If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you know that I like to do a little something called “Fist Bump Friday”, where I encourage my friends to share something that has made them happy during the week. Sometimes we get so bogged down with life and the crazy that comes with it that we forget to recognize the good things. So I thought it’d be fun if we all shared and celebrated together.

So please, share your good news in the comments below. Remember, it doesn’t have to be big or earth shattering. If it’s important to you, it’s important to me.

This week, I’m happy and grateful to God that yet again my doctor gave me the “all clear”. Even though it’s been a little over ten years, every time I have *that* appointment I get all nervous inside.

What made you happy this week?

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Yesterday was day 2 of training for my 5K. I wasn’t as nervous as I was the first day. I guess because I kinda knew what to expect: run 2 laps around the track and then jog/run for 30 minutes with stretching before and after. I think our group got smaller. I didn’t bother to count the bodies but there were a few faces missing. I don’t know if this is normal fall out or if something popped up and they couldn’t make it. I hope they didn’t quit.

I paid $45 for this plus the cost of shoes, sports bras, shorts and tees, I can’t afford to quit. Plus I like the idea of being a runner. There was something about being on that track that made me want to do a couple of back flips. I wasn’t the fastest runner or the prettiest runner {in fact, I’m pretty certain I look like Phoebe in that episode of Friends when I run} but I was doing it. And, in the end, that’s all that matters. I laced up my runners and did that thang.

We have our first timed run next Wednesday. That has me concerned. Back in the day, it used to take me almost a full 15~20 minutes to run a mile. Yes, seriously. And most of that was walking. That’s just how out of shape and unathletic I was. Now here I am, not only training to run my first 5K, but I’m thinking about other races.

I’m also thinking about things I can during my off days to increase my fitness level. I’ve read a lot of articles and blog posts that say cross training is good for overall fitness. So maybe I can add weight training… I wouldn’t mind having arms like FLOTUS.

What’s your fitness routine? Do you cross train?

Feel free to follow my training and cheer me on as I RUN the Capaha Classic 5K on 13 July. You can follow my progress on Instagram and Twitter.

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I’ve had this cardi in my drawer for years and almost never wear it. I’m not sure why because it really is cute. It kinda has a retro vibe with the beading around the collar. And the color is feminine without being too precious.

I decided to pair it with my yellow sleeveless blouse for some contrast. Normally, I wear a violet cardi with this top because it matches the flowers in the print. I know you can’t really see them, but they’re there. Trust me. And the leather floral bracelet is a little bit of cuteness that I picked up at a boutique in Pennsylvania. I remember haunting that store for months, yes, months, waiting for the right color. I wanted something sweet and feminine but with a bit of funk too it.

Once again, I’d like to thank my photographer, Miss 17, she of no warning before she snaps fame. Bless her heart, she really does try. I think. Or maybe she likes that I look like a deer caught in the headlights. Hmmm…

I’m linking up with:

• Dear Abbyleigh ~ Dress for the Day: Clothes can affect your mood; dress for the day you want to have, not the day that’s having you
• Kiwi Womens Style ~ Wardrobe Wednesday: Sharing handmade and store bought clothes along with tips and tricks
• The Pleated Poppy ~ What I Wore Wednesday: Encouraging ladies everywhere to forgo sweats and yoga pants for fashionable looks

Please check them out for more fashion inspiration.

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A couple of weeks ago, the hubs and I were talking and he asked me about my goals, dreams, and aspirations. I thought for a minute and replied: “Seriously, I just want to make a decent cup of coffee and not deal with crazy.” That’s it. My whole goal in life is to make coffee and avoid drama. I told my sister and my mom about it and they thought it was funny. I thought it was sad. Very sad.

So I started thinking about goals I could set, things I could do and I kept coming up empty. Then I remembered my failed 5k from a few years ago and decided it was time for a do over. In my defense, I went blind in one eye and my depth perception was off, so running a 5k really wasn’t in the cards, but I did walk it. I posted my plans on my Facebook page and a friend told me that our rec center was holding an 8 week long training session for people who want to run a 5k.

