Fierce|Fabulous|Fit

Yellow is Definitely My Color...

2012-05-19T18:01:00.002-07:00

Hey there!! Can you believe it?!! Another post in the same month!! Haha...

I went out to my brother's track meet (which he dominated) and grocery shopping in this outfit. I got lots of compliments on it... my favorite was the guy who checked me out at New Seasons. He said, "Girl, you're lookin' good!! Yellow is definitely your color!!" Thanks, New Seasons Dude. What a nice guy!

I actually love this tank! I got another one in orange and I have to admit I'm temped to head back to Nordstrom Rack for more colors :)

Spring is off to a fabulous start!! I'm staying quite busy but loving life just the same. Not much here to report on other than the weather has been FANTASTIC!! According to the local news, Portland's first 90* day didn't come until August last year!! This year the first one was early May. I say BRING IT!! I won't complain no matter how hot it is!! I love it!!

How have you all been?? Enjoying Spring-almost-Summer time??

Outfit:

top: Nordstrom Rack

cami: Old Navy

jeans: Nordstrom Rack by Paige Jeans

wedges: Dolce Vita for Target

Hopefully I'll be back this week with a FITNESS post!!!

Stay tuned!

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Giveaway Winner & Stuff!

2012-02-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

The winner of the giveaway is Aries! Congrats, girl!! I need your contact info so I can send it to my friends at Trop50!

Update on Auntie: She had surgery on her lung on Thursday. She is recovering, but the recovery is long and still somewhat dicey. She could be in the icu for up to 8 more weeks. :/

Auntie K and me

Thank you so much for the prayers and thoughts! I've received the sweetest tweets from some of you! Thank YOU!!!

I'm a little bummed right now because I'm sick. As much as I want to visit Auntie, I know I shouldn't risk getting her sick, so I'm keeping my distance. Also, some crazy other stuff going on around here. I'll be back soon!!

XO,

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About Me: If You Looked...

2012-02-08T00:28:00.000-08:00

There's been quite a bit of traffic on my 'About Me' page recently. I don't have too much info on there, and thought I should tell you all more about me! I got this idea when I was reading The Lean Green Bean Blog last week. I hope you enjoy the format, I thought it was fun to read!

If you looked into my home you'd see:

+ a small, trendy city condo
+ candles
+ lots of books
+ workout equipment
+ framed photos
+ dried roses and flower boquets

If you looked into my car you'd see:

+ a mess
+ empty water bottles
+ Cliff Bar wrappers
+ downtown parking citations {ha!}

If you looked into my email you'd see:

+ funny emails between the bff and I
+ work stuff
+ LOTS of blog stuff
+ Pinterest & Olioboard notifications

If you looked into my Blackberry you'd see:

+ snapshots of my nieces

creepy eyes, me and Addie!

+ snapshots of Baby Ian {the precious boy I nanny part time}

+ daily calls between me and the bff If you looked into my head you'd see:

+ hopes and dreams
+ long to-do lists
+ ideas
+ thoughts of my loved ones
+ anxiety about almost everything

If you looked into my heart you'd see:

+ PASSION for:
Jesus
my family and friends
health and fitness
children
+ hope for the future
+ love, support, gratitude and pride for my J
+ a desire to change the inner city violence among blacks in our country
+ desire to help and mentor teen moms
+ prayers for my Auntie
+ a desire to spread my passions for health and fitness

Brian Stevenson Photography

+ a whole lot of love for you readers!!! Thank you for the constant support!!!

Thank you, Lindsay for the idea!! I think I'm going to go ahead and post this on my "About Me" page :)

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Step It Up!

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Friends!! It's that time again:: FIT TUESDAY*!! Remember this post about depression? Well, that day I went and did the awesome stair workout. I mean, AWESOME!! Due to my emotional/mental state that day, I hadn't fueled and hydrated properly, so I did have to keep this workout shorter than usual. What I love about this stair work-out though, is that it's very high intensity, so a half hour is good!
*this may not be my best... I typed this sitting in the hospital room with Auntie on very little sleep :)

Source: fitfabcities.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Here are the stairs, they are about 8 or 9 stories high:

I did these up and then down, then up again. At the top the view looks like this:

Then after that I run on the street down a hill and back to the stairs. It's one quarter of a mile. Next, it's back up and down the stairs again and back down the hill... repeat, etc.

It's so good for your legs and booty!! SO GOOD!

Afterwards, there's a steep hill that I do sprints on. This particular day I only did a few sprints because I wasn't fueled properly, but It was a great workout that boosted my mood almost immediately! I highly recommend hills and stairs. It's high intensity and quick! And you feel it!

Once I finished, I did a cool down lap on the stair hill in a slow jog and went inside to my yoga mat and stability ball for some stretching and abs.

See, there are ways to get tough workouts in without going to the gym or running miles and miles!!

Do you have any local stairs to run?
Or any outside or home workouts you do???

Recent Outfit Post
Stay Tuned for the *winner* of the spa giveaway {now closed}

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Orange & Stripes!

2012-02-05T22:14:00.000-08:00

Since it's finally been dry and sunny here recently, I have been considering wearing my orange skinnies from H&M. Honestly, I wasn't sure I had the guts to do it! Anyway, one of my daily reads is Color Me Blue. I came upon this post the other day that inspired me and gave me the final push I needed to wear those babies!! Mandy styled them perfectly!! I didn't go for her exact look, as you can see, but here's what I came up with.

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I chose short sleeves because J and I were heading to a {really fun} Superbowl party after church, and I knew it would be warm and crowded. It ended up being perfect!

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all ready to go!

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THE OUTFIT:

top: Old Navy

skinnies: H & M

stilettos: Jessica Simpson Collection

leather jacket: Cole Haan

What do you think about this look??

I got lots of stares at church. Haha. But at the Superbowl party a few friends told me they never would have paired these pieces together, however they liked the look. I also have been playing with my eye shadows more. This board on my Pinterest has some eye make-up inspiration I've been using as a guide. Unfortunately I took the make up photo at the end of the day, so you couldn't see the colors as well. Sorry about that!

Pin It

The middle is a greenish color and the outside is a deep purple with a little smoky black powder to line the top and bottom.

