Category Archives: Everyday Life

All The Articulate Ladies!

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This has been a week of good reads on the internet for me, and it’s only Tuesday. Sweet! Don’t you love when that happens? I thought I’d share some of the things that were speaking to me.

The first was an article by Jennifer Weiner on The Pressure to Look Good.

This is one of those coincidental articles where days before I had trying to articulate my thoughts on this exact issue when talking to Garrett but couldn’t find the right examples. It all started when I was getting ready to go Scottsdale with my cousin for her Bachelorette party. The entire week leading up to it I told him he was on his own for cooking dinner.

One night I was heading to the nail salon because I was needing rhinestone glue for nails to do my manicure and a pedicure. The next night I was returning the bathing suit cover up I had purchased because I had found one that was more flattering and squeezing in a quick brow wax. The night before I left I was having a lovely stranger come over while I stripped naked in my living room to give me a spray tan. (That one really freaking him out LOL) And he just kept saying “Dude, this relaxing ladies vacation sure seems like it’s a lot of freaking work!”

Then there was Spanx-gate. For reasons too long and humorous to explain, Garrett has only recently realized how prevalent Spanx are among all women and bless his heart he just can not comprehend why anyone would try and squeeze ten pounds of sausage into a two pound casing. (My words, not his.)

“Because foundation garments are game changers” I told him, “Duh.” But he still couldn’t wrap his mind around why someone would do something so uncomfortable.

Then one night we’re sitting on the couch watching Real Housewives of Orange County together (as you do) and there’s this scene where Shannon is in the bathroom discussing how she is wearing 8 pairs of Spanx so it’s going to take her a minute. Garrett again just can’t believe it and he basically says something to the effect of, “Wait a minute — she is only two pounds of sausage to begin with? Why would she be wearing 8 types of Spanx?” So I tried to explain why I understand that she would take all precautions, being on a reality show and all of that. And yet, he was still confused.

This article did a great job of articulating what I had been reaching for.

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Second was Rashida Jones and her Guide to Happiness at Work

The entire article was funny and true and I could relate on may levels. But the nugget that spoke to me the most was this “Happiness is not the endgame.”

Sometimes someone will say something to me and the perspective it gives just zaps me light a bolt of lightning and this was one of those things. (The last one I can remember was when someone said to me “Balance is a moving target.” I can’t remember who that was, but man — I LOVE THAT.)

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Last was my pal Melissa Joulwan who recently linked to a 2009 post she had written that sung to me like a personal anthem. It was all about the power struggle that sometimes happens between being fun vs. being happy.

This gets back to that brilliance about balance being a moving target, but after weeks of fun! things! on our calendar — I have never been so damn happy to eat grilled chicken and vegetables and to be working out twice a day.

You can call me crazy, but I just call me BLISSFULLY BLISSFULLY happy. Mel articulated exactly how I’ve been feel about this delicious phase that I am in right now.

“…this state of being is not forever. It’s just for a while, so I can re-charge my batteries and emerge feeling strong and happy.

You like me more that way, don’t you? I know I sure like me more that way.”

A hearty YES to that, my friends! A hearty, hearty yes!

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Have you come across any super good reads on the internet this week? Please share!

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The Mojo Search Is Off + My Grilling Favorites + Weight Loss “Journeys”

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Is it weird that this hand-me-down grill from my mom has brought my kitchen mojo back in a major way? I’m not exaggerating when I say we are using it at least 5 nights a week. NUTS. I wasn’t joking when I said that grill is my happy place!

Some of my favorite things to grill lately:

*Trader Joe’s Uncured All Beef Hot Dogs – Holy Crap you guys, these are the best hot dogs ever, hands down, end of story.

Speaking of Trader Joe’s – have you hopped on the frozen cauli rice craze yet? Our TJ’s has been sold out of it for weeks, and last night when I stopped in for some other groceries I spied the (tiny) bags in the freezer section and snatched up a few. I’m excited to see if it’s #worththehype

*Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip — OMG, tri tip in the oven is good, but tri-tip on the grill is WHERE IT’S AT! That rub recipe is just a great, classic seasoning to have on hand. It’s good on anything you want to grill.