I signed up and started training today. I have to tell ya, I was soooo nervous. My hands were shaking and I thought I was going to lose my trail mix.  That’s all I had to eat today ’cause I was too nervous to eat all day. I got to the track and found out that all 17 of the other ladies were just as nervous as I was. And it was our trainer’s first time training a group by herself. We’re all newbies! Intimidation and fear wiped out.

Feel free to follow my training and cheer me on as I RUN the Capaha Classic 5K on 13 July. You can follow my progress on Instagram and Twitter.

I will do this!

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Hi, and welcome to Coffee Talk. In case you’re new here, this is where I share some of the great and not~so~great stuff that I find on the web. Topics range from news stories that leave me scratchin’ my head to DIYs that I think are absolutely clever.  And there may be a recipe thrown in here or there just for fun.

1. Fifty years after it was canceled, the graduating class of 1963 was able to attend their prom. 1963 was the height of the Civil Rights Movement and tensions were so high in Birmingham, Alabama that the proms for the five segregated high schools in the city were canceled. To right the wrong that was done so many years ago, the city of Birmingham held a prom for those who were unable to attend their original one. There are times when I forget just how blessed I am that I have the freedom to come and go as I please, and then a story like this comes to my attention and I silently thank those who came before me.

2. Did you go to the movies this weekend? What’d you see? I really want to see The Great Gatsby and Star Trek. I’m not a Trekkie, but I really enjoyed the first movie so I think I may enjoy this one too. My dad was a serious Trekkie, he once dressed in a Star Trek uniform to deliver food to patients at a hospital where he was one of the head cooks. When he died, he was buried with one of those transporter~beam~me~up~things.  And, well, I wanna see The Great Gatsby because I think I should’ve been a flapper. Or a hippie.

3. And then there are stories that make me weep for the future. Apparently, there are some teenage girls who’ve declared Dzhokhar Tsarnaev “too cute” to be guilty of the Boston Marathon bombing. blank stare I don’t even know what to say about this. Actually, yeah, I do… What the heck is wrong with these girls that they can find someone who murdered/maimed innocent people “too cute” to be guilty? How about if we have just a bit of empathy for the families of the dead/injured? Furthermore, a person’s outward appearance has absolutely nothing to do with their internal capacity for evil.

What had you scratchin’ your head this week?

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Crocs for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you’ve followed my In the Closet posts, you know that my wardrobe mostly consists of neutrals and earth tones. But every summer, I break out of that rut and start dressing to match the season. My color theory for summer is if you see it together in nature, you can wear it together on your body.

This year, the colors that are capturing my attention are bright grassy greens, sunny yellows, and crisp whites. And I would love to add more of these colors to my summer wardrobe.

I’m entering the Crocs Instagram Sweepstakes because, well, couldn’t we all use a $3000 shopping spree? And it’s fun, kinda like a photographic scavenger hunt for all things bright and colorful.

Here are my entries so far:

The Contest

Enter Crocs Instagram Sweepstakes ”Splash of Color” for an opportunity to win a $3000 shopping spree. Contest ends 20 May 2013. To enter, you must have the Instagram app on your smart phone:

1. Upload a photo to your Instagram account
2. Include the required hashtag #splashofcolor
3. Complete the entry form
4. You can upload 3 pictures per day

Leave a comment below telling me why you want to win.

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If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you know that I like to do a little something called “Fist Bump Friday”, where I encourage my friends to share something that has made them happy during the week. Sometimes we get so bogged down with life and the crazy that comes with it that we forget to recognize the good things. So I thought it’d be fun if we all shared and celebrated together.

So please, share your good news in the comments below. Remember, it doesn’t have to be big or earth shattering. If it’s important to you, it’s important to me.

