a negligible difference in flavor, and I am here to say I’ve been proven wrong! Brining a boneless, skinless chicken breast is a surefire way to ensure a flavorful and tender result.
Here is a very easy brining technique, and as a bonus — it comes with a spice rub that you can add right before you throw those suckers on a grill/pan. Moist, juicy and delicious – I may never grill un-brined chicken breasts again!
2. Stuff It
Ew, ew but that means chicken skin, right? Yes! Delicious, delicious AND CRISPY chicken skin. Ina Garten has a recipe (of course she does) for fantastic Stuffed Chicken Breasts with the skin on that is not only easy, but involves two of my favorite ingredients: herbed goat cheese and basil! (If you don’t love goat cheese just substitute cream cheese if you eat dairy, it’s just as delicious.) Sometimes when I feel really crazy (WATCH OUT!) I throw some sun dried tomatoes in there too.
3. Baste It On The Bone
Basting is synonymous with “Keeping poultry from shriveling up into jerky” right? Hmm…maybe that’s just my thesaurus. Regardless the combo of basting along with cooking on the bone is not only notable for keeping chicken moist, but for imparting even more flavor to your meat. Who doesn’t want MORE FLAVOR? Here is one of my favorite on-the-bone chicken recipes that involves an herb basting sauce. It’s got herbs, pan drippings and roasting OH MY! It’s The Trifecta, and one to put in the recipe books for sure.
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Do you have an Ass Kickin’ Chicken recipes that you swear by? Leave ’em in the comments!
Look Better Naked: Week Six
Well, folks — IT’S OVER! My Look Better Naked Challenge that I was participating in at the Holidays finished up last week, and even though there were many ups and (many) downs, I am sad to see it go. Part of the process was to take before and after pictures in shorts and a sports bra, which I was VERY VERY MUCH NOT INTERESTED IN DOING, but in the end, I’m so happy I did because would you believe it — the scale doesn’t tell the whole story! Weird. 🙂
(Also that was my sarcasm font, for the record.)
So, I did not post a Week Five update for two main reasons. One – it was the week between Christmas and New Years and I was simultaneously busy and lazy. Two – it would have been a very brief post that said: Holly Ate All The Things. What? I didn’t say they were good reasons, but reasons nonetheless. While I cleaned my act right up for this final Week Six, I felt sort of down about Christmas Mission: Eat The World’s Supply Of Nutella and was really preparing myself to see results I was not very proud of. Speaking of results, let’s get to them, shall we?
Here were my goals in the beginning:
1) 5-10 lbs weight loss over the six week period
2) Do pull ups in a WOD with red band (I’d been working on this for a bit and thought a drop in lbs and re-commitment to the gym would help me nail it)
3) Get my weight loss mojo back!
Here’s how it shook out:
1) Overall weight loss – 6.5 lbs. – I should be happy with this. No let me rephrase, I AM happy with this. What I’m hard wired to feel sort of disappointed about is that in week 2 I was down 8 lbs, so my first inclination because I am a recovering scale-addicted weight watcher is to think: WHY OH WHY DID I NOT KEEP THAT WEIGHT OFF?
But the truth is, there are two reasons my weight loss leveled out at 6.5 lbs in the end (I guess two reasons will be a pattern here today): One – I kicked some serious ass in the gym this month! I made strength improvements, achieved skills I hadn’t been able to do previously, and worked out TWENTY ONE TIMES OVER THE HOLIDAYS, YOU ALL. The pictures I took DEFINITELY showed some body composition change. Obviously. I am confident that not keeping my weight at 8 lbs lost is NOT a fail, but rather an improvement in muscle. I’m okay with that, even though I still have to mentally walk myself through that entire explanation every freaking time I get on the scale. UGH.
Reason Two — Dude, I did indulge. And it was totally worth it! That extra 1.5 lbs would not have been worth resisting Sea Salt Nutella Fudge. Or the Cream Puffs. Or the Cornbread with Honey Butter with my family. I’m sorry, it wouldn’t! That’s reality folks. I had a super awesome holiday season, indulged to the point where I was reminded why I do eat cleanly like I do (ugh, sooooo reminded!) and I’m willing to pay the price for that. End of story. So 6.5 lbs. WOOT! Goal achieved. Also, I feel like — extra gold star for achieving a weight loss goal during the most indulgent time of the year. Huzzah!
2) Pull ups on a red band in a WOD — nope! But I am making great improvements on this one daily in my workouts. I’ve been practicing hard and I’m confident that it is in my reach. I did finally (FINALLY!) get double unders going consistently in WODs — which wasn’t even a goal of mine, so hooray for unexpected victories. The red band pullups will happen shortly. Maybe even in January? 🙂 Which is good because my overall goal is to do an unassisted pull up with no band at all by June. This will be a stretch goal. I’m excited to see if I can do it!
3) Get my weight loss mojo back — Holy Hell, this was a success! This weight loss journey of mine has been a marathon for sure. Highs and lows, ups and down, and all of that together and I’m STILL not at the end. When this challenge started I was kind of at a low point. Not just a physical plateau, but an emotional one. This challenge reminded me that the scale doesn’t tell the whole story, that if I want to keep going I need to celebrate how far I’ve come, and that I’m so lucky to have this space to keep me motivated, share recipes and meal plans, and generally talk about HOW MUCH ASS WE ALL KICK. The blog posts every week kept me accountable (mostly) to make good decisions, the chatter on my Facebook page helped me keep my goals in sight and I feel more excited than ever to have a really awesome and successful year!
The weight loss mojo is back, folks! And I thank you for being a part of getting me back up on that horse! Your comments help, the recipes you share are amazing, and just hearing from someone else that I’m not in this by myself is pretty incredible. I can’t wait to see what 2012 brings!
****Special thanks to AndreAnna for organizing such a fun challenge and also for just being a general ass kicker. Thanks, girl!****
What’s For Dinner?
So what’s for dinner this week?
So glad you asked!
We’ve got lots of pork and ginger and broccoli on hand so cuisine has got a bit of an Asian bent to it. Breakfast this week will definitely include some fritatta action because I will be busy, busy, busy and don’t want to think about making breakfast when I’ve got to be at the gym at 5am, you know?
Fail to plan, plan to fail and all that jazz.
So, onto the eats!
Monday
Lunch: Breakfast for lunch! Garrett has been enjoying sweet potatoes as a pre-workout option when we workout in the evening so I will probably make this sweet potato hash and some eggs/bacon
Dinner: Pork Chops Piccata + Roasted Broccoli + Salad
Tuesday
Lunch: Taco Salad — haven’t had this in a while. I miss it, actually.
Dinner: Rogan Josh with Lamb + Roasted Brussels Sprouts + Sauteed Red Chard
Wednesday
Lunch: Turkey Burgers + Spicy Sweet Potato Fries + Kale Chips
Dinner: Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki Bowls with stir fried vegetables
Thursday
Lunch: Grilled Black Peppercorn Chicken Thighs + Steamed Broccoli
Dinner: Ginger Lime Grilled Shrimp + Cauliflower Fried Rice
Friday
Lunch: Cobb Salads
Dinner: Ginger Honey Pork Chops + Green Beans + Salad
Saturday
Lunch: Brunch!
Dinner: Out to dinner just for fun.
Sunday
Shop!
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January is off to a good start so far, I think. How are you feeling?
Also, what’s cooking in your neck of the woods this week?
