Simple Yet Classic

The Branch

2012-01-06T16:19:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had one of those times where God is so present and clearly speaking to you?
I had one of those times today on my walk. 9 out of 10 times these experiences happen on my walks which baffles me because most of the time is so dang hard to get out of the house.

Today as I was almost finished with my 3 miles I was admiring the trees. Although dead and without leaves they are still very beautiful.

While I was looking down I couldn't help but notice that there was a tiny smashed twig laying on the ground. The thing that stuck in my head was that this tree is not dead but very much alive and green inside much like Mary discovered in The Secret Garden when she thought the garden was dead. I couldn't help but relate that discovery and knowledge to my life. It has been a very hard and heartbreaking time for me as so many of our friends seem to be announcing pregnancies. I am so truly happy for them but I can't help but wonder when our time will be here.

While I was working through all of this in my head the verses from John 15 came to mind that says,

¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Although it has been such a hard time right now we have seen so many blessings and have felt God's presence so deeply in our lives. I just need to remember to remain in the vine (God's presence and word) so that I may be alive inwardly as well!

Future Christmas Favorite

2011-12-20T21:23:00.000-08:00

Every year my husband and I have a tradition that we to buy one special ornament for each other every Christmas. I found and fell in love with this one today at the Hallmark store...

I love that it is an advent calendar as well as tiny nativity but as soon as I twisted the bottom to the next day I was sold. Every day it tells a bit of the Christmas story in a sweet little kids voice. I had to buy the display model because it was the last one but I couldn't imagine another Christmas without this sweet reminder of why we celebrate Christmas. I can't wait to watch this one become a family favorite when we have kids.

Life with infertility

2011-12-08T23:53:00.000-08:00

To catch you up, we've been married five and a half years and have yet to get the double lines on a pregnancy test that tell us we are indeed pregnant. I was the girl who was engaged at 21 married at 22 and was ready for kids as soon as they came. Obviously something has gone wrong at 28 when we still have no children (wow, that is SO hard to write). We have yet to pinpoint exactly where something has gone wrong but obviously it is there.
Life though has been great without kids, we were able to travel to Hawaii this year and do whatever we pleased without having to worry about when kids needed naps while my brother-in-law (who was getting married there) complained about his sweet boy's nap schedule. I am also able to talk a big trip with my mom to China later this year without any second thoughts about it. I have also been able to keep a super light work schedule because we don't exactly need the funds. It has been sad though watching friends get pregnant and celebrating new lives with them while we are missing out on something so important to both of us. While this all sound so negative I am surprisingly hopeful, I feel peace that it will happen someday....

It's been so long

2011-09-25T00:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a little sad that I haven't obviously been very passionate about this blog lately. There isn't much new going on in our lives right now. I feel like it's another year and life is still the same. It is a great life but it is still the same as last year. One thing I have been loving lately though is pinterest.

I've pined the normal stuff that everyone else is but lately I've found some pretty hilarious stuff on there such as...

Source: imgfave.com via Lauren on Pinterest

My question about this is, if you can see the abs in the front can't you see the strap line as well in the back?

Source: sayingimages.com via Lauren on Pinterest

I really want to draw this for my husband to find :)

Source: onelatenight3point14.blogspot.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: aquieterstorm.tumblr.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: glamour.com via Lauren on Pinterest

I just came across the last one tonight and I really want my brother in law to do it at his wedding next month. Speaking of his wedding I guess we do have one exciting thing happening....

We are going to Hawaii for it!

Source: watg.com via Lauren on Pinterest

We will be staying at the Grand Hyatt on Kauai so if you have been there and have any tips for us please share!

Sometime you just have to laugh at yourself...

2011-08-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

Sometime you just have to laugh at yourself...

I can't help but make a stupid/goofy face when doing shrugs. My husband and brother think it is quite hilarious.

My ugly frog shoes!

2011-07-31T11:01:00.000-07:00

Along with biking I've also started running again. I am taking it super slow though for two reasons...

#1 I am not in running shape. I grew up as a swimmer and taught myself to run a 5K two years ago.

#2 I got these crazy barefoot running shoes...

They are the ugliest thing I own but I'm loving them! My form improved the minute that I put them on! I believe that the reason I was not a runner was because of the way that tennis shoes hurt my natural stride. When researching them I saw many places that stated as shoe technology "improves" so does the number of running injuries each year.

What do you think? Would you ever try running in them?

A picture is worth?

2011-07-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about my bike rides are the amazing views. I always have my iPhone on me for safety so I started taking photos of the beautiful things I see. I love the way the hipstamatic app plays with the light!