This week I’m happy that I finally forced myself to take a giant step forward and register for my first race, the Capaha Classic 5K. I start an 8 week training program on Monday, and I’m beyond excited. I’m also nervous because I’m sooo not a runner. But I will be.

What made you happy this week?

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Happy Wednesday, everyone! I hope you’re all having a beautiful week so far. I know I am, the sun is shining, we’re on our summer schedule at work… life is good.

This week’s theme for Wardrobe Wednesday is denim jackets…

I own two of them but rarely wear them. I’m not really certain why, because once I put them on, I’m like Hmmmm, I look cute in this. And, truth be told, a denim jacket really is the perfect completer piece. It can be formal or informal, it can be relaxed or structured. It can be boho or preppy. The denim jacket is quite possibly the most versatile piece of clothing you can have in your wardrobe.

I feel the same way about skirts and boots. This skirt is probably one of my favorite pieces of clothing because it’s just so girly. Did I really just say that? It also doesn’t hurt that I get compliments almost every time I wear it.

I’m also including a picture from my 40th birthday series, “Celebrating Me.” I decided to take a picture on the 10th of every month to celebrate my 40th year because these weekly wardrobe posts aren’t enough. insert eye roll

The best part about turning 40 and taking my own pictures is that I get to have way too much fun playing dress up. For this picture, I was inspired by one of my celebrity style icons, Nicole Richie. You can see her picture by clicking here. I went a little more 80′s Glam Rock while she’s 70′s Disco Queen but I think it still works. My other photos are here and here.

What fun photo would you like to take?

I’m linking up with:

• Dear Abbyleigh ~ Dress for the Day: Clothes can affect your mood; dress for the day you want to have, not the day that’s having you
• Kiwi Womens Style ~ Wardrobe Wednesday: Sharing handmade and store bought clothes along with tips and tricks
• The Pleated Poppy ~ What I Wore Wednesday: Encouraging ladies everywhere to forgo sweats and yoga pants for fashionable looks

Please check them out for more fashion inspiration.

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Hi, and welcome to Coffee Talk. In case you’re new here, this is where I share some of the great and not~so~great stuff that I find on the web. Topics range from news stories that leave me scratchin’ my head to DIYs that I think are absolutely clever.  And there may be a recipe thrown in here or there just for fun.

1. The big news story last week was the rescue of the three missing ladies in Cleveland. This story has so many victims beyond the missing women who I hope will have their requests for privacy respected: the women’s families, the abductor’s family members, investigators, etc. How does a town even begin to recover from something like this? And, for the rest of us, how do we not look at our neighbors without just a hint of suspicion?

2. Of course with the news of the rescue of the three women, I couldn’t help but to start thinking about Terrilynn Monette, the teacher from New Orleans who went missing while celebrating her “Teacher of the Year” nomination. I did a quick search to see if anything has changed since I first talked about her nearly two months ago, and the case has gone cold. And, as is the case with many missing people of color, there still has been precious little media coverage.

3. I added another picture to my 4oth birthday photography series “Celebrating Me”. I thought about posting the picture here, but, honestly, I’m tired of looking at my face, so if you’d like to see it, click here. I’m actually kind of proud of that picture, I used an old one of Nicole Richie for inspiration. In case you didn’t know, I’m a Nicole Richie fan. So bizarre, right? Considering I’m 40 and she’s, what, thirtysomething? Ooooh, do you remember that television show? Loved it!

4. And speaking of photography, have you seen this picture of a 1930′s Harlemite? People swear up and down it’s Jay~Z. Ummmm, I don’t know about all that but they say everyone has a twin… Do you have a celebrity twin? I think mine is probably Lisa Bonet, from The Cosby Show.

What had you scratchin’ your head this week?

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This is one of my favorite pictures of my sisters and me with my mom; it was the first time we’d ever seen snow. We totally gobsmacked. 

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day. I did absolutely nothing, which is exactly what I wanted. Thank you to my children who threatened to force me to spend the entire day with them.

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