*Grilled Salad – If you haven’t ever grilled your salad, it’s just one of those things you’ve got to try. It’s so fun, and tasty!

Anyway, that’s what we’ve been grubbing on. I am not unhappy about it. It’s amazing how easy it is to just enjoy meat + veg in the summer time. The abundance of produce, the smell of the grill — I’ve been looking forward to cooking dinner just about every night.

So I hear this week is The Girls Week. Thus far, Isabel: ✔️ #crossfit

And not to jinx it, but I may have gotten a little workout mojo back. I’ve worked out 5+ times in the last 3 weeks, and am on track to do the same this week. My sanity stays in tact so much more regularly when I am up and working out every morning.

I don’t know if it is the time of day, or if it is just the regularity of a consistent routine, but the other day Garrett told me that all this exercise has made me visibly mellowed. Ha! I think sometimes when I’m not in a good workout routine I start to act like a caged animal. (Don’t you wish you lived with me? heh 😛 I’m really selling it here.)

I know it’s kind of weird to call fitness a hobby, but man — I just really enjoy spending time getting stronger, and healthier. Call me crazy, but the pursuit of those things actually makes me happier. I need to start treating my fitness like I treat my career.

bosses don't cancel

Tangentially related (and still a little stuck in my craw) – I thought this article called “Let’s Stop Calling Weight Loss A Journey” was really thought provoking. Especially this part:

Still, I swore I’d never “let myself” get fat again. Like many people in our culture, I’d always regarded people who gained back the weight they’d lost as failures. After all, people who successfully lose weight are supposed to have made “permanent lifestyle changes” — which is a weight loss cliché, because it’s what we all claim we’re making when we embark on a diet. It’s what we all really believe we’re making, however to really make it, we recommend  the most effective weight loss pills on the market. I love using gluconite to sleep better, I recommend yo try it, I also recommend you to try the nutrisystem program for weight loss.

In reality, new exercise habits and subtle palate changes developed during a course of deliberate weight loss might last a lifetime (hooray!), but few among us can continue eating a highly restrictive diet — whether said restriction is focused on calories, carbs, fat, or whatever else is fashionable at the moment — for the rest of our natural lives. To get more tips from experts about loosing weight, check here.

After a couple of years, I started realizing I might not have as much choice in the matter as I imagined. The pounds started coming back, not because I sat on the couch eating cheeseburgers all day, but because I’d allowed myself to focus on things like my career and relationships instead of obsessing about my body all the time. I blamed myself for the regain, but I also didn’t seem to have the power to stop it.

Anyway, this topic is so interesting to me as someone who has lost weight and gained a lot of it back. I haven’t processed all my thoughts on the topic, or on this article, but I did find myself nodding through quite a bit of it and it has definitely struck a chord.

I’m just going to leave that link right here if you’re interested.

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Monday Musings

Lately we’ve been here, there and everywhere and this past weekend wasn’t any different. Mucho full, but also mucho fun!
Someone doesn't understand that it's 100 degrees out and no one is looking for a fur blanket. He's lucky he's so darn cute!

Friday night we hunkered down and enjoyed the air conditioning. Maybe that doesn’t sound too fun LOL but it was a little too hot to do much else. Buster doesn’t quite understand that no one wants a fur blanket when it’s a bazillion degrees out, but he’s darn cute so we usually cut him some slack.

Summer has arrived here in Sacramento and it doesn’t look like it is fixing to be mild. I even went so far as to buy a pair of shorts this year. (I generally hate shorts, but this year I DON’T EVEN CARE.) Our HVAC unit is working 24/7 so we make sure it’s maintained especially our vents and ducts. If you’re experiencing issues with yours, hire experts like heating repair services in Tucson, AZ who provide residential duct replacement in Sunrise or replace your old furnace in your home in Homer, IL. If you’re like us, you might want to see here some ways to clean your unit. And if you are going to replace your HVAC system, you might want to visit this site for more information and hire experts like this residential and commercial AC installation company.
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The AC is clearly getting ready to work overtime this week and I’m just rolling with it, I guess.