Like a little kid again

2011-07-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Since I've been so serious with my diet I decided to add in exercise as well. A friend gave me a bike that they weren't using and I've been having a blast with it.

The first time I went for a ride I assumed that since I walk 5 miles I would be able to bike 10 miles easily. When I turned around at 5 miles I was already tired. By the time I hit 8 miles I knew there was NO way I would be able to make it home. I called my Grandpa who was luckily home and asked him to bring his truck to pick me up. Since then I've learned my lesson and I make sure to eat more than 2 eggs before a ride. I've also had to find something to take to eat on the trail because normally I would just grab a sugar filled gel. Now I fill a sandwich bag with 2 T almond butter and eat it like a gel half way through my ride for a quick 190 calories!

Normally I start working out, take a day off and then I don't go again for a few weeks. The past two weeks though have been a different story. Now I force myself to take a day off and then crave a workout. I think it's become less about burning calories and more about having fun and getting out. Having a great book on tape while I ride also helps.

I also make sure to find a shady bench, take all my gear off, relax and eat my almond butter before I head home.

The last 8 weeks

2011-07-28T21:38:00.000-07:00

In the past 8 weeks I have had no...

sugar

vinegar

fruits

coffee or alcohol

I've been pretty much living off of

veggies

protein

tea

quinoa and brown rice

and almond butter.

My nutritionist has diagnosed me with Candida so I've been doing this cleanse to kill it. Candida is a yeast we naturally have but it can have an overgrowth causing nasty symptoms. The biggest ones I experienced were bad skin, intense sugar cravings and weight gain. The month before I started I gained 5 lbs because my cravings were so strong and I was eating so badly.

The first week I ate anything I was allowed without counting calories then I decided that while I was making such a huge sacrifice I might as well lose some weight. So far I've lost 18 lbs and I'm so happy on the cleanse.

Candida is very sensitive to sugar so it has to be starved so there is no cheating on this cleanse. It's been a huge adjustment and sacrifice, I even brought my own food to a bachelorette party and a wedding reception. This is the reason for very limited fruit on the first step of the cleanse, even the good sugar from fruit feeds it.

I've had a few unhappy moments when I realize that I can eat about .1% of the items at the store but my symptoms have cleared up and my sugar cravings are gone. I've even found two places I can eat out at!

*Please remember that I have done all of this under the supervision of a nutritionist. Symptoms do not mean you have and overgrowth of Candida.

Planning a suprise

2011-05-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

I'm dying to spill my secret!

My husband's 30th birthday is next week and I've planned a surprise for him!

I've booked a room at a 5 star hotel in Beaver Creek and I've secretly lined up the following day off work for him! He was so bummed to be working the next day and felt limited as to what we can do since he has to be up at 6 am for work. Hopefully no one spills the beans about his day off.

I'm trying to figure out exactly how to present it all to him. I plan on taking him out to breakfast when he gets home from work and having an overnight bag packed in the car. After breakfast I plan on driving "home" and driving to the mountains rather than home. Should I spill the beans then and tell him I have a hotel booked and that he has the next day off work or just that we are going to the mountains for the day?

Almost five years!

2011-04-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

Almost five years ago I married a man that I was head over heals in love with. We both knew after only two weeks that we had found the one. He has become an even better man than I could have ever imagined.

The crazy diet

2011-03-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

diet 1 |ˈdī-it|

noun

the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats : avegetarian diet | a specialist in diet.*

For the past week I have been following a diet that a nutritionist put together for me. It isn't a weight loss diet but one that will help us get pregnant. I am eating all sort of "scary" foods that I would never eat because the small serving was way too high in calories to justify. I have gotten over my fear and have dived head first into things like eating an avocado a day and tons of coconut oil. One of my biggest fears with this diet was weight gain so I decided to start keeping a close eye on it. I was shocked when I had lost 3 lbs in 2 days rather than gained. I'll still be keeping an eye on my weight but hopefully the trend will continue downward.

Please tell me I am not the only one who has foods they like but are scary foods to them...

What to wear

2011-03-15T22:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend my husband and I have a photo shoot with Denne from Denne Alise Photography. We are going to take the photos at the famous Red Rocks. I have a serious addiction of looking at professional photos but I am so lost as far as what to wear. I would like to do a fancier outfit and a jean outfit as well. While flipping through magazines lately I spotted this outfit. I figure it will be great inspiration for my dressier outfit.