Update on my Auntie: I stayed last night in the ICU with her. She's still very ill but today my mom said she was alert, which is a huge step!! She still has a long way to go, but every bit of progress is FABULOUS!! Thank you for the kind comments and tweets!!

Monday 2/6 is the LAST DAY to enter the SPA giveaway!! CLICK HERE to enter. I'll announce the winner on Tuesday, 2/7.

XO,

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Prom Night

2012-02-05T00:43:00.000-08:00

So, as I said in Friday's post, I had a surprise to tell you all about. My friend, Amanda, who I've been close with since we were 14 years old, turns the big 3-0 on Monday. She also has the sweetest husband on the planet!! He called me a couple of months ago to ask for my help with a surprise birthday for her. Since she didn't go to the prom in high school, he threw a PROM for her!! Is that not soooo adorable?? So tonight J and I went. It was a lot of fun and I got to see some other great people I hadn't seen in years. I also got to introduce J to Amanda's parents, who I was really close with as a teenager. I thought I'd share some of the photos of our night. It was definitely fun to get away and let loose in light of what's been going on lately. As I sit here in my Auntie's ICU room watching her sleep, I was able to upload the photos and thought I'd share them.

Here's my make up from tonight- taken while I'm sitting in the hospital, clearly not in my dress anymore. :) I loved the way it turned out!

The photo area was even classic high school prom!!

Amanda, the birthday woman

reunited with Hallie after many years!

MY FINE prom date!! Can't wait to get the professional ones back!

Friends, this was so. much. fun!! I really needed this night!!

Any fun plans for your weekend??

Have you entered my SPA giveaway?? DO IT!

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MIA

2012-02-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends, and happy Friday to you all!!! I know I haven't been blogging this week. There's just a lot going on right now!! Besides some battles I recently divulged {which is improving despite circumstances, I should add} it's family time. Things are crazy busy in my life right now, and on top of that, a dear dear loved one is sick. My Auntie K. She's that family member who's a little unpredictable- at times she says off the wall things that could be slightly embarassing, depending on who's around!! You know, that one? She's hilarious, but also one of the most caring people I know. She's so loving. Auntie never had children or got married. She moved to Oregon to be near my immediate family over ten years ago and Auntie is ALWAYS there for us. She is the most supportive person I know! Without fail she's at all my younger brother's football games despite her health issues. She's always at every family function with a smile on her face and joy in her heart. She's so quick to give even when she probably should rest. She is patient, kind, humble and doting on her nieces and nephews. Every. Single. Time I see my Auntie K I know I'm going to hear how sweet and special and intelligent and beautiful I am. That's her heart. And she loves Jesus with all that she is. Well, Auntie is in the icu right now. She has congestive heart failure and is extremely ill. My mom is in cardiology, so she understands the ins and outs of all of this. She also works in the hospital where Auntie is, and says she's receiving the best care we could ask for. Wow, what a blessing. So this weekend I'll be taking shifts with my mom and another Auntie of mine, to support her and make sure she's never alone. That said, I'd love the prayers, good thoughts, etc. Mom says she expects a full recovery so that's what we are all hoping and praying for!! In the mean time, I do have super fun plans on Saturday night that I can't wait to tell you all about!! It's a surprise for a friend though, so I can't announce until afterwards!

Auntie L, Me, Mom, Whit {cousin}, Erin {Sis-in-Law} Auntie K
Christmas Eve 2010

Allow me to share #798374 why J is perfect for me: after a long, rough day for us both, he pulls out the Bible to read me some encouraging wisdom. Dang, I'm blessed!!

Oh, go check out Carissa- I stumbled upon her blog and she is HILARIOUS!! Especially this post about a couple reality stars we all love to hate. :)

GO ENTER MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!
It ends on Monday

XO,

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Fit Tuesday: Inner Thighs

2012-01-31T18:03:00.000-08:00

Hey there!! Recently a long-time reader, and great blogger tweeted me to ask if I'd post a Fit Tuesday on Inner Thighs, so here you go! Oh, and please don't be ~~scared~~ jealous of my sexy hair!! It took a long time to do it, sorry, no tutorials on this one! :)

I want to start by saying, if you have target areas that you'd like to improve- do focus on them, but don't isolate those areas all the time. It's good to keep your workouts varied and to continue working your whole body including your "trouble spots." Here are a couple of my favorite inner thigh moves:

1. Plie'- These are a move I learned in ballet! Plie' is actually a French word. Anyway, stand with your feet a bit wider than your hips and bend until your thighs are parallel to the ground. You may do these with your arms straight out in front of you, out to the sides in a "T" or add resistance like I did, with weights! Do these for about 46-60 seconds.

*be sure to tuck your butt under while you do these and keep your abs tight!!

2. Chair kicks: Stand straight up behind a chair and kick your leg inward as shown in the photo. Swing each leg in and out for about 45 seconds per set, in a controlled manner. Keep your abs tight!!

{via}

3. Lunges: Most of you know what a proper lunge looks like. You can do these with weights as well!

4. V-Sits: I love these!! Begin with your legs out in a V shape, a couple inches off of the ground, and lift them to a 45* angle. Keep doing these in a controlled motion for 45-60 second sets! Keep those abs in :)

3. Lateral Band Walks: Both legs should be in a mini band, just below your knees. Then walk side steps for 20 feet, then back 20 feet!

4. Single-Arm Dumbell Swing! Challenge!! Grab your dumbell with an overhand grip. hold in front of you at waist level. Bend at hips and knees and lower torso to 45* angle to the floor. Swing dumbell between legs. Next, keeping arm straight, thrust hips forward and straighten your knees. Bring dumb bell to chest as you stand up. Now squat back down and do over...

Last 2 taken from Women's Health BIG Book of Exercises

Need a break?? Go enter my $50.00 SPA GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY Sponsored by Trop50 NOW!

Any other favorite thigh exercises you like??

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Thirsty?? And SPA GIVEAWAY!!!