Saturday morning we were up an at ’em early to get chores done and tidy up the house before we were off on a mini-road trip up to Chico. If you’re not local, Chico is a little college town about 90 minutes north of us, and it happens to be where my aunts and cousins live. My cousin Kate graduated high school last week (CRAZY how time flies — *I* was in college when she was born!) and so we were heading up to go to her graduation party. More on that in a minute!

One of the errands we were running was stopping to look at some model homes out towards my mom’s house. She lives about 30 minutes from us, but on the way to Chico so we picked her up and took her with us. Garrett and I have been checking on model homes and keeping an eye on william pitt real estate because we are starting to seriously consider buying a house next year. AFTER the wedding of course, because man — I don’t think I could handle the stress of weddings and home buying and moving and decorating with the help of Just DIY Decor wit all at once. So! It is very far off into the future, but we’re trying to get a feel for what we like, don’t like, where we want to live, etc. ALL VERY PRELIMINARY. But exciting nonetheless.

sp homes
This is the kitchen/family room of my dream house front runner. I mean, let’s get cooking, right??? 🙂 Oh wait, focus on the wedding girl! FOCUS FOCUS.

We got up to Chico in the late afternoon and it was a pleasant 105 degrees. Thank god for Estee Lauder Double Wear I tell ya, but man there is only so much that long wear makeup can do in that heat! 🙂 Despite the heat it ended up being a blast and so much cooler than I remember parties being when I was in high school.

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My cousin Sara’s fiance DJed the event, a grilled cheese truck was parked in the driveway, and there were custom ice cream sundaes being scooped poolside. How cute is that? I mean, not cute enough to make me want to be 18 again, but it was really fun to see Kate there celebrating with all her friends and family. We’re really proud of her and excited for her next chapter.

Sunday morning back at home I was up early to go to a spin class. I’ve been popping in pretty regularly at a local studio about 5 minutes from my house (hello, convenience!) since October of last year and I’m really enjoying it. It’s good cardio and I’ve been doing it in conjunction with CrossFit so it has been fun to switch things up.
Cycle In

Sunday afternoon I headed back out to my mom’s house because she was in the market for a new TV. She moved recently and has been slowly redecorating her new house and she has been totally ready to chuck her old TV and get a new flat screen! We went to Costco to pick it up because I have an SUV and then went back home to put it all together.
Mama's first flat screen! (And of course she wanted to see what HSN looked like in HD.)
She was so thrilled when we got it up and running! I mean, we haven’t mastered the SmartTv capabilities yet, but all in good time. 🙂

Sunday night I was just ready to relax and have a little kick-back time before work started today. I may have poured myself a little bourbon while meal prepping, and boy was that on point! We cooked up some rib eyes for dinner and some chicken for lunches next week, and I man I can’t say it enough I AM SO HAPPY TO HAVE A GRILL BACK!

Summer sure does taste good so far.

Ours died in February and so it wasn’t really an emergency at the time, but as spring and summer have approached we have really missed it. I didn’t want to run out and grab any grill because we have our eyes on a grill/smoker sometime in the future but didn’t feel like plonking down a bazillion dollars while we are planning this wedding. But having NO GRILL? Has been the pits.

Luckily my mom just got a new one and so we took her old one and are BACK IN BUSINESS. Standing outside by a grill with a cocktail in hand is my summer happy place, and I plan to do it as much as possible this year.

All in all a super fun and busy weekend. I guess now that it’s Monday it is back to the grind, eh.

A little light Monday reading. Weekend, where did you go?

OOF!

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My New Mantra

Love these boys.

The other night Garrett looked over at me in the car on the way to see our wedding DJ and said “Man, do you remember when we had hobbies?”

