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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. Thanks for stopping by!Instagram
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Monthly Archives: April 2015
Houston, We Have A Maid Of Honor, And Other Tales From The Weekend.
Happy Monday!
First things first — is anyone else having ALL OF THE THINGS happening in April? I don’t know about you but my calendar is so nutty right now I’m having a hard time keeping track of what day it is. Between work projects and weekend happenings, this month is flying right by.
The good news? It’s an abundance of AWESOMENESS! So it excites me to talk about it. This past weekend I took a little road trip (Ok, well it was not so little, it was 6 hours down and five and a half hours back, ha!) down to the Central Coast — one of my favorite places!ย I feel super lucky that smack dab in the middle of one of my favorite places, lives one of my favorite people. I’ve talked about my friend Sarah here before, and while we are no longer roommates or neighbors, I try and get down to see her at least once a year.
I set out on Friday afternoon with a giant coffee
Yep, it was caffeinated. Did I mention that this has been a crazy month and I got back on the sauce? COFFEE IS MY DRUG. What can I say? (I’m back off it again, but man do I ever miss it.)
Anyway, 6 and a half hours later (GRRR Friday night Traffic) I rolled into town. I was there because on Saturday Sarah was having a baby shower! She’s due in the middle of June and I couldn’t be more excited for her. She’s going to be a rockstar mom.
But I also went down with my own agenda, which was: asking her into being my maid of honor. Matron? I hate the word matron, but I guess that is more accurate. Like I mentioned, Sarah is about to have her first baby, and 3 months later I am getting married, so I didn’t even know if it would be feasible. But I also really, really, REALLY hoped it was.
Sarah is one of my absolute besties, and of course was there when Garrett and I met and started dating, so she has seen it all! I’m happy to report that she was totally on board, and not even freaked out by it! The best thing about Sarah is her mellow personality. It takes a lot to make her anxious, which is why we’re a great pair. I can do the freaking out for the both of us.
We had a fun (but quick weekend) doing baby shower stuff, and heading to the beach with her dogs.
Can you just see the mischief written all over her dog Ted’s face? He’s not all naughty though — he is very good at helping unpack. ๐
Just as quickly as I unpacked though, it was time to pack back up. On Sunday morning it was back home to Sacramento, and back to everyday life. See what I mean about April? WHIRLWIND!
It was a great weekend though, and so good to catch up with a friend, check off a wedding item, spend some solo time on the road, and still have enough time to meal prep for the week.
This coming weekend we don’t have a single thing planned though, and I absolutely want to keep it that way. I need some chill time with Garrett and my own little puppy so I can do some recharging. And let’s be real, some wedding stuff. ๐ Only 5 more months…
Don’t Call It A Comeback, I’ve Been Here For Years
My first CrossFit workout was on October 9, 2010. The funny thing is I didn’t actually start writing about it here until December of that year. In fact, at one point I even professed this would not become a “CrossFit Blog.”
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeah, sorry about that guys. ๐
The point of all of that is to say, holy crap that is almost FIVE YEARS. That is the longest I have ever committed to any type fitness routine.
I have learned a lot about myself through CrossFit in these last five years. The most memorable: “skinny” is just a descriptor – not a goal state, fitness can TOTALLY be fun, and finally that yes — often times running is, in fact for recovery.
But, can I confess something to you? There is still occasionally a little nagging voice in the back of my head that says, five years into CrossFit you should look more like this:
I mostly have that thought while doing burpees, btw. And for the record, she only started CrossFit in 2009 so is it THAT unrealistic?
Ok, ok — so MAYBE it is not realistic to want to look like a 26 year old, full time, sponsored athlete. ๐ย I get it. But I would be lying if I said there weren’t times where I feel embarrassed to have been doing this for so long and still be a middle-aged lady who has a good 80 lbs to lose. With the surge in popularity of CrossFit in the last few years I almost cringe anytime someone says “Oh Holly is a CrossFitter.” I feel like I’m a walking anti-poster child.
So some contributing facts: I worked out 4-6 days a week for the first 3 years I trained at the gym. I got phenomenal results.
Then I really began reducing the amount of training I did in February of 2013 when I got a new position at work. I guess in hindsight I literally sold my fitness level for a raise. Of course it was more complicated than that, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat if offered the same type of opportunity, but obviously when you make a serious amendment in input, the output also changes. And that has left me in a little bit of a weird fitness space.
End of 2010: starts CrossFit
2011-12: Busts ass in the gym working out 4-6 days per week. Ran my first 5k. Ran my first half marathon. Lost 100 lbs. You know, no big deal.
Mid 2012: Really hit my CrossFit Peak!
