May 30, 2014

Where is high school me? She needs to come kick my ass.

I was really hoping to have my new blog design up today so I could do a ‘surprise, check out my new design’ post instead of a Fitness Friday one. But OBVIOUSLY that didn’t happen.

Where is high school me? She needs to come kick my ass.


When I was in high school I was the fittest I have ever been in my life. Most women can state the same thing, and surely we all pine for that little body we had back then, even though at the time we thought we were fat (HA!).

But when I say high school me was fit, I don’t just mean a skinny mini that could eat whatever she wanted and never gained a pound. I’ve never been that girl.

In junior high I was a chubby awkward mess. The summer that I headed into high school I decided to change myself. Whether I knew that or not. My guess is it was because of the dreaded spandex I was going to have to wear for high school volleyball, or a boy crush, honestly I can’t really pin point the exact reason.

All I know is that she (high school me) was fierce about it. Weightlifting class and 2-3 hour practice (softball or volleyball) was never enough and she would go to the gym almost every night afterwards. 

I mean damn, that’s motivation.

She would do things like only eat a cucumber for lunch. I’m not advocating that by any means, but WHERE THE HELL DID THAT SELF CONTROL GO?!

Over the course of that first year of high school she lost a lot of weight. Mom even threatened to send her to the doctor at one point because of her weight (or lack there of).


Again – I know some of the things I did to be skinny and pretty in high school were not the healthiest or best practices. I also know that I will NEVER EVER have that body again. My body has matured, my responsibilities have increased and there are just never enough hours in the day.

All I want is for her to come to the present and teach my fat ass a lesson. Stand next to me so I can see the 50+ pounds I’ve put back on since then. Motivate me to be better, stronger and to want it more. High school me was a bad ass. The sad part? I had no clue back then. None at all. My high school career could have been very different if I was a little less insecure and a lot more adventurous.

But my high school regrets are for a different post some time.

Anyways, for this Fitness Friday I am digging into the past, reaching, striving, begging for that past motivation to come back to me. For high school me to show up and give me a good slap across the face for letting her body get this way.

So can somebody get on that time machine thing please?

Alright that’s my rant for the week.

Tonight we’re off to Sun Valley for a bar-golf tournament. Probably not the sort of thing high school me would approve of. But hey – I need a drink after all that.

TTFN.
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May 28, 2014

Humpday Confessions

Alrighty, trying something different for this fabulous Hump Day.
Vodka and Soda
I'm linking up with Kathy over at Vodka and Soda for some humpday confessions. You should try it.
 
I'm going to make this short and sweet..."these are my confessions" - take it away for me Usher.
 
...True Life--I'm addicted to Pinterest. I've actually written an entire post on this, which I haven't posted yet, but more to come on that later.
 
 
...I like to read my own blog. Yeah I confess. Since I'm the only one who reads it anyway I find it quite enjoyable to go back and see what I was doing say 4 months ago, etc. It fills the hours. 
 
 
...I brush my teeth in the shower. Everyday. Sorry if you think that is gross.
...I finally decided to be a real blogger and purchase a custom blog design. Get excited because it should go live any day! (spoiled the surprise I know).
 
 
...(DO NOT READ IF EASILY OFFENDED) I've flicked my kitten's nuts. Yeah I'm a WEIRDO I know. But seriously they are so fluffy and stick out when he's sticking his butt in my face and I couldn't help it. Good news, they aren't sensitive at all - though I think James had sympathy pains.
 
...I had my lady doctor appointment scheduled this week and even was all sure about it for the conformation call yesterday only to realize aunt Flo was going to arrive this morning and I had to reschedule. FML.
 
...I have to hide sweets from my boyfriend. I bought a pack of Chips Ahoy peanut butter cup chewy cookies last week and hid and ate out of it for about 4 days before feeling entirely too guilty and giving the whole pack to him. He at the entire thing withing 5 minutes. Thus, why I hide things.
 
That's all she wrote folks! Have a good hump day!
 
TTFN
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May 27, 2014

$7 DIY Patriotic Wreath


Hey friends! Sorry I was MIA for the long weekend, but it is what it is.

I did do a pretty awesome little project I wanted to share with you. It's perfect to hang on your door for Memorial Day AND Fourth of July which will be here before we know it!

The best part of this little project? It cost me $7.
 