Ah, yes. Hobbies. Hobbies like writing this blog? And reading books? And drinking pinot noir on the patio while looking at our backyard garden? YES I DO REMEMBER THOSE DAYS, I DO. I DO. I DO!

It appears that “I DOs” are actually what’s causing the problem here though.

Life has pretty much become the cliche sum of working, wedding planning, and those other sundry things that are required to keep our lives and household running. I have replaced pinot noir drinking with toilet scrubbing and errand running — well, that’s not entirely true — I am still drinking the pinot noir. It’s more the patio sitting and gardening and relaxing that have gotten replaced. WOE!

We have all but started a construction paper chain link countdown to the wedding, not because it’s the wedding (which, I mean, of course – YAY!) but more because we have decided it shall be THE RETURN TO NORMAL LIFE! And man, I can see that up ahead as clearly as a desert oasis.

The thing is, a construction paper countdown isn’t necessary because every piece of wedding related organization that I am currently using has a practically real time countdown of “days until the wedding!” In fact, this morning I was reminded that there are 97 DAYS LEFT! As much as I would like to panic, I’m looking at this number as 97 day countdown to getting our lives back, which I am totally looking forward to.

Beyond wedding and work stuff, which make for suuuuuuuper boring blog posts — we’ve just been doing a lot of running around and traveling lately for other weddings, graduations, and other friend commitments. Guess who is unimpressed with all this travel?
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On the upside Buster hasn’t been sick since March ::::knocks wood:::: which has been a blessing on both our stress levels AND our bank accounts. THANK GOD FOR SMALL FAVORS. We also had to leave him with someone other than my mother for the first time in the 3 years he’s lived with us, and I didn’t die of anxiety! YAY! I mean, it did expose a propensity for helicopter parenting that I need to get in check before we have actual children, but we have time I tell ya…we have time. (But maybe not much. We shall see. ;))

My workouts have been inconsistent for the first half of this year and my diet right now is crap; however, after a huge work project/transition that ended on June first (HALLELUJAH) I think I just may have the energy to get my butt in gear during this home stretch before the wedding. I’ll let you know how that goes. Well…maybe. Promises are not my strong suit right now in the blogging arena.

While I don’t anticipate any type of supermodel transformation and I’m not planning on adopting any new regimens or throwing a Whole 30 in the mix, I’d just like to go into my wedding feeling energized — which for me that requires a good balance of diet and exercise. I say that like it is unique piece of information. HA.

Anyway…97 days until normal. 97 days until normal. 97 days until normal.

It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAFACEPALM.

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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!  6839512699_ef41533aa4_bI 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
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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.
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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.
Rollin' with my homie.

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. 🙂
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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. 🙂 Only 5 more months…

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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. 🙂

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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.
The Friday night fridge is so much less appealing than the Monday morning fridge. #leftoverstime

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.
So these have changes my Laundry Life for the better. #obsessed

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.
guest bedroom

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.
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?

We-Are-Not-Ourselves

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.

matahari

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 swear to you this dog purrs like a cat! Now, he also sometimes wakes us up at 4 am on a Sunday morning because he's ready for cuddles which is not  as cute as cat-dogging, but I'm not sure I would change anything.

I Sleep In…

A really comfy Queen Size Bed. 😉

I Have A Style Crush On

Courtney Kerr
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???
Seersuckers

I’m Currently Reading

Well you already know what audiobook I’m reading. The physical book on my nightstand is considerably dishier.

andy cohen
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.
Lawn Massage

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.

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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

holly + Garrett
holly + Garrett 2

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:
jumpsuit

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. 😛 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.

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A Wedding Update Seems Like A Good Idea

I know wedding updates should be saved for Wednesdays because then I could title this Wedding Wednesday and everything would be cutesy and I could feign coordination and organization and FORETHOUGHT and stuff, but that is really not how I am rolling with wedding planning so far. I thought maybe we could just have some real talk instead.

I am being a real pill about planning this wedding. I’m focusing on how stressful everything is, how expensive it is, how many tedious freaking things I have to make decisions on that I DON’T EVEN CARE ABOUT. How everyone feels invited to share their opinions on how things should or shouldn’t be, while simultaneously saying “But do it for yourself! This is YOUR wedding.”