It’s blurry, but one doesn’t need a clear photo to see the lack of a mid-section spare tire. These days I can hardly remember how that feelsย ๐
Most of 2013: The Lost Year and yet I still managed to run 20 miles of a relay race while living out of a van with 7 other people.
2014: Lots of time trying to get my fitness routine right. Sometimes I succeeded, sometimes I failed.
But the question I keep asking myself is what will 2015 hold? And that is the question I still haven’t answered with one quarter down. Let’s not even get into that stress that is adding a September wedding to the mix. I think I’m supposed to be OBSESSED with working out, right? Which makes my fitness struggle feel even more confusing.
Is this the year I will recommit myself to CrossFit? Is this the year I find something else completely? Have I run my course with CrossFit? There are SO MANY variables and I don’t have any of them worked out, frankly. At this point I am taking it on a week by week basis but I can tell you my instinct is to mount a CrossFit comeback.
I have to be honest though you guys: COMEBACKS ARE HARD.
But I am very invested in my own fitness. I’m also invested in my sanity. And strangely enough, the two are very intertwined. I have no idea how this story is going to end, but I definitely feel like there is hope that the little ass kicker within me ain’t down for the count.
*****
Psssst: CrossFit Advice For Newbies
What I Wore: Scottsdale
I spent last weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona with 7 other fun gals for my cousin Jenny’s Bachelorette Party. We stayed at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas and it was a fun filled weekend that was light on the sleep and the vegetables (wait, does potato vodka count? :)) but heavy on the good times!
I knew going into the weekend it was going to be in the mid to high 80s and this was the first time this season that I felt like I had to be summer wardrobe ready. I thought I’d share with you some of the outfits that worked for me and tell you about some of the fun places we went to in Scottsdale. That town is awesome, and I can’t wait to go back!
Friday afternoon we decided to grab some lunch and pick up some groceries for the two villas we were occupying for the weekend. I threw on some white jeans and a tank from a plus size womens clothing store, which was perfection for afternoon patio-sitting and margarita drinking.
Speaking of patios and margarita drinking, if you are in the Scottsdale area – I’d HIGHLY recommend Blanco for all of your day drinking needs. And their famous mix and match tacos, of course.
Friday night, once everyone arrived, we went out to a late dinner at Salty Seniorita (skip it, the chips and salsa were gross. Who screws up chips and salsa?) and then we were on a mission to go dancing. I wore this…and can I make a confession?
It’s a bathing suit coverup I bought at Ross. HAHAHAHAHA
We had been at the pool earlier and I was feeling lazy, and it was a little bit too short to be a dress, so I thought PERFECT for Friday night club-dancing. HA! I threw on some sandals I bought at Target last year, hated, and forgot to return (nice, haha) Good thing this year I decided I liked them. ๐ Ah, vacation fashion compromises.
We ended up dancing the night away at Dakota. That place was AWESOME! Lots of 90s rap perfection on the dance floor!
Great patio because of the patio enclosures Phoenix, great music, great drinks — again, all boxes checked!
Saturday morning we went to brunch and I just threw on my white jeans again and with an old standby black and koala killer shirt that you’ve probably seen a million times.
We made a reservation at Olive + Ivy which has another excellent patio, and even better breakfast with table side mimosas.
I mean, come on. That patio was made for sitting, right? Winner.
Saturday afternoon there was some laying by the pool. My bathing suit itself was pretty plain, but I am absolutely in love with this cover up.
It’s fun and vibrant and basically the exact opposite of my face and hair in that photo. ๐ I also brought this bathing suit, which I love, but didn’t end up wearing. Guess I’ll have to plan some additional pool side time in the near future. haha
On Saturday night, I did it. I wore the freaking jumpsuit! (After a few cocktails, of course.)
I had originally planned to wear it with heels, but after a Friday night out dancing, the thought of walking all over Scottsdale in heels sounded very unappealing (what can I say, I’m getting old!) so I just ended up rolling up the legs on the jumpsuit so they were ankle length and donning some old Target sandals. Target sandals for the win, apparently. I also bought myself one of these beautiful weekender bags with the horse on and it’s just gorgeous, so check that out too.
We headed out to dinner at Culinary Dropout
and then back to Dakota to dance the night away with Ma$e and P. Diddy. Excellent choice, I tell ya.
Sunday, let’s be real, I think I just threw on whatever I had left that was clean. Or maybe that black and white shirt again. Which wasn’t clean. Ah, well…what are ya gonna do?
(I’ll tell you what we did, we hopped on the back of the bell-desk’s golf cart and went to Blanco again for some goodbye white peach and hibiscus margaritas.)
