Finish This - Week #30

This game is called "Finish This," and all you have to do is finish the following prompts and link up your post below! You can also visit the other hosts of this party on their fun blogs: Nicole {Three 31} Lisa {Coastlined}, Jen {The Arizona Russums} and Becky {The Java Mama}

I like wearing... scarves.  This was my "go to" during my pregnancy and I simply cannot get enough!  I don't care if its 80 degrees out, you might catch me wearing a scarf.  I even have one on in my driver's license photo. I think it's like a security blanket that i can take with me.  I'm not a huge jewelry fan so I think this is my way of dressing up whatever i'm wearing...

My absolute favorite scarf is one I got last year that was homemade.  It's this thick black wool that is super cozy and I wore it all last winter.   L-O-V-E it!

My most memorable style is... I'm so simple when it comes to getting dressed, which is why I started doing stitch fix. I simply needed to think outside the box and try new things.  I've started incorporating more color, jewelry, and pieces into my wardrobe lately which has been fun!

I dress to impress when... I'm going out with Jayme.  My brother's girlfriend Jayme is always so put together so I always feel like I need to put on my best when I'm around her.  She is simply beautiful and so well dressed.  I think I need her to make over my closet :)  (hint hint Jayme!)

The best style tip I ever received... not sure if it's a style tip... but the best tip I ever got was if I loved something buy more than 1 and buy it in a different color.

Three wardrobe staples in my closet... scarves...cardigans...(I think I own every color of j-crew clare cardigans...) and last - jeans.

Three words that describe my style...  Simple. Classic. Timeless.

Now it’s your turn. Answer these prompts in a post on your own blog and join the link up! Come back next Wednesday for another round of Finish This where we’ll answer the prompts below!

Prompts for WEEK 31 (August 6) are:

If I went back to school, I would study

My favorite subject in school

I wish I had paid more attention

The dumbest thing I did in high school was

In high school, I thought I knew

Birthday Weekend in Review

This past weekend I celebrated my 35th birthday. Holy Crap!  This morning I had the realization that I am closer to 40 than 30. Seriously, can the birthdays simply stop?!  Time is going by so fast. I remember someone once telling me the older you get the faster it goes, and boy does that seem to be true!

Birthday week was wonderful!  Michele drove all the way from Eden Prairie to have lunch with me in Hammond... Yes.. that's a long drive.. okay, so really she was already in Hudson, but I just wanted to sound that much more important... and then I met Erin for dinner on Weds night. I don't get out in the city much so it was great to get out on such a gorgeous night!  We shopped a local boutique in St Paul and then walked to a great little patio place (Happy Gnome - where Adam and I had our first date!)  

Friday was George's 6 month Dr Appointment.  (See above - where does the time go?!).  My little pumpkin is half a year old. My goodness!!  

Likes:  Exersaucer at Grandma's, cuddles with mama and papa, obsessed with putting things in his mouth, needs a blankie to go to sleep.

Food:  Still chugging away on his soy formula.  We've tried sweet potatoes, apples, pears, peaches, peas, mashed potatoes and bananas... he seems to like the sweet potatoes best.. but hard to say because he much prefers his bottle.

Sleep:  On average goes to bed at 8:30 and up around 6am... so close to 10 hours.  YAY!!!

Mobility:  Can roll back and forth, but still gets stuck on his belly.  He gets up on his hind legs to roll, so I think crawling might come easy.  Ha.  I just cursed myself.  He can sometimes sit up on his own, other times he tips over :)  He can stand if we hold on to him but is quite wobbly yet.  

Stats:  Height: 25 3/4 inches = 25% percentile   Weight:  17lb 3 oz = 50% percentile  Head = 95% 

Saturday I was able to get up, go to the gym for a workout and then came home and took George for a walk.. Adam worked on our deck most of the day... We took George to Grandma and Grandpa's house and then Adam and I were off to meet up with friends/family.  

We met Greg, Jayme, Sam and Ani at St Croix Vineyards in Stillwater.  We had some quite delightful wines there.  The place is awesome!!  The are also an apple orchard and have a great variety of food, drink, and other stuff going on in the fall.  For the Vineyard, it was in a quaint old barn and they have several different varieties of wine... Summer Red was my favorite!  We also went to another vineyard, Northern Vineyards in Downtown Stillwater.. This one was less than my favorite place.  They do 10 different wines which after a while I think we tuned out and just drank rather than pay attention.. 