2012-01-31T10:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday, friends!! No, I haven't forgotten FT {Fit Tuesday}- it's coming later. I wanted to tell you about something! If you've been reading for awhile you may or may not know that I rarely drink anything other than water. I also detest milk!! Milk of any kind... soy, almond, etc. I haven't even tasted any since I was very little. Anyway, I was contacted by Trop50 recently. They wanted to know if I'd be willing to review their orange juice. At first I wasn't sure. I want to stay true to who I am here, and keep it real with you all. However, I saw that they have one that's fortified with Vitamin D and Calcium. BINGO!! I am always trying to find ways to get those two nutrients in my body with more than just vitamin supplements, so I was sold. I picked up my Trop50 this weekend. I got the pulp-free, Vitamin D and Calcium fortified. I rarely drink any juices, so I just had a small glass... it was so good that I went ahead and got two refills over the next hour or so! It's called Trop50 because it has 50% of the sugar and calories than their regular orange juice with just 50 calories per serving!! I also liked this since I prefer to eat my calories rather than drink them!

My friends at Trop50 are so awesome that they also want to offer a Fierce|Fabulous|Fit reader a $50.00 SPA AND WELLNESS GIFT CARD*!!

participating spas

{Rules to Enter}

"Like" Trop50 on Facebook

"Like" Fierce|Fabulous|Fit on Facebook and

for an extra entry tweet about the giveaway and tag with #Trop50
for a 3rd entry, follow FFF on GFC or BlogLovin' {tell me which in your comment}

Feel free to copy and paste this tweet:

I just entered the #Trop50 Spa & Wellness giveaway @fiercefabfit you can too, here: http://ow.ly/8MZVn

also, be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!! :)

Please leave a comment when you have liked both FB pages, and a seperate comment if you tweeted about the giveaway or followed FFF!!!

Winners will be announced on Tuesday February 7th!

Another fun thing is, if you head over to the Trop50 Facebook page {HERE } to learn about their Trop50 True Resolutionspromotion; tell Top50 about a resolution or goal YOU have for the year of 2012, and enter to win Trop50 coupons for you and your friends! Enter NOW, because it ends TODAY!!
True Resolutions

I received the product mentioned above free of charge for editorial consideration, and I’m also eligible for additional incentives. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own

Come back later for Fit Tuesday: INNER THIGHS!! Post will be up around 6:30 pm pacific time.

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Goodbye, Google Friend Connect!

2012-01-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

By now I'm sure most of you have heard that Google Friend Connect is going away. I have to be honest, I'm super bummed about it. I've really enjoyed seeing that number go up almost daily over the past few weeks. It feels so good every time I notice that one more person made the decision to click "follow." Well, Google has decided to do away with it, likely to force us all to use Google + more. I am still considering this, but to be honest with you, I'm not sure Fierce|Fabulous|Fit will move in that direction. I just don't like Google+ that much. However, There are other ways to follow! If you're on Facebook, you can follow there. I usually post my posts on my Facebook page as I publish them. Like me on Facebook HERE. Then, there's BlogLovin'. BlogLovin' is actually what I use to follow blogs! Click here:

to follow me on BlogLovin'. BL will automatically post when I publish, and it keeps track of which posts you've read. If you're a reader and a blogger I would highly suggest this site to follow your blogs with! All the other ways to follow along including RSS and getting my posts in your email inbox are through the icons in the upper right corner of my blog page. Those include email, RSS, Twitter, Facebook, BlogLovin', Pinterest, and Formspring.

Bloggers, what are you doing to replace GFC?

What is your preferred way to follow your favorite blogs?

A HUGE thank you for the outpouring of love and support on THIS post the other day... your kind words and tweets mean so much to me during this time and always! If I haven't responded to your tweet, comment or email yet, I'm getting to you!! Promise :)

XO,

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FBFF: New Trends

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Katy over at ModlyChic, is the founder of Fashion/Beauty Friend Friday {FBFF}. Each week, Katy puts some thought provoking questions together and emails them to us. On Friday we all post our responses. It's s a fun, diverse and creative blog community! If you're interested in being a part of this fabulous group, head over to Katy's FBFF page for details

1. With Fashion week just around the corner, we are all beginning to
focus on the upcoming trends for fall. But what about the trends
hitting stores now? What are you coveting?

Metallic Basics and Bright Orange pieces are two trends that I'm really into!!

{via}

2. How do you incorporate new trends into your wardrobe?

When I want to try a new trend I don't usually splurge on it right away. I'll usually purchase an affordable piece- faux leather for example, before buying the spendy version. I do this to try it out and make sure I'm really feeling it before I go spend a fortune on it and then decide I'm not into it.

3. What trend are you seeing and not loving?

Peplum. I'm really not into it!!

4. Do you feel the pressure to constantly update your closet with the
latest trends?
No, I really don't. I feel pressure to constantly update my closet with stuff I love though!! *wink, wink*

5. Where do you find inspiration that takes the trend and makes it
accessible to you and your personal taste?

Tweaking editorial looks in magazines, on television and most of all, fellow bloggers.

It's fun to be back into FBFF, right??

If you haven't done so yet, please check out my post from yesterday.

{Stepping Out of A Dark Place} It took a lot of courage to publish. It's definitely the most transparent and vulnerable I've gotten on the blog before. I'd love the support!

XO,

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Stepping Out of A Dark Place

2012-01-26T18:59:00.000-08:00

I wasn't sure if I'd have to courage to publish this post or not. If you follow me on Twitter, you may know that today just wasn't good. Getting out of bed felt like the hardest thing I've ever done, and when I finally did get up {late} and dragged myself to work looking like hell, I had no motivation to do anything. I have had more and more days like this lately. Depression is something I've battled for many years. I think partly it's in my genes, partly due to battling chronic illness, and who knows why else... anyway, I've been on anti-depressants off and on for most of my 20's and have struggled off and on regardless. I felt like there was a major dip in my mood accompanied by anxiety over the past few weeks. Nothing suicidal or anything, but I just get so down, lose my motivation and get extremely anxious!! Today I felt like I needed to either get in my bed and hide from the world, or go do something. So I took a long lunch break and hit the stairs. I hadn't ran them in quite awhile due to all of the rain here. The stairs are old and uneven, so they tend to be slippery and unsafe after days of rain. But today there was a break in the rain {thank you, God} and I decided to put on my running shoes and hit go for it!! I had to keep it short {about 30} minutes, since I wasn't properly fueled for a workout and hadn't drank enough water. But I feel so. much. better.