I did find this dress at loft this week. I don't love the seam on the ladies or how wrinkled the skirt is but it may work. I would wear a little different shoes and belt with it for the photos.

I seriously underestimated how hard it would be to find something. If you have any tips or advice I would love it!

Brother dearest

2011-03-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

I've been having problems with my blog, hopefully this explains the lack of posts.

One new big thing that has happened is that my brother will be moving in with us in 6 weeks. I love my brother but he needs a swift kick in the a**. We will be able to hopefully properly deliver exactly what he needs. He is just as excited about the move as I am, he sees that he needs a big change in his life.

It will obviously be a huge adjustment to add him to our home and our married life but I think in the end it will all be worth it. Luckily my husband and brother get along well.

Life with maternity jeans

2011-01-10T23:12:00.000-08:00

One afternoon before Christmas had arrived I got a call that two of my adorable Young Life girls wanted to drop by. They came barring gifts...

Yes, they the bought be maternity jeans that I will not be needing anytime in the near future. They were browsing at a local thrift shop and came across a these pair of jean that they thought would be made better with my pillow shoved down the front of. I love that these girls keep me on my feet, even if they give me maternity jeans because they are dying for some babysitting duty.

Scouting the Divine

2011-01-08T01:13:00.000-08:00

Lately it seems that a ton of people have been posting their 2011 reading list so I figured I would share a book I'm currently reading and loving.

My mom heard the author speak at church one Sunday and bought me a copy. It was a book that didn't really appeal to me and I carried it around for months without starting it. I finally opened it late one evening and was so shocked by how much I learned. I had so many big Ahha moments (as Oprah would say) that I would read until I got to one and go to bed thinking over and applying to my life what I had just learned.

In Scouting the Divine Margaret Feinberg realizes that the bible uses descriptions that we no longer relate to in our everyday lives. How can we understand the promise of a land overflowing with milk and honey when we buy honey in a bear shaped jar? Why is Jesus always called a shepherd and us His lambs?

"To discover these deeper meanings, she spends time with a shepherdess in Oregon, walks the fields with a farmer in Nebraska, explore a vineyard of California, and talks with a veteran beekeeper in Colorado. Along the way, she gains deeper insight about how scripture applies to life today and discovers answers to puzzling questions."

This is definitely a book I will be passing around to my friends and young life kids.

Somewhat balanced

2011-01-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

The holidays have passed and as always they flew by, this year though seemed like a much bigger blur than normal. We didn't take one single photo, no Christmas cards were sent out and only a few presents for my husband made it wrapped under the tree. We looked at one other on the 23rd and agreed that since we knew what most of our Christmas presents were that we wouldn't waste time and paper wrapping them.

The positive side to all of this is I got some great items that I really wanted including a new pair of Tory Burch revas! Life feels much more balanced now without an event to attend every evening. Other good news, my first client with my new company is under contract and closing this month!

Now it's time for snowboarding and developing my business!

Life got in the way

2010-12-19T22:59:00.000-08:00

I am sad to see that I haven't posted at all in the last month. Even though I have been reading your blogs I have not had any time or creative thoughts left over to write a post. Work is great but so busy that I am learning the art of saying no to things I wouldn't have in the past. Others have had to help me out (my husband) and other things have fallen to the wayside. I am still spending tons of time with my Young Life girls but between them and Christmas parties I am booked almost every evening. Truthfully, I am exhausted and wondering how much busier life will be when the "slow" Christmas season for real estate is over.

Merry Christmas

New job

2010-11-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been big weeks for us!

First, after 8 steps of a hiring process I was invited into a real estate team. It is the top producing team in one of the top three real estate companies. I am now a buyer specialist for them. Buyers are truly my passion so I am looking forward to this. Sadly this meant leaving a company that I've gotten great support from for the past four years. Now though I will no longer have to explain why I work for a company that no one has heard of before. I am also getting tons of internet leads for buyers and my business is growing by leaps and bounds. I have been so busy and my husband has been so understanding of me always being gone. He has picked up tons of slack that I no longer have time for around the house. I am so grateful for him! This job will mean big things for our family and planning for our future!

The second big thing is that I was on a local internet radio show yesterday talking about real estate and young life! I was suppose to be on about a month ago but my husband's Grandmother passed away the same week so I postponed my appearance. God's timing is perfect because I wouldn't have had my new job if I was on then. I was also super nervous last month about it but yesterday I woke up with a great peace covering me. The hour long show just flew by and I was able to give some information about the home buying process. Seconds before the snow started I asked how many people listen to the show, it wasn't comforting to hear her answer was 10,000.