Then we stopped and had a beer/sangria at a local Pub and finished the night with dinner at Marx.  The food is simply fabulous!!  Adam is a big seafood eater and I am not, so this place is a perfect compliment for both of us.  I had pecan chicken and he had the Ahi Tuna and we were both quite pleased with our meals :)  

Sunday was definitely a day of rest finished with an AWESOME turkey dinner (because I love thanksgiving dinner) to celebrate, me :)  

I had such a wonderful 35th birthday.. If only I could freeze time and stay this age forever... I guess another 362 days will do.  

Have a great week!

Finish This - Week #29

This game is called "Finish This," and all you have to do is finish the following prompts and link up your post below! You can also visit the other hosts of this party on their fun blogs: Nicole {Three 31} Lisa {Coastlined}, Jen {The Arizona Russums} and Becky {The Java Mama}

I add spice to my life by... umm.. spicy? Me?  Is this metaphorical or literal? (Is metaphorical a word? I think I made it up...)

Bacon is one of life's perfect foods.  Mmm. I simply cannot imagine a big breakfast without bacon... I love BLT sandwiches, turkey BLTs... BACON. BACON. BACON. Oh how I heart you :)  I buy the fresh cut bacon from the meat counter and it's soooo yummy!

The perfect meal is meat and potatoes.  I am a Northern girl, we like our meat and potatoes up here!  Roast and potatoes, steak and potatoes, turkey and potatoes, meatloaf and potatoes.. This is one of the reasons I do actually like winter. I feel a slight justification in eating a big heavy meal that consists of meat and potatoes... Oh! And don't forget the bread and butter.    

My favorite food to grill is... Well I'd know if I actually ever had control of the grill... It's like getting yelled at to mow the lawn, but I never actually do it because Adam LOVES doing it :)  

I beat the heat by EMBRACING every single minute of it. I love hot hot weather. This week it has been in the upper 80s and low 90s and I tell you I have been outside in the garden, watering the lawn, out for an early morning and evening hike. I will do anything I can to be outside!!!  

Now it’s your turn. Answer these prompts in a post on your own blog and join the link up! Come back next Wednesday for another round of Finish This where we’ll answer the prompts below!

Prompts for WEEK 30 (July 30) are:

I like wearing

My most memorable style was

I dress to impress when

The best style tip I ever received

Three wardrobe staples in my closet

Three words that describe my style

Weekend Family Fun!

This past weekend we were SUPER busy!  But isn't everyone?  It's summer and we spent some time with family and friends.  

We had Adam's family reunion on Saturday and I always love getting together with his family.  There were so many laughs shared and it was great getting to see family we don't see often.  A family kickball game broke out mid-way through the party.. Although I did not play (because I ran a 4 mi race earlier that morning and thought my legs were going to fall off) my sweet baby George even played! 

Here are some fun photos from the weekend!

George is spending time with his favorite grandma!  He absolutely adores her :)  Plus it's so nice having her around because I always get so much help.  Cousin Luke look like he's pondering something very deep.. or plotting something.  Never know!

Here's George with Grandpa Paul just before his big kickball debut!   It looks like he's scoping out the field to figure out the best strategy.  He ended up bunting and unfortunately was thrown out at first.  Good effort buddy!

Here's the big cheering section!  Judy, Cindy, Lauren and Sue all look so sad that they didn't get to play kickball... Lots of laughs during that game, including a major collision at first that left one man down, (and one run collected before first checking on the man down), several slide attempts, and a lot of fun for the little kids.   

Hey Adam! The 80s called and want their boom box back!  If I ever need a tape player, I know where to go.  This collectors item was proudly on display at our loving hosts home.  Adam couldn't resist a photo op with it!  (I think he and I had more laughs over this than anything all day!)

Look who is old enough to drive the tractor!   Thanks to Uncle Ron for letting Landon be in charge of driving the tractor.  He was a quick learner at navigating the turns and quite possibly was the highlight of Landon's day.  He couldn't seem to get enough of it!  

Whose belly is bigger?  Hard to tell!  So excited for Lauren and David (and big brother Zion!) We will be looking forward to the big news and sweet baby photos. Cannot wait for this little baby girl to bless the family.  Coming in August!  

Cousin Becky giving Georgie lots of love and hugs!  Such a beautiful day for our family reunion.  Couldn't ask for better weather and no bugs!  George had lots of admirers and family giving him hugs and love throughout the day.  It definitely made my day a lot easier (and I got a chance to eat without having to negotiate with little hands reaching for my food!) 

All in all the family reunion was a big success.  Next year we will have a new addition with Lauren and David's sweet baby girl and my little boy will be up and running around with the big kids. Crazy what happens in a year!!