All in all, it was such a fun weekend! 58 hours of cocktails, lounge chairs, laughter and awesome dance moves.
Of course today I probably won’t be getting out of my pajamas, but I think it was definitely worth it! This weekend made me feel like summer is right around the corner, and I literally CAN. NOT. WAIT!
Have you ever been to Scottsdale?
The Around The House Survey
A couple months ago I read this post and thought the questions were pretty fun! I thought I’d answer them here and tell you that you should play along too. ๐
*****
Household Chore I Actually Enjoy
Grocery Shopping and organizing/cleaning the refrigerator. But since last month we hired the Eco Clean Solutions service to do most of the home chores for us.
Also, I sort of love doing laundry specially if I am using an Euronics washing machine. It makes the house smell good and I love not having any dirty clothes. Folding isn’t my favorite, but I will do it (or convince Garrett to, haha) because I just love how orderly everything feels when it’s hung up or put away.
Managing a long-distance move yourself can be stressful and expensive. You will have a lot on your plate, and many things could go wrong along the way. Therefore, you should hire a long distance moving company Salt Lake City to facilitate the long-distance move.
Biggest House Disaster
The guest bedroom. Ugh. It can go from zero to total disaster in a very short amount of time! Termite infestation can be especially problematic in older homes. Drake Lawn & Pest Control explains that it’s importance to do regular pest control management. It is important to look for immediate solution such as tap insulation against pests to avoid costly damage.
Our guest bedroom is actually pretty sizeable (bigger than the sleeping area of the Master actually) which is nice when we have guests, we have two beds and some furniture from websites like homeaccents2.com/bedroom/. The problem is, because it’s so large we kind of use it as a dumping ground for all the stuff we don’t want to look at.
It’s where we keep our gym bags, stuff we want to take to Goodwill, crafting supplies, extra blankets, etc. I also use the closet to help rotate my wardrobe, and when I pack (like I’m doing now for Scottsdale) I lay all my stuff out on one of the beds…so basically one day it’s spic and span, and the next it’s like Hoarders: Sacramento.
Before Company Comes, I Hide…
My Purse and Work Bag that are always sitting at the kitchen table.
I hate table clutter, so it’s usually clear of detritus but the purses and bags and hoodies hanging over the backs of chairs definitely go when anyone is heading over.
Most Recent Music Download
I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t downloaded music in FOREVER. Garrett does most of that and I just usually listen to what he picks since we like the same stuff. The last thing he downloaded was the Clean Bandit album New Eyes. I’m into it. I downloaded a new Audible book though, can that count?
Have you read it? What did you think?
The Last Thing I Bought Online
This Matahari Luminous Firming Anti-Aging Lotion that is supposed to extend the life of a spray tan. (Random, I know.) I’ve never used this brand, so I hope it works.
I Hate To Shop For…
Underwear. (No, no I will not use the word panties. GAH) I just never end up with the right size or style. And you obviously can’t try them on and you have to rely on your own estimation of your ass which, you know, can be inaccurate. I usually either end up with undies that I’m yanking on because they are too small or the wrong style, or ones that come out of the dryer and look like a freaking parachute. Am I alone in this?
I finally solved this problem using this genius suggestion and just took a well fitting pair of chonies and bought multiples. Variety may be the spice of life, but it ain’t the spice of my underwear drawer. HOW THE HELL DID WE END UP DOWN THIS DIRT ROAD?
All that to say, sometimes the most obvious solutions are game changers.
Favorite Family Ritual
Sleepy weekend mornings, drinking coffee and tea on the couch with Buster and Garrett.
I Sleep In…
A really comfy Queen Size Bed. ๐
I Have A Style Crush On
Courtney Kerr
I like how she balances casual and glam and isn’t afraid to be a little over the top. It was this post that made me NEED a jumpsuit in my life, actually.
I also adore Beth over at Seersuckers and Saddles. I mean, seriously???
I’m Currently Reading
Well you already know what audiobook I’m reading. The physical book on my nightstand is considerably dishier.
A few entries read before bed and I’m dreaming of Real Housewives drama and a ritzy New York social life. It’s been fun.
How Did I Ever Live Without
The first thing that popped into my head, no joke, was Buster.
Cheesy, but true.
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Now it’s your turn to answer some of that randomness. Pick a couple and let me know in the comments.
Should We Tie Them In A Knot Or Should We Tie Them In A Bow?
Oh y’all, we have some serious loose ends to tie up now, don’t we?
While I knew I had been neglecting the blog, I didn’t quite realize that I haven’t posted since February! WOWZA. I blame Whole 30 Grocery Shopping, damnit! (Also: Life.)