I hope this doesn't sound like a sob story, that's not what it's meant to be. I know I'm not the only one who suffers from depression and anxiety. Depression is so isolating if you allow it to be. So is anxiety. I think they have more power in isolation. Not talking about it is what {I believe} sends you spiraling deeper. So here I am, talking. I feel like the past few weeks I've really struggled to put on a happy face, to get dressed to get work done, to just do life. In light of this, I am making a conscious effort not to be silent about it, and to keep pushing myself and to seek support when I need it. I'm hoping to have more outfit posts as accountability to get moving and get really dressed. Not for vanity but because, let's face it- it feels good to look good. As far as support goes, my best friend and my love and two solid rocks in my life. I tell both of them everything and although J doesn't know what anxiety feels like, he listens and comforts me. He also reminds me that God is my rock. He helps me remember that I am never alone.

Stopping everything in the middle of the day and running the stairs probably sounds really odd, but it helped so much!! The endorphins are flowing and although I'm still a little down, I feel more hopeful and more energized! The stairs are a challenging workout. I always feel accomplished after pounding out a few sets of those. {It's a really good workout, I'll post the details of it soon, I just didn't want to take away from the post}

city view from the top of the stairs

I want to make an important distinction here. There are bad days and there is clinical depression. I know I battle clinical depression. I do take medication for it daily, but that doesn't completely keep the dark days/weeks away. I'm choosing to be proactive right now, and for me, that includes activity and sticking to the goals I mentioned above.

This was a tough post for me to write. I strive to be honest on my blog, and I wanted to be honest about this. I think often when reading blogs you see "happy" people and all the "happy" things in their lives. Bloggers don't always share the hard stuff. I'm such an advocate for wellness, and I wanted to share with you all that I'm not perfect. I'm not always well, but I'm working on it. I also want to give credit to Jessica and Elissa. These two women write the most courageous posts, and their courage gave me the extra push to be more vulnerable to all of you. It was really hard for me to know the right words to say. I just spoke from my heart. So that's me, getting vulnerable and being transparent. I just want to walk it like I talk it. Thank you, all of you for reading. It brings me joy to post about my passions and to get your comments, emails, tweets, fb likes, follows, etc. I appreciate each and every one of you and I know there are brighter days ahead!!

sweaty with a genuine smile after my stair run!

Much Love,

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Wednesday Link Love

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends!!

I don't usually do these posts, but there are a few posts I read in the last couple of days that I felt I should share with you:

+ Fitness Goals by Jessica over at Monster-Cakes This is a short and sweet post about Jessica's fitness goals. What I love about it, is it's all about loving YOU! Go, Jessica! Ah, I love her blog!!

+Things Blogging has Taught Me by Lindsay at Lean Green Bean. Bloggers, we can all relate no matter what your blog is about! Check her out!!

+ Weight Loss Journey: Tale of Mother and Daughter by Collette over at Statements in Fashion Looking at her you would never know that she's a Weight Watchers member who has lost a significant amount of weight. Way to go, Collette! Read this post to see how her and her daughter have found their healthy lifestyles!

+ Polka Dot Jeans and My Relationship With Food by Elissa at Dress with Courage If you've ever read Elissa's blog, you know it's filled with eloquent posts from the heart. Her honestly and transparency is something I value so much. Her posts are thought-provoking and inspiring and she is a truly gifted writer!!

+ My New Favorite Song and... by Janae at Hungry Runner Girl Check out how she does workouts with her playlists!! It's simply brilliant!

+ Trick Up the Sleeve by Dani at Life's A Journal featured a really cool DIY on how to turn your blazer into a statement piece!! I might have to try this one :)

A little something for you to ponder:

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A {Semi} Wordless Fit Tuesday

2012-01-24T12:04:00.000-08:00

Today's Fit Tuesday is brought to you by:

PINTEREST

Source: fitandhealthyeveryways.tumblr.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Source: the-happy-and-healthy-me.tumblr.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Source: headheartlegs.tumblr.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Source: letsmakeahealthiertomorrow.tumblr.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Source: lifes-a-journal.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Source: tuffmotherondarun.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Source: traceysays.tumblr.com via Krystle on Pinterest

Source: tumblr.com via Krystle on Pinterest

COMING SOON: The Wellness Project. Check it out and consider participating!!

I made some too!! :)

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Which of these do you find most motivating or inspiring?

Do you have any favorite motivational/fitness quotes? If so, please share them!

Lacy Tunic and Friends!!

2012-01-24T00:40:00.000-08:00

Hey friends!! First of all, my apologies about Fit Tuesday! I really love doing those posts, but tonight I had fun plans with friends, and wanted to stay off the internet once I got home. Unfortunately it's midnight and I'm wide awake, so I decided to go ahead and do an outfit post. My friend took my outfit photos for me earlier today, so I knew it wouldn't take long for me to do this post. :)

Before I go into today's post, if you missed Fit Tuesday the past few weeks, I wanted to tell you that I now have icons in the sidebar that you can click on to take you to certain posts:

this one is down lower and when you click it it will take you to all the Fit Tuesday posts showing most recent first:

This one will take you to every Fitness post including Fit Tuesday:

Lastly, I will be posting more frequently about my {not-so} daily life, and to get to those posts you'll click this icon:

Anyway, today my friend, Amanda texted me to see if I wanted to come over for dinner. Amanda is a fabulous cook, and her three daughters aged 9, 5 and 2 are some of my favorite littles on the planet!! They are so much fun and love when "Kitto" comes to visit! :) Here's Addie and I while we were doing artwork tonight before dinner:

she always has me braid her hair when I'm over... cute huh? :)

I had a great time playing with the girls and catching up with my dear friend Amanda! We've been super close since freshman year of high school. She's still a great friend and the kind of mother I aspire to be one day. Amanda, you amaze me every. single. day!!! She kindly took my outfit photos for me tonight.