Here's what you'll need:
  • pool noodle (dollar store!)
  • 6 fabric quarters (2 of each, red, white and blue, patterns of your choice they were less than $.99 each)
  • duct tape 
  • scissors (if you have Pinking Shears that would be best)
 
Step 1: Assemble your materials
 
Step 2: Create wreath shape by duct taping the ends of the pool noodle together
 
 
Step 3: Cut your fabric quarters into 1" wide strips - about 12 long (I just cut from the fold)
 
Step 4: Start tying on your fabric! I chose to have the blue separate like a real flag, but it would be just as cute if they were all mixed in. I tied each strip in a double knot around the noodle.
 
Kitty was lots of help.
 He made sure to examine my work.
 I did the red and white alternating 2 red strips, then 2 white strips and so on.
 Step 5: Hang up your masterpiece!
 
Mine will be up from now through the 4th of July. I think it might need a burlap bow, or a star or something a little extra. But I'm pretty happy with the finished product!

I hope you had a beyond wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! 

PS - something big is happening this week. Can't wait to share!

TTFN
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May 23, 2014

T.G.I.F.B.M.D.

Thank God It's the Friday Before Memorial Day
 
Three day weekend y'all!
 
Sorry I'm not fitness-ing this Friday because I'm too excited for the 3 day weekend and the official kick off of summer.
 
We will return to our usually scheduled Fitness Friday next week.
 
I hope you all have an AH-mazing holiday weekend with friends, family and sunshine.
 
I'll leave you with this... because duh, it's what I'm doing this weekend.

TTFN! 
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May 22, 2014

Dollar Store STEAL!

I had a remarkable discovery at the Dollar Tree yesterday afternoon.
 
Have you ever heard of or used Sally Hansen Salon Effects?
 
Because they WERE ONLY A DOLLAR!
both these varieties were there!
 
Sure, they only had the varieties I assumed were discontinued but some of the ones they had are still available at retailers like Target for $8.59 - $10.59! A pop!!!!
 
The designs/colors they did have were brown, black, giraffe print, leopard print, neon green and only one, but totally awesome, black and white tribal print.
 
The best part of this whole story is that I had debated on going to the nail salon and getting a mani-pedi that afternoon. I had gotten off work early and it seemed like a good time to do it. I just couldn't justify dropping $40 on getting my nails done (this girl is poor at the moment). 
 
So it was destiny when I found these bad boys for only $1!
 
If you haven't used these, let me give you a little run down. They are stick on polish. Sounds weird, I know. The kit has everything you need, plenty of strips of polish in different sizes to fit all your nails, a shaping tool and a buffer/file tool. The directions are straight forward, and they are fairly easy to apply. If you do the application correctly and top with top coat, these last FOREVER. Ok, really just two weeks, with  no chipping, but that is pretty dang good.
 
Can I let you in on a little secret? You can get TWO applications from one kit if you use both ends of the strip, one end on each of the corresponding fingers on each hand. So really I paid $.50 for each application. Ohhhhh yeaaaahhhh. That's feels good.
 
*please note I said they last that long IF APPLIED CORRECTLY. If you do not get the strips applied well they won't last that long.
 
So once I got home I immediately had to give my dollar store selection a try and I came up with this awesome combo.
I know it is a little bright, but hey it's summer time!
 
I plan to scope out the other Dollar Trees in the area to see if they have other colors and varieties. Seriously an amazing score!
 
Have you used Sally Hansen Salon Effects before? Go get yourself some. For $1!!!
 
TTFN Friends,
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May 21, 2014

Pollen: When Flowers Can't Keep it in their Plants

I have decided to take a little hiatus from WILW. Sorry folks, I'm bored with it. So "poof" it's gone for the time being. Let's go on a little rant this Wednesday instead mmmmk?

Here's what's decided to show up and slap me in the face: SPRING


Ok, so pollen, to be more exact, but you get the picture.
Seriously though. If I spend any surmountable time outside (which I do a lot of this time of year), or drive with my windows down, or sleep with my window open, the result is one snotty, runny, sneezing, puffy eyed mess.

Saturday night 4 AM Sunday this past week I woke up to what I'm calling a "nose explosion," though it was probably more similar to flash flooding. My nose was running, A LOT. I did the usual, blew it, adjusted how I was sleeping. I'd prop my head up...to have it drain down my throat, which I could feel. I'd lay flatter and to the side... then it would come dripping out the front and down my face.

No matter how I positioned myself I couldn't escape the snot. Nor sleep.