Clothing steals

2010-11-17T14:46:00.000-08:00

I love an amazing deal and I love to pass it on so others can save as well.

Yesterday I was able to get 9 items from Loft for only $100 with tax.

The list includes

2 jackets

2 dresses

1 tank top

and 4 embellished tees

Pretty good since the jackets were $25 each.

I got such great deals because all clearance was 30% off and through the 21st they are also offering an additional 30% off the entire purchase. You don't need the coupon just mention it at checkout.

My big picture list

2010-11-16T19:44:00.000-08:00

I just read an amazing post on All Things Fluffy, Fashionable and Famous about Dave Ramsey! If you don't know what I'm talking about she does a great job describing his Financial Peace University baby steps here. It reminded me of our list that I have named the big picture. I carry it with me in my iPhone and look at in when I need inspiration to live like no one else so later I can live like no one else.

Dave advises that when you are on a 100% commission job to make a list of items to purchase in order of priority, when you have enough money you pay off the item on the top of your list. This works great for us on the extra items because my husband's income goes to our living expenses and anything I make will go to this list. I am a planner and love to be ahead in our finances. We had our entire Christmas budget set aside in cash by the middle of October this year as well as enough cast to cover two bills coming up at the beginning of the new year because they were at the top of our list. No one likes big bills that are due the week after Christmas.

Below I have pasted a copy of our big picture list in order of priority. I've taken off the amounts and I also have it in two phases with totals for both and an overall grand total.

Big picture

Credits cards

Health insurance deductible

Pay off car

Vacation

$xxxx

Add more to retirement monthly from Hubby's take home pay

6 months of hubby's income

Down payment for new house

Start saving to pay cash for a new car

$xxxx

total $xxxx

Dave would not advise taking a vacation before we save six months of income but we really need a beach vacation before we have kids. We haven't been to the beach since our honeymoon over 4 years ago.

I'm curious do any of you use a list like this?

random meet ups!

2010-11-08T21:40:00.001-08:00

Today I had one of those crazy days that I just must post about so that I can go back later and remember how great our God is.

Every Monday evening I lead a small group for my Young Life girls through another bible study. One of the other leader and I planned today to meet before the study and have a cup of coffee at a local coffee shop. Midway through our coffee she needed something, gets up and a girl at a close table approaches me.

Turns out it was a girl that I had worked with close to 6 years ago for a long weekend at Frontier Ranch, a Young Life camp. She went back to Virginia and we kept in touch for a bit but lost touch before myspace or facebook were around. I've randomly thought about her over the years and I was sad that I didn't remember her last name to look her up. Turns out she just moved to my town and was at the same coffee shop when I was. She even had photos stored on her computer from that weekend to look at before she approached me. We are getting together tomorrow evening for coffee and I am so excited to catch up!

How do you decided on holiday gifts?

2010-11-07T22:05:00.000-08:00

It is no secret that the holidays are just around the corner. Since we already have our gift budget set aside I am anxious to get out there and start purchasing gifts before the stores are crowded. We were out browsing this weekend and came across a beautiful gold necklace that I loved and wanted for Christmas. It was in my purse so I grabbed it out and showed it to friends of ours when we were at their house for dinner. My friend was shocked that I knew what my Christmas present was and that I had picked it out. I tried to explain that we use Christmas presents as a way to stock up on the items that we would really like but feel guilty about purchasing otherwise. Don't worry we make sure that we leave some of the budget for surprises. We are working so hard on Dave Ramsey's plan to financial peace and that has really made us think differently about ever purchase. These steps have made such a huge difference in our finances and lives that we realize that any sacrifice is 100% worth it.

Do you think we are crazy as well for picking out our own Christmas presents or do you do the same thing?

Happy Halloween from spider dog

2010-10-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from our little one!

She loves her costume as much as a little kid does.

Chiropractor, good or bad?

2010-10-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

For a good 10 years now I've had some minor to major at times pain in my upper shoulder and neck. I finally decided to give in and go to a chiropractor this week. The X-ray showed that my neck look similar to the left one in the picture below.

Without the correct curve of the spine like the corrected right photo my neck is not properly dispersing the weight of my head correctly.

While I am hoping this will help my pain and constant need to crack my back and neck my husband is a little more skeptical. I would love to hear what your chiropractor experiences have been...

Waste of $ or life saver?

image is everything

2010-10-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

In September I did a post about visiting with an image consultant to help me with my business. You can read the post by clicking here.

The biggest thing I wanted to work on was overcoming being in my