This tunic is by far one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe!! I scored it on a killer sale after Thanksgiving. I was down on the Portland Waterfront where there are some cute boutiques, and this was on the clearance rack- originally $128.00 and I got it for somewhere around $30.00!! SCORE!!

THE OUTFIT:

leather jacket- gifted by Cole Haan

tunic- Mia Boutique

black x- long tank- H&M

leggings- AE

boots- by Jessica Simpson

As I stated above, Fit Tuesday should be back tomorrow, but no later than next week... if you missed any of the last 3, click the Fit Tuesday icon on the side bar.

Oh, and WELCOME to the new faces I see under my followers, and the new "likes" on Facebook!!

I'm so happy to have you ALL!!!

FFF on Bloglovin'FFF on Facebook | FFF on Twitter

Have a question?? Formspring Me. I promise to answer!

Take Me Back...

2012-01-22T00:30:00.001-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, it has been raining like crazy here. The governor declared a state of emergency in a few counties because of flooding. I have to be honest, this time of year can be difficult living in Oregon. It seems like it's gray all. the. time. And I am over it right now! This evening I found myself reminiscing on a ladies' weekend trip I took in November. It was an amazing gift my cousin and I received from our moms- 4 days in Arizona, and 3 days at a spa weekend in Enchantment Resort in Sedona, AZ. It was absolutely fabulous!! My cousin, Whitney lives in Arizona, so me, my mom and my aunt flew down and stayed the first night at Whitney's new house in Phoenix, then drove to Sedona for the rest of the trip.

I took all photos except the very first one.

the resort {via}

The four of us stayed in a huge suite. I wish I had taken photos of it. It was so pretty! This was the view right when we stepped outside:

Sedona Red Rocks

We spent our time getting spa treatments, relaxing together, hiking andeating good food outside the resort in Sedona, and we had a meal or two in the resort's restaurant. I loved it because the food was all fresh, organic and very healthy! It was so nice to get out of Portland for a few days to bright, beautiful scenery with some of my favorite women on the planet! It was also the first time I had been out of town since me and J got together. Yes, we are one of those couples who just really likes to be around each other. I have never been in a relationship where I truly enjoyed being around that person all the time. We have our own friends and hobbies outside of each other, but we just really like being together. We missed each other a lot, and when I got back he said he didn't want me to leave again *swoon* but it was fun and if I could do it over again I totally would! Here are more photos from our trip:

dinner out:: Mom, Whitney, Auntie Linda & me

my beautiful mom

Pretty cousin & dear friend Whitney

The Mamas!

Whitney on a hike we took

another hiking view

me on our hike!

And that's the recap!! I'm ready to go back!!

I hope you're all enjoying your weekend!! I'll be back soon with some fun stuff this week, including Fit Tuesday!!

XO,

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Cozy Winter Friday

2012-01-20T11:16:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends!! Happy Friday to you! I'm comfy cozy today... it's pretty cold and rainy around here. We're actually experiencing some crazy flooding around the state. It's really scary. I'm just thankful my area still seems to be doing alright. I saw some footage on the news last night of people paddle boating around their neighborhoods!! I can't even imagine!! Our governor actually declared a state of emergency in quite a few local counties.

On a more positive note, it's FRIDAY!! This week has just been a little dark and gloomy as far as weather goes. It's not likely to let up, either. But I'm hoping to get some good weekend workouts in! Does anyone else find it difficult to get motivated when the weather sucks?? I do!!

I picked this outfit strictly for warmth and comfort. But after really looking at it I feel like I should have added a pop of color somewhere... what do you think? I am really into sweaters lately. They're so warm and cozy!!

THE OUTFIT:

sweater- The Limited {very old!}

long sleeve- f21

green tank- Old Navy

jeans- Citizens of Humanity

boots- Uggs

I've owned everything in this outfit for sooo long, maybe that's why it's so comfortable!!

Have a great weekend!! Here's a quote to leave you with:

"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. "

-Raymond Chandler

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Links a la Mode: IFB Weekly Roundup, January 19th

2012-01-19T17:04:00.000-08:00

The Woman in the Mirror Gonna Change Her Ways

By Jessie Thorpe of Denimology

It's January. It's a time for fresh beginnings, unknown adventures, and change. The new year is all about making personal progress. Most peeps vow to go to the gym, stick to their diet, keep a tight budget or to quit biting their nails. Why not change your personal style instead? You can be bold, be tough and take risks! Maybe you need to tone it down, dress your age or stop when more is really way too much! Whether your fashion goals for the year are to be a better blogger, feature top notch photos or be a fashion savvy dresser, surely there is a link or three here to spur on your metamorphosis.

THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP: LINKS À LA MODE: JANUARY 19TH

Are You Endearing: Life Lessons Learned From a Little Black Dress
Brunette Blogging: A fun approach to the widely discussed tale of the fashion blogger
Coming Unstitched: Found that perfect dress? Here's how to work it with every style.
Denimology: Skinny, Slouchy or Drop Crotch? This Is The Question!
Dressful: Bill Cunningham: The original street style photographer
Fashionopolis: This winter bring out the brights!
Fierce|Fabulous|Fit: Ways to make your blog mobile friendly in Blogger, Wordpress, etc.
Grit and Glamour: 12 Ways to a Better Blog—and a Better You—in 2012
Life of a Recessionista: DIY: Makeup Brush Cleanser
Little Spindrift: Experimenting with rainbow nails...inspired by Miss Caggie Dunlop
Oranges And Apples: Untangling ethical fashion
Shrimp Salad Circus: Guide to Self-Portrait Photography - Lose the awkward, look amazing!
Small Town, Big Wardrobe: "Fabulous" photos that didn't make it....
Style Delights: What Kate Middleton, SJP & Mrs Obama taught us about statement necklaces.
Sugar and Spice: How to... Survive your first season at Fashion Week
The Chic Sheet: Sequin Leggings + A Sweatshirt...Why I Love A Good Contradiction
The Closet Intervention: Why "accessible style" is anything but for the average American.
The Fashion Edition: Spring's controversial trend, Pastels, and how to wear them edgy.
The Fashionable Workout: Sweating Stylishly
The Frugalista Diaries: DIY Dress For A Cause

SPONSOR:
New Shoes at Shopbop: Sergio Rossi, Jil Sander, Boutique9, Margiela, CK, Missoni, Sam Edelman, Jeffrey Campbell, Coclico Shoes, Minnetonka, Edmund Castillo & Badgley Mischka

Do you have a post you think should be submitted to Links?? Click HERE to do it!!