Let’s start with that particular loose end, shall we?
WHOLE 30
Our Whole 30 went swimmingly. And in the end we totally spent less cash. during Week 3 I bought some crab because we were halfway done and I felt like a treat, so we spent closer to $150 and during Week 4 we only spent like $50. It was insane. I had a hard time with those spending recap posts though because both weeks when I came home from grocery shopping it was dark (crappy lighting for photographs) and once I put the groceries away, I sure as hell wasn’t getting them all back out for their close up, ya know?
So — money saving was a success! Documenting it though, was a major fail! Win some, lose some.
So we had been doing that Whole 30 because our engagement photos were right around the corner and hey — we took them!
WEDDING STUFF
Source
Oh hey, look at us, just here sauntering through fields of mustard all in love and shit!
We confirmed two things during that photo session:
1. Yes, we really ARE that un-photogenic — even with a professional involved. We’re going to have to like, practice or something before the actual wedding. And
2. We freaking LOVE our wedding photographer! Catherine J. Gross is one of the BEST wedding photographers in Maine. She is truly the best!
Speaking of The! Best! Wedding Things! — We hired a wedding planner too and it has absolutely been the best decision I have made in my adult life. Previously that spot had been occupied by “hiring someone to clean my house” but this decision is EVEN BETTER YOU GUYS. (Carli, your well timed comment a while back really helped push me over the edge, so thank you!)
Her name is Kirsten and she is just the cutest and I’m like 9000 times less stressed now that we are working with her. We not only hired her for Day-Of Coordination but just to design and execute the entire event. Sometimes I feel a little guilty because it feels a little Beverly Hills Darling, SHI SHI SHI, but mostly I am just patting myself on the back for knowing my limits. Wedding planning was NOT A STRENGTH and I was feeling The Dread about the wedding 100% of the time. Now I AM SO FREAKING STOKED! We booked a Wedding Venue with Lodging in Fort Worth TX. Money well spent for that turn about alone.
THINGS, LIFE, WHATNOT
So what else is new? Work is about the same — which means busy all day, errrrday, five days a week at least — but I truly have never been happier at my job. There is a lot going on, but I love my job, my team, my company more than ever — I’m talking cheerleader style — and so the busy-ness is a good feeling. But it definitely has cut into my creative pursuit time, especially here on this site.
A couple of weeks ago I was thinking to myself maybe it’s just time to close up shop on the blog. I was carrying around that nagging feeling of slacking at something and just thinking silly things like “The internet has changed! What do you have to say? Maybe you are too old for this.” But that made me feel really depressed, so I know not writing here is not the answer.
I do, however, think this blog needs a bit of a facelift and I probably need to update some of the text-y things to more accurately reflect my life in this moment. (Anyone who knows anything about blog design — come talk to me! I am in a hiring mood.) Regardless, I think I’m going to make a more concerted effort to prepare content on the weekends and manage my time a little better so I’m not popping in once every two months because WHAT? That is ridic! I can’t promise I can go back to posting 5 days a week, but I do enjoy sharing here and I do miss our conversations in the comments so I’ll see what I can do about that.
Beyond all of that, the only significant thing I have going on in the near future is that this weekend I’m going to Scottsdale for my cousin’s bachelorette party and we are doing a night out where we all where black (and the bride wears white, obvs) and so I ordered a black jumpsuit from an online Women’s clothing store! HA! Now I just need to decide if I have the courage to wear it.
I tried it on for Garrett the other night and he told me it was “Out there.” I asked if that was bad or good and he said “it wasn’t bad it was just like nothing he had ever seen.” Why we even ask boys about their opinion on fashion, I don’t know. He did also have some concerns about how one goes to the bathroom wearing a jumpsuit, but I think that concern is actually kind of legit. Like, how big of a pain in the ass is it going to be to pee in this getup.
It looks like this, by the way:
On the pro-side — a bachelorette party in a town where you don’t know a soul seems like an exceptional time to wear something crazy, right? On the con side — this outfit feels ballsy and a little outside of my comfort zone. I do plan to be drinking cocktails by a pool most of the weekend though, so you know by Saturday night maybe it won’t feel ballsy at all. ๐ Any jumpsuit type wisdom or war stories you have though would of course be appreciated. haha I’ll let you know what I did when I get back.
Anyway, thanks to you all for sticking around and sending me “Where the hell are you emails” and showing concern. I’m lucky that all of you care enough to read this site, or make sure I’m ok and I never take that for granted.
Y’all are the bee’s knees. Hope your Monday is treating you right.