All of it has been…a lot, and I’m going to be very honest and say I haven’t enjoyed it too much yet. I’ve been having nightmares about showing up on the day of and forgetting to hire a caterer. I’ve been catching the tiniest blemish in the mirror and berating myself for how unphotogenic I will surely be. Worst of all, I have let this feeling of silent resentment build up when I’m adding to my excel spreadsheet of wedding related tasks after a long day of work and Garrett is lounging on the couch or reading a book. I’ve been a real joy to be around, as you can imagine.

But I started marinating on that exact word this weekend: JOY.

This should be a joyful time.

This *is* a joyful time.

I am marrying my partner in crime, who I love to pieces and we have the means and the time to plan a celebration that has our friends and family actually willing to organize their schedules around. We have people who are excited FOR us, and invested in all of the steps in between. No small thing — and definitely worth gratitude. But I haven’t been acting that way.

I should also mention, if we’re talking about things I am grateful for, this relationship by itself. For ten years it has kept me sane and laughing and entertained and challenged and growing, so I guess it is fitting that I am doing all of those things when planning this wedding.

But here I was sitting at the kitchen table staring at a spreadsheet with a scowl on my face rolling my eyes about tasks and to-do lists and obligations and how women TOTALLY get the short end of the stick with wedding planning and baby-making and GOD IT’S ALL JUST SO UNFAIR I COULD CRY.

When I type that out I feel embarrassed. Embarrassed that I even had all those emotions or that I’ve been going on like this for months. That all of this is my wedding planning story. But I thought a lot about why I am focusing on the negative and the stress instead of the joy, and what do you know — METAPHOR FOR LIFE, ALERT — I think I just I really, really don’t like doing things that I feel I’m not very good at.

And sure, that makes sense. But first of all WHO SAYS I’M NOT GOOD AT THIS??? And second (and more important) how crappy would it be to let this incredibly special and unique time in my life go by being pissed off, when really I’m just kind of scared I’ll make a mistake.

NOW THAT’S JUST SILLY.

On Friday night I had a little Come-To-Jesus conversation with myself where I mostly said, “Self, THIS IS A JOYFUL TIME! And you are allowed to enjoy it even if you are unsure. Also: you are allowed to ask for help. But you are the one who has to choose to be positive, even when you’re freaked out, SO DO IT.” I think the conversation went well, because there was no talking back, you know? 🙂

On Saturday morning, while having a serious case of the anxiety sweats (AWESOME) I went wedding dress shopping with my mom and my aunt. It was a bit of a turning point because you all there is no better word to describe it than JOYFUL. We had such a great day, it was so easy and effortless. And it really felt like something to be grateful for.

I kept reminding myself, we have a venue we are so stoked about. We have a photographer that we connected with so well we don’t feel nervous. And we have plenty of time before September to iron out all the other details.

So Saturday afternoon I let myself enjoy playing a little bit of dress up and found a dress that — what do you know, looks nothing like any of the dress inspiration I had pinned before hand. It’s not “simple” or “understated” or “classy” or “casually elegant.” All the words that rolled off my lips when I walked in.

It’s freaking bejeweled and sexy and completely different then anything I would have picked off a rack and most important, I FELT LIKE A MILLION BUCKS IN IT! (Which, in the end was good, since that’s just about what it cost! LOL) Hell, I even tried on a veil moments after saying to the girl helping me “I’m totally NOT a veil kind of girl?”

“Just try it on for you mom,” she said. And so I did.

AND THEN I FREAKING BOUGHT IT BECAUSE IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!

And while I thought I wasn’t a veil-girl, I am TOTALLY an accessories girl, and Coco Chanel can just shove it in this instance because I’m going to add ONE MORE accessory instead of removing one. I mean, how many times does one really have an excuse to accessorize like that, right?