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Reader Q & A: What do you eat?

2012-01-18T15:39:00.000-08:00

Recently, I asked you all if you had any questions for me, or post requests via Twitter and Facebook. One question was:

"What kinds of foods do you eat?"

Answer: It's difficult to know the best way to answer this question. I'll start by saying my very favorite foods are pasta and dark chocolate, and yes, I eat both and often! I also eat very well rounded. Most of you likely know that I aim to eat clean as much as possible. What I mean by 'clean' is I try to eat foods in their most natural forms by avoiding processed foods as much as possible. I also make as many organic choices as possible in order to avoid putting extra hormones, pesticides and preservatives in my body. Organics can be quite expensive, so unfortunately I cannot usually afford to buy everything organic, but here's what I try to do:

Always Organic

eggs
meat
I can't stand milk, but when I need it for a recipe I buy organic

Usually Organic

fruits w/ thin skin. i.e. apples
vegetables

{COMPLEX} CARBOHYDRATES

I love carbs. I've always, always loved carbs, and I do eat quite a bit of them, but I try to keep my meals balanced. You may gasp when you hear I'm a carb freak and it doesn't make me gain weight, but the truth is, I believe carbs get a bad rep from dieters. I try to stay away from simple carbohydrates such as white bread. These do provide energy, but they contain more sugars and lack vitamins, minerals and fiber. Instead, I choose complex carbohydrates which have whole wheat and grains. So rather than just any pasta, I'll eat whole grain pasta or whole wheat bread (I especially prefer wheat bread that has nuts and seeds in it).

FRUITS & VEGETABLES

I aim to eat 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. I know that sounds like a lot (it is) but the new FDA recommendation is now 6-9. Also, many fruits and vegetables provide fiber, which is not only great for your digestive system, but it is filling! I also notice that when I'm eating enough fruit, my body tends to crave fruit rather than candy! Some of my favs are: apples (I eat at least on a day), bananas, fresh green beans, broccoli and pears.

{via}

{LEAN} PROTEIN

Protein is SO important! If you're a vegetarian or vegan, you definitely need to make sure you're getting enough protein. I'm not a huge red meat fan, but I've been wanting to start eating a burger or steak every week to get more iron. Anyway, not only do I not enjoy red meat much, but it tends to contain quite a bit of saturated fat, which isn't so good for you. I stick to more lean protein such as chicken, 99% fat free ground turkey and salmon. If you don't eat meat, try beans, legumes and lentils. Also, try soy products such as tofu or my favorite- edamame. Eggs are another good source of protein, but I don't eat them often... they seem to make my stomach feel funny lately. Greek yogurt is another source of protein. I tried really hard to like it, but the texture makes me gag. YUCK!

{HEALTHY} FATS

Nuts and nut butter are great for you. My favorite nut butter is almond butter. I also like avocado and extra-virgin olive oil. Cheese is something else I really enjoy, but I try not to eat too much. It can be hard on my stomach {and it's not as "good" for you} but it tastes so good!

DAIRY

I'm not really a dairy person. I try to supplement with Calcium supplements, but to be honest with you I truly don't each {or drink} much dairy other than Calcium. I do like yogurt, though so occasionally I'll eat cereal over a bowl of organic vanilla yogurt.

TREATS

I say if you want a treat- have it!! But use moderation. I could eat pasta 7 days a week (probably have before-oops!) and I love dark chocolate, but I realize I can't go overboard. I eat some dark chocolate almost every day, but It might just be a square or two, and every once in awhile an entire bar. There's nothing wrong with that. Same goes with pasta dishes. My whole wheat pasta is definitely not bad for me, especially when combined with some olive oil, garlic, chicken and veggies. That's a well rounded dish right there!

{via}

BEVERAGES

I figured in a food post it makes sense to tell you what I drink. The bulk of fluids that enter my body is WATER. I drink water all. day. long. Aside from this, I never drink soda. My parents didn't allow me to drink it when I was growing up, so I have never really tried drinking it since. I like grapefruit juice, so I drink it from time to time. And I also drink coffee probably one or two days a week. As far as alcohol, I might have a drink on occasion, but I rarely drink that either. I love pinot nior wine, but wine always gives me a headache, so I don't drink it. I'm just a boring water person.

I was also asked for some recipes, so I will be posting some of my favorites soon! Stay tuned!!

Do you eat a balanced diet??

What foods or food groups do you find most challenging to incorporate into your diet?
For me, it's dairy. I have a really difficult time getting dairy sources into my daily intake.

For more on food from me, HERE is a past Fit Tuesday post on nutrition.

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Fit Tuesday: Glutes & Hamstrings!

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

People have always asked me how I got my candy butt!! The truth is, I started doing gymnastics when I was about 7 years old (maybe younger) and the exercise that goes along with it gets your body pretty toned. Thankfully, my parents kept me pretty active after my years of gymnastics until I was old enough to continue to choose an active lifestyle (thanks, Mom and Dad!). So anyway, I do lots of at home toning (as well as stair workouts, the gym and running). I thought I'd share some of my booty (glutes) moves with you all (some of these are good for hamstrings as well)! The workouts below can also be found in the book I described last week.

FYI- Your glutes also known as the Gluteus Maximus, Glueus Minimus and Gluteus Medius, are your rear end muscles, and your Hamstrings are found on the back of your thighs.

Here are some of my favorites:

Basic Hip Raises are pretty well explained by these photos. Keep you abdominal and lower back muscles firm, and use your rear end muscles to raise your rear off the floor.

I do these for 2 minutes at a time.

For Marching Hip Raises you begin with your hips already off the ground and lift one knee towards your chest as you lift your hips a bit higher. Again, keeping abs firm. x2 minutes.

Now grab your swiss ball for some Marching Hip Raises with Feet on a Ball. Here, you will definitely want to use your core for stability. Alternate legs for 3 minutes.