On Sunday we went over to our family friend Art and Lynette Lund's House. They were so gracious in opening their home (and pool) to us for the HOT afternoon.  George wasn't so keen on swimming today so he hung out with mom and grandpa instead.  

Grandpa can multi-task!  (Now I know where Adam gets it...)  It was such a beautiful afternoon but Georgie was hungry and thankfully grandpa was willing to help out (in the shade) while mom, dad, uncle Alex, grandma, and Lynette all enjoyed the pool.  Good thing Art was there to keep Grandpa company since G was too busy eating.  

    

And last... a sweet picture of George and I.  He wasn't so sure of swimming in the big pool today (it might have been a bit chilly for him!)  but he sure loved giving me cuddles!  I cannot complain. I absolutely love these family days together where we get to enjoy each other's company and the company of our wonderful hosts. 

Ipsy Glam Bag - July 2014

It's that time again!  Time for my Ipsy Glam Bag! 

It's summertime so Ipsy went with Sensationally Sunkissed and this month I am in LOVE!
(For those of you who haven't figured it out, I am crazy about subscrption boxes!  Read more here!)

Each month Ipsy has a "theme" and this month was all about the Sunshine!  Last month I'd say my glam bag was "so/so" but this month is PERFECT!          

Check it out...  What did I get?!

Whet Nail Polish -- This is a 3 free polish and when I was preggo I was all about 3-free!  The color is a bright royal blue and is called Facetious.  I think it's a little out of my realm, so this one will go to what I call my "donation" pile. I have a lovely friend with 3 little girls - so this is perfect for them especially since it doesn't contain all the harmful chemicals!

Hang 10 Dark Tanning Oil -- Okay let the haters hate but this girl loves the sun!  It has an SPF 8 in it, so well, although not the best, at least it's something. And it comes in a very convenient little spray bottle. This will be VERY convenient for nice little afternoons on the deck. Can't wait to try it!

Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Brilliance Balm -- I'm HOOKED already!  Although the tint is next to nothing I love the way this goes on, the way it feels on my lips and it doesn't have a funky taste or smell.  It reminds me of Wrigleys Wintogreen gum.  I definitely think I will be ordering this with a bit darker tint, but nice little travel size. Perfect to throw in my mini diaper bag! 

Marrakesh Endz -- I'm excited about trying this leave in conditioner. Its supposed to mend split ends and smells very beachy with a cream de cocoa smell... Although since I have THE BEST hair stylist in the world (I know you're reading this Jayme!) I don't have many split ends... but I think it will help with my dry hair issue!  (Ps - why couldn't they spell "ends" correctly?!)

...and Finally (quite possibly my favorite)...

Bare Minerals 5 in 1 BB Advanced Cream Shadow --  As I was getting ready yesterday I took a minute to deviate from my usual routine of my Clinique Touch base and thought I'd give this one a try.  WOO-HOO!  This stuff is Ahhhh Mazing!!!  I love the way it went on, the way it covered and how well it stayed on while I was outside hiking (Yes... I put make-up on to hike.)   I would probably get a different color because they sent me "Barely Nude" and on my skin it blended in pretty well (but left a nice shadow and good base)... And for the above haters with my tanning oil, this contains an SPF of 15.  I'm covered on my eyelids! 

So there you have it! My July Glam bag in review.  If you are interested in getting your own Glam Bag (I am not paid for my reviews) but do get referral credit -- click here!  It is a subscription Service and is $10 a month. You get decent size samples and if you LOVE the item, often there is a discount to purchase them full-size.  Sometimes you do end up on a waitlist- but often times you can move off it quickly by posting things on Facebook, etc - although cheesy, it's slightly painless and you get your bag quicker! 

Let me know your thoughts if you're already a subscriber!

Finish This - Week #28

This game is called "Finish This," and all you have to do is finish the following prompts and link up your post below! You can also visit the other hosts of this party on their fun blogs: Nicole {Three 31} Lisa {Coastlined}, Jen {The Arizona Russums} and Becky {The Java Mama}

The only thing standing between me and quitting my job is money!  Whew. Imagine that.  Toughie there.  I had such a great job when I was out on the road and my current job is soooooo much less exciting and truthfully it's a job at this point...  I wish I could work part-time and then stay home with my sweet boy the other half of the time. But unfortunately this point in time, it's not financially possible, so ... off to work I go :)

I don’t have to be perfect to be ....umm...  Gosh, I am so far from perfect in every aspect of my life. I guess to be me. I do everything I can to be the best mama, girlfriend, daughter, sister, friend I possibly can. But I'm far from perfect. We know my struggles with baking, running, sometimes getting dressed is far from perfect. But those around me love the imperfect self that I am. I am blessed.