Afterward, the 3 of us ladies went out to lunch and just had the best time. A joyous time, even. And I think from here on out, I’m focused on letting that continue.

Well this feels surreal...

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Fun Things To Read On A Friday

Untitled

Happy Friday, you all! WE MADE IT!

I really really need a weekend. Yesterday I was working from home and decided to take advantage of that “flexibility” and run up to the grocery store at 10:30 am (right before a conference call) and grab a red bell pepper for lunch because we only had green ones on hand. (I was allowing myself a diva moment since we are Whole 30’ing.)

When I got back in my car it was COMPLETELY DEAD in the parking lot and I only had 20 minutes until my conference call. Thank god I only live about a mile from the store so I could run home (in flip flops, awesome!) to get to it…AND THEN HEAD BACK TO THE STORE TO DEAL WITH CAR DRAMA. Needless to say my day went down much differently than I thought it would and today I am playing catch up.

Weekend: I NEED YOU!

Guess what I’m doing tomorrow? Going wedding dress shopping. That should be…an event. I have no expectations and I’m sort of anxiously looking forward to it. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Now, onto some things that piqued my interest this week on the internet:

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*I am very intrigued by this salad dressing. Think it may have to show up on the meal plan this week.

*Ebola > Small Talk? Hmmm…I kind of agree.

*A relatively easy way to organize your Instagram photos if you are feeling like they need some tidying.

*It’s better than heroin.

*Great sports bra suggestions for how to tame big tatas.

*I continue to love reading people’s takes on the changing of the blogosphere.

*Remaking yourself every ten years? Now that I think about it, that sounds about right.

*I didn’t get around to posting a What I Ate Wednesday this week but my friend Sarah did and there are some intriguing looking recipes there. Check it out!

*****

Hope all of you have great weekends too!

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Read // Watched // Listened : JANUARY

With lots of wedding, work and life stuff going on this year I’m trying to make an effort at penciling in some good downtime. (So Necessary!) I have been leaning on terracotta weddings.

Here’s some of my downtime favorites from last month.

READ

Big-Little-Lies-By-Liane-Moriarty

You guys I FINALLY FINISHED A FREAKING BOOK! I used to be an avid reader but in 2014 I only read 4 books. I was starting to think I’d forgotten how to finish books. Big Little Lies kept my interest from start to finish, was a unique little mystery, and kept me so entertained I bought the kindle version so I could always have it with me. Two thumbs up!

I’ve also been cracking this book open quite a bit this month but it’s in no way as fun as the first.

WATCHED

We watched a ton of fun things on TV this month (especially sports) because we were breaking in our new television. WOOT! It’s funny, when we first got it I totally thought it was gaudy and ridiculous and now one month in I think it’s looks just perfect. Funny ow that happens (Garrett is relieved!)

Good luck jersey officially donned. It's time to get SERIOUS.

We watched spent A LOT of time cheering in front of the TV watching Ohio State football:

Who knew Diddy and I were on the same page about so many things.  #GoBucks #WhosHotWhosNot

But we also managed a little nostalgic trip down memory lane by watching the entire Back to the Future trilogy.

We're watching Back to the Future Part 2. Looks like we've about 10 months to figure out flying cars.

The first one happened to be on TV one Saturday morning and we got sucked into it. Then that evening we had to bust out the DVD boxed set just because it was so cute!

My other TV obsession in January:

vanderpump

Don’t judge.

Even Garrett is into it and recently as we were watching it on that freaking giant television he looked over at me and said “This might be my favorite show on tv right now.” And that, my friends, is the definition of marital compromise.

LISTENED

Came home from getting a mani/pedi and Garrett had left me a note some "presents" on the table. Lip gloss and Taylor Swift are TOTALLY my love language!

I listened to a whole metric ton of T-Swift in January — so much so that Garrett finally bought me the album. I don’t even remember the last time I bought an actual, physical cd! This one is totally worth it though — so so good!

I could also listen to this on repeat, no problem:

*****

Anything you read // watched // listened to that you are dying to share?

*****some links above are affiliate

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