I finally had to get up, shoot up some Afrin, blow my nose a couple million more times and play with the kitten a bit before it was finally under control about an hour and half later. So much for a good night's sleep.
Yesterday I almost called into work because I had a similar nose flood that morning.

The worst part of it all is I remember as a kid this DID NOT HAPPEN. Why as you get older does mother nature decide that now you must suffer? You must now have an adverse reaction to plants' reproductive dust and it only seems to get worse each year?!
It truly sucks because spring is my favorite time of year. So I'll keep popping pills and whining and moaning because no one deserves this. F-U pollen.


Alright, rant complete for the time being. Anyone suffering along with me?

TTFN,

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May 20, 2014

6,350 miles


So I wrote a post yesterday about tips for first time home-buyers. I had it all done and scheduled and about 10:30 last night decided it was crap. So I reverted it back to draft.

Thus the randomness of this post.

As I was driving to work today I was thinking of all the miles I have driven since starting this job; all the time it has consumed.

It got me wondering how many miles and how much time actually has been spent, and furthermore what the math of other parts of my life looks like.

So let’s take a look shall we?

I drive 50 miles a day for work. 25 there and 25 back. I started this job on November 11 of last year. Taking into account some holidays and travel, I have driven to work 127 days so far.

127 days  x 50 miles = 6,350 miles on the Saturn,
enough to have driven ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES TWICE.

It takes me a half hour there and back, so an hour each day.

127 days  x 1 hour = 127 hours of my life, that’s 5.3 days.
Don't worry, no appendages were chewed off...yet

This is all since November, only 6 months on the job. It also does not take into account travel for meetings, errands and other work related driving.

Alright, while I’m in the counting business, let’s do a few more.
James and I will have been dating 3 years and 4 months as of tomorrow.
That’s approximately 1,236 days.

I’m 26 years and 51 days old.
That’s approximately 9,541 days.

In other news and math relations, I’ve finally got my act together and bought the things I need to make a skinny iced chai at home. One 16 oz costs me $3.95 at the coffee hut I stop by on my way to work.

The chai concentrate was $3.48 and the unsweetened vanilla almond milk was $2.88. That’s $6.36 total, less than the price of two coffee hut drinks. I will be able to make 4-5 chai lattes from the above.
The difference looks like this...
Coffee shop $ 19.75 (1 for $3.95) vs. home for $6.36 (1 for $1.27). 
Winning. 
Plus they are even better with the vanilla almond milk than the low fat stuff at the coffee place! I  use this oh-so-seasonal cup to take my new homemade concoction to work.
yup, pink straw and all

Ok I think that was all a little overkill.

Recap – I’ve driven A LOT and spent A LOT of time in my car for work. And I can save money by making chai lattes at home.

The end.

TTFN friends – do your math, I’d love to hear the numbers!
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May 19, 2014

Weekend Re-Cap

Once again I seriously failed at photo-documenting this weekend.
 
However, it was a seriously awesome weekend, so I have to do a little recap...
 
Friday -  We drove out to Glenns Ferry to have prime rib dinner with James' parents at Carmela Vineyards and then hung out at their camp site near by. If we had planned accordingly we would have stayed the night out there - because it was absolutely beautiful! Instead we rushed back into town to catch Godzilla in 3D on IMAX that night. Probably the best way to see that movie if you are a Godzilla fan. My thoughts on the movie? Very Godzilla-ish...? haha
I rocked my new maxi dress to dinner and the movie.
Saturday - I got up early, took the dog to the dog park, weeded the front flower beds, had a birthday lunch with one group of girlfriends and then headed to another birthday celebration full of sunshine, yard games and summer beers. We headed to dinner as the sun went down and then called it a night... I was pooped by then.

Sunday - Quick morning shopping trip for some things James needed for his trip, then dog park, nap and dinner with my parents. Capped the night off by rescuing a duckling from a storm drain! Poor little baby was so scared! The rescue was hugely in part to James who man-handled that storm drain which I could not have gotten open on my own. Our good deed for the week is done.
Had double the amount of dogs in my car Sunday after the dog park. They loved the Dutch Bros stop complete with doggie biscuits.
So all in all it was one wonderful weekend--other than James' flight to Seattle getting cancelled. This was obviously fate so that he could rescue the baby duck with me so it all worked out. He leaves this afternoon and I'll be on my own (well with some furry companionship) till Thursday. 

Hope you all had a beyond amazing weekend!

TTFN,
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