I would improve my house by extending it 10 feet East and 10 feet North. I live in the very first house I looked at when house shopping.. and don't get me wrong, I still love it and would have still bought it after seeing others. I am lucky to have a handy boyfriend who smiles whenever i announce I have a new idea. However, my house would be so much more efficient if it was 10 feet wider in the East and 10 feet wider to the North. I would be able to have a nice dining area (not enough room currently) and we could have a 2nd bedroom upstairs. The house wasn't wide enough so they made one HUGE room that's 25 * 14 upstairs. Crazy - but the way it's laid out, you couldn't cut it in half, it would make 2 very small rooms because of the need for a hallway - hence my extra 10 feet would have fixed that very issue!

Now it’s your turn. Answer these prompts in a post on your own blog and join the link up! Come back next Wednesday for another round of Finish This where we’ll answer the prompts below!

Prompts for WEEK 29 (July 23) are:

I add spice to my life by

Bacon is

The perfect meal

My favorite food to grill is

I beat the heat by

Stitch Fix #3 - My Fix Reviewed

(My first 2 fixes unfortunately were not photographed...)

Hi there! Today was the day... the day I wait for every.single.month. My Stitch Fix came today! Oh how I love this day. I'm pretty sure I checked my front door step every half hour starting at 7am just hoping it was here. And finally around 2:30 it arrived. I nearly hugged the Fed Ex lady, I think she knew I was pretty excited!! 

For those of you who do not know what Stitch Fix is.... StitchFix is a fashion company that pairs you with a stylist whose job it is to make sure you get stuff that fits YOU. It’s supposed to get better and better the longer you use it (because the more data you provide the more their system and stylists understand your tastes). However, with this being my 3rd one, I'm not completely sure I agree, just yet... 

You sign up, fill out their Style Profile, and then pay $20 as a styling fee.  If you purchase something, the $20 is applied against your purchase.  If you do not, then well, argh, you spent $20 to try on clothes you didn't like.  That's why I call it a "styling fee."  If you buy nothing, you pay for the service to have picked clothes for you.  

Okay... and the above links are my "Referral" links - I get a credit from you signing up (and receiving your first fix).  The same can go for you as well... I am not paid for this post.

On to the Fix!

My dear friends... I first ask for you understanding/non-judging selves in the next photo... First of all the photo quality is poor... This is me, taking pics of myself, sans makeup, at home.. I was just SO excited about my fix, I couldn't wait to try on the clothes!

Dress #1 - Papermoon Charlotta Geo Print Sleeveless Collared Shirt Dress

Be gentle kind friends.. I know, this dress was a train wreck!  First of all, that elastic in my mid-section that decided to hit at my biggest point.  Good night moon,  goodnight. It makes me look LARGE.  It is unflattering in my mid-section, the print makes my hips look wide, and yes, those are my legs you can see peeping out through the sheer dress.  Clearly this is a miss.  RETURNED.  

Dress #2:  Hourglass Lilly Adan Geo Printed Shift Dress 
  

Okay, so here we go... Pictures clearly do not do this dress justice... It is simply awesome. It fits well, and is flattering on my lady (mama) curves.  It may require some tights though, as you can see it's a little short.  I love the color of this dress, love the sleeves, and like having something a little bit different in my closet!  This will be a great dress to wear on the cool summer nights as we start the transition to fall late next month.  This one is a KEEPER!



Blouse:  Mystree Meridian Swiss Dot Lace Detail Blouse

Okay ... I am not hip and trendy.  I am a self-described square... so this shirt just didn't do it for me. I loved the lace, loved the detail around the neck, but couldn't get past the wide fit and mullet like cut... (short in the front and long in the back)... It just didn't work for me.  RETURNED.

Cardigan:  Pomelo Martina Slub Knit Open Cardigan

Confession:  I cheated.  When I got my shipping notice, I immediately went to Stitch Fix to see what they were sending me. And then I googled all of the items to see what they looked like... This item was LOVED by so many... 

The color was a nice off white and as you can see the fit is about right... however, I am picky.  Let me spell that P-I-C-K-Y!  I don't like these kind of cardigans, the kind that are (in my mind) connected and hug my bum... and hang funny on the side and don't hit my hips square... Is this making sense?  It had a pointy side.. Pointy - not square.. seeing a trend, I like even, square, consistent, plain clothes.  Don't put points on the side of my cardigan.  RETURNED.