These are Single Leg Hip Raises. The same as Basic Hip Raises, but with one leg straight, as you go. 2 minutes, each leg.

Now grab your swiss ball for some Hip Raises with Head on Ball. Once again, you can see pretty well how to do these from the photo. Just remember to engage your abs. x 2 minutes

I saved the best Hip Raises for last! This is the Weighted Hip Raise and they are KILLER (and also my favorite)!! It's just the Basic Hip Raise with hand weights held in each hand at your hip.

x2 minutes

Dumbbell Step-Ups are great. Self explanatory by the photos. You can also do these free of weights or with a barbell.

This is the Barbell Deadlift. Start with your feet a little wider than shoulder length apart. Use your legs, NOT your back to stand. Keep your back straight and engage your core muscles.

I would recommend warming up and stretching before these exercises. Then, as you do them, go from move to move, for the amount of reps or minutes you've previously determined. Do 3 sets of each exercise. Afterwards be sure to do quite a bit of stretching. I often use minutes, rather than reps because I like to focus on the exercise rather than counting. I also got this BRILLIANT idea from Janae, at Hungry Runner Girl- Use MUSIC! What you do is create a playlist before your workout, and choose some exercises to repeat for the duration of each song!! I really like this idea (example in this post)! Thanks, Janae!

Now you're all on your way to a hot little candy butt!!

What are YOUR favorite leg workouts??

If you have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments or on formspring if you're more comfortable. I'll definitely answer you promptly!

Click HERE for last week's Fit Tuesday on ABS!

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Leather Swag & Women and Weightlifting...

2012-01-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

FINALLY, the debut of the Cole Haan leather jacket ~~Santa~~ Mom & Dad bought me for Christmas!! Ahhh, my dad picked it out. He's got great taste, no?? Anyway, I'm so happy that typically rainy Oregon has been sunny today and the last couple of days. I love when that happens so I don't ruin my new leather swag. Ha.

Hi, crooked smile :)

outfit :: skinny jeans- American Eagle tank- Old Navy tunic- Nordstrom Rack scarf- random leather jacket- gifted by Cole Haan boots- by Jessica Simpson via Macy's

How is the week treating you all? Unfortunately my hip has been bothering me a lot lately. That has put a halt to my running. Huge bummer since I don't mind running in the freezing cold at all, as long as it's not raining too. So this week I'm staying focused on strength training. I'm really working on getting my arms back to where they were awhile ago. Whenever I slack on lifting they just get scrawny fast! That's not a good look- I'm into being toned. Anyway, lifting just makes me feel so good! Do you lift? Don't be scuuuurd, it won't bulk you up if you do it right! I think a lot of women get scared they'll be super huge if they lift. That's really a myth, people! The truth is, lifting increases your metabolism and it takes a lot of training to look like a man. Seriously. One thing I do is keep it on the lighter side but increase repetitions. I also keep my hand weights near my television. The rule is, if I'm watching I have to move too. So I'll get some weighted lunges, abs and arm exercises in while I watch.

What kinds of workouts do you do at home??

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Fit Tuesday: Work Those ABS!!

2012-01-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Fit Tuesdays are BACK, BABY!!

If you follow me on Twitter or you know me personally the odds are, you know about my ~~slight~~ obsession with abs! I've kept my abs in tip top shape since I knew what they were! Not only do they look good, but having a solid core makes me feel stronger in general! Last night after ~~talking~~ tweeting 6-packs earlier in the day with Bonnie, I did a pretty hard core ab work out, and halfway through it I decided I would pull out the camera and change Fit Tuesday from what I had scheduled to abs! Let me tell you, friends, trying to photograph these exercises with my camera 10-second self timer all by myself was one epic FAIL! Hahaha, I added some of the failed photos at the end for some silly humor. I simply couldn't resist. Anyway, one of my go-to fitness guides is The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises {go HERE to order- it's worth every penny}. This book is seriously AWESOME!!

I photographed my own copy above, but the rest of the photos in this post {besides my outtakes at the end} are from this book. Let's get started:

Modified Basics-

This is the average crunch. When you do crunches, you use your abdominal muscles to lift your shoulders to a 45* angle, rather than closer to 90* with sit-ups. With the Crossed-Arms Crunch, you cross your arms across your chest. I like to add a 5 or 8 pound weight in my crossed arms for some extra resistance. Make sure you're using good form! Don't use your neck!!

The Elbow-to-Knee Crunch, you start positioned like the top photo. With your hands behind your head- again, do not push your head/neck up with your hands- only use your ab muscles!! Next, you cross the opposite elbow with the opposite knee at the top, and vice versa, as pictured.

This is the Reverse Crunch. With your hands at your side, you lift your rear just a few inches off the ground, as pictured. The Reverse Crunch works your lower abdominal muscles.

The Alternating Situp is the same idea as the crunch, only you go higher, as pictured. You may also do Weighted Situps, the way I described the crunches, only higher.

Let's PLANK-

This is the Side Plank with Knee Tuck. I love this move!! It's quite difficult as you can see, but equally rewarding in the end! Lift your bottom knee toward your chest and hold it for the duration of the exercise. Be sure not to drop your hips! I find it helps to do these side plank exercises in front of a mirror in order to check your form!

The Wide-Stance Plank with Leg Lift is another good one. For this exercise, your feet should be wider than your shoulders, and hold one foot a few inches off the floor. Switch legs between each set.

Example of how I do it:
Set 1- lift right leg 12x
Set 2- lift left leg 12x
Set 3- hold right leg up 30-45 sec.
Set 4- hold left leg up 30-45 sec.
Set 4- lift right leg 15x
Set 5- lift left leg 15x

How 'Bout Some V's-

I use two variations of V-Ups. Both begin with the position above ^^

This is the Modified V-Up. I started doing these back when I was a gymnast at 8 years old!! These aren't as challenging, but I still do them often.

The Full V-Up is more challenging and lots of fun! My advice is again, don't use your neck. Also, keep your arms and legs straight (but not locked) as you do these. Keep them straight and flexed. You will feel these!

Mountain Climbin'-

The Mountain Climber is another favorite of mine! You do this exactly as pictured. Keep your abs TIGHT during this exercise, for best results! Also, be sure to keep your back nice and straight!

Get TOUGH-

The Elevated-Feet Russian Twist is NO JOKE, friends!! And good luck with this one! I vow to always be honest so let me tell ya, I am not coordinated enough to do this one! I fall over every. freaking. time! Please, PLEASE, if anyone can do this one and make it look good, tweet me, comment and tell me, call me- SOMETHING! I want to hear about it!!

edited 1/12/12 to add, I just realized this photo is not the right one! this is just the Russian Twist, which isn't that difficult. I'll replace with the Elevated-Feet version later. My bad!

Same goes with the Swiss-Ball Jackknife. I can kinda do it, but it ain't purdy! Give me a shout-out if you're a jackknife pro!!

Winding Down-

Without taking too much more time, I'd like to talk about balancing your lower back muscles with your abs. When your abs become much stronger than your lower back, it can cause lower back pain. The Back Extension is an exercise I highly recommend as one to help you keep your abs and lower back balanced. Try it!

The Cat Stretch is a stretch I want to emphasize. When I'm doing abs, I'll stop and do this stretch intermittently as well as doing it at the end of my work out. It can relieve some of the lower back tension I sometimes feel, and it stretches your ab muscles. There's also one I learned as a gymnast, where you lie on your back and curl into a ball while holding your knees to your chest. Then you rock on your spine. My spine is kinda bony, so I like to do this on my yoga mat.

Happy Ab Exercising, Friends, and remember, to get chisled abs, you've got to burn off any of that extra belly fat so those babies show!!

If you try any of these will you give me a shout out via Twitter or Facebook and let me know how it went??

There are more I want to share with you but this post got pretty long... I think I'll tack some on to the end of my outfit posts this week. Stay tuned!

As promised- The Outtakes:

Really instructional, right?? Ha, ha!! I'm silly!

What are YOUR favorite ab exercises??

XO,

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Is Your Blog Mobile Friendly?

2012-01-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, friends, but I often like to peruse your blogs from my Blackberry or Droid. One of my biggest pet peeves is when it takes forever to load, or takes up too much device memory because you haven't made your blog user-friendly for those of use who aren't on our PC or Tablet device. I wanted to share this information with you all, so you'd be able to see exactly how simple it is to give your blog a mobile view in the interest of readers like me, who like the convenience of blog reading on-the-go!

Here is an excerpt from CopyBlogger, about the importance of making your site mobile friendly:

via copyblogger.com

Popular WordPress Plug-Ins:

WPTouch

WordPress Mobile Pack

MobilePress

Blogger Only*:

1. Go to your Dashboard and click on "Layout" on the bottom left side of the screen:

2. Click on the settings wheel and select your Mobile Template:

3. Be sure to check "Yes. Show mobile template on mobile devices." Click "Save" and viola- your Blogger blog has a mobile site!!!

*I chose to use the simple Blogger mobile site. My reasoning was that since it's through Blogger I knew I wouldn't have to deal with coding issues since it's made specifically for Blogger, and best of all, it's FREE!! :)

ALL PLATFORMS:

Duda Mobile- there's a free version, but it changes your domain name. The paid version keeps your url, is $9.00 a month and includes hundreds of ways to customize!

MoFuse- Unique and dynamic, but includes a monthly subscription

MobiSite Galore- includes 3 "packages" one is free {I didn't like this one}

Happy Mobile Viewing!
XO,

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Holiday Re-Cap in Photos

2012-01-05T10:56:00.000-08:00

I know this post is coming a little bit late, but better late than never, right??!

I thought I would just share a few of my favorite things from the two weeks of Christmas weekend through New Years.

I don't know if I've mentioned my knitting here yet, but I knitted this beanie for J's (the boyfriend) son. Isn't it cool?! It's a greenish tweed and I am so proud of it! It's my first beanie. I'll be giving it to him this weekend and I'm really excited!!

My 1st beanie!

J's Uncle threw a party at a Portland hotel, the night before Christmas Eve. There was a DJ with dancing, great food, drinks and tons of his family. It was a really good time. Here's my handsome man and I at the party:

Party thrown by J's family right before Christmas

J got me this pretty, sparkly necklace for Christmas and I love it!!

My other favorite gift from Santa, aka, Mom and Dad, is this stunning Cole Haan leather jacket!! WOWZERS, I was stoked when my Dad handed me the garment bag. Why wrap this?? When I saw the 'Cole Haan' on it, I knew something good was in there! He picked it out- doesn't he have great taste?? Expect to see this on the blog again very soon!!

Thanks, Mom & Dad!!

My mom bought me this kit at least a few months ago, and I just now used it right before New Years. I was surprised how easy the strips were to apply. I am such a perfectionist so I have waited so long to apply them because I was afraid I'd get frustrated and just give up. {haha} But it went really smoothly and now, an entire week later, my nails still look great! I would definitely recommend them!

FINALLY used my Salon Effects and LOVE them!!

What were some holiday highlights for you??

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!
I will be back very soon!

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Holiday Sparkle & a Fashion Rant

2011-12-22T16:15:00.000-08:00

Hey friends!! We're getting closer and closer to Christmas!! Just 3 days away, YIKES!! I still have to get something together for my man! Speaking of that handsome guy... he just called me for a spontaneous afternoon date, so I am going to make this quick so I can head out and see what surprises are awaiting me. Fun times!!

Who's done with their shopping??

Who's barely begun?

{unfortunately I'm in the latter group!!}

I am going to wear this downtown for some shopping and whatever surprise outing the bf has planned.

Sorry I didn't get any photos of my shoes. Gr.. they are black patent JS stilettos!

Um, also, something I've been noticing lately- women in boot cut jeans with them tucked in to their boots!!! What's up with that?? Does this totally drive anyone else NUTS?? I was tweeting about it this week, haha!

THE OUTFIT:

basic tank: Old Navy

lace top- Victoria's Secret

7 For All Humanity 'A' Pocket boot cut jeans- Nordstrom

black stilettos- Jessica Simpson Collection

bangles- H & M

hoop earrings- Bebe

Happy Last Minute Shopping!!

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