And..... 

AV Max Bloomington Pave Ball Earrings

....When I opened the box, in my mind these were already going back.. So not my style! I like big and chunky bright colored earrings.. silver balls were not my thing... I thought.

 ... Ohhh.. this picture is terrible. Sorry.   BUT the earrings look so stinkin cute!!  They were so simple and added just a little highlight to my face/ear.  I wish they would have turned out cuter in my picture.. so glad you can see all my little whispy hairs... FOCUS on the earrings.  Cute.  KEEP!


So there you have it.. my first reviewed Stitch Fix... and if you so are inclined to try it for yourself, help a girl out and use my referral link :)  Thanks!    

Finish This! Week #27

This game is called "Finish This," and all you have to do is finish the following prompts and link up your post below! You can also visit the other hosts of this party on their fun blogs: Nicole {Three 31} Lisa {Coastlined}, Jen {The Arizona Russums} and Becky {The Java Mama}

For July 4, I celebrated by … going up North to the cabin.  It was actually quite nice because the weather was amazing and George is way too young for fireworks. He can't stay up past 8:30 even if he wanted to :)

My go-to cosmetic product is … My go-to  skincare product is Aveda's Skin firming/toning mist. I L-O-V-E Aveda skincare products!  I also use the hydrating lotion and really like how it makes my skin feel after (and I have very dry skin).  Make-up wise I always have to have Blushing Berry (Clinique) on my cheeks. 

I am inspired by … those who have battled weight issues and won.  I go to bootcamp on Monday nights at our local state park, and it is put on by Biggest loser contestant Lisa Simpson Rambo.  I am inspired by those who come week after week and who seriously kick butt and have lost significant amounts of weight.  These people are out there running marathons and competing in triathlons. I am so incredibly humbled to hear their journeys.  

The best relationship advice I received was … don't do on the first day what you don't want to do for the rest of your life.  Adam's mom gave this to me. So if I don't want to do his laundry or pack his lunch for the rest of our relationship, don't start now.  Brilliant. (And I don't do either of the above!). 

When no one is around, I tend to … have quiet time.  Adam laughs at me because when I'm in the car I can go miles without noticing the radio isn't even on because i just get lost in my own thoughts.  I could be entertained in a room with 4 white walls and no sound.  I appreciate the silence.  

Now it’s your turn. Answer these prompts in a post on your own blog and join the link up! Come back next Wednesday for another round of Finish This where we’ll answer the prompts below!

Prompts for WEEK 28 (July 16) are:

The only thing standing between me and ____ is

I don’t have to be perfect to be

I would improve ____ by

Finish This - Week #26

This game is called "Finish This," and all you have to do is finish the following prompts and link up your post below! You can also visit the other hosts of this party on their fun blogs: Nicole {Three 31} Lisa {Coastlined}, Jen {The Arizona Russums} and Becky {The Java Mama}

It’s never too late … to say sorry.

I compare myself to others … ALL.THE.TIME.  Bad habit.  I will take the time to get ready in the morning, leave the house and see a beautiful woman and then look in the mirror and think that it looks like I didn't even try..  I simply need to be happy in my own skin.. someday, right?!

My personality is … square. I always try to do the right thing and don't take risks - ever.  I am easy to get along with, although I'm quiet - some people take my initial personality as snobby, when simply I'm just trying to get a grasp on where I fit in certain groups. I am wound tight and high strung, although having a baby has definitely made me learn to be a little more laid back and "go with the flow..."  I am loyal to the core and would do anything for anyone at anytime.

I can … cook but I cannot bake.  Oh for the life of me I cannot bake a good cookie.  It simply breaks my heart because i want to be the mama who makes the best cookies for her little boy and his class (albeit, you can't bring baked goods from home anymore...)  but still!!  I can cook though, I have been with Adam for 4 years and he has only disliked one thing I fixed and it was simply because he doesn't care for sauerkraut.

I embrace change … NEVER.  Seriously, I resist, resist, resist.  I cannot handle when something is out of place let alone face a serious change.  I am the 3 year old who drags her feet when asked to change.  To me changing is similar to risk taking... I might like it, but it's going to take an act of congress to get me to even try it. 

Now it’s your turn. Answer these prompts in a post on your own blog and join the link up! Come back next Wednesday for another round of Finish This where we’ll answer the prompts below!

Prompts for WEEK 27 (July 9) are:

For July 4, I celebrated by …

My go-to cosmetic product is …

I am inspired by …

The best relationship advice I received was …

When no one is around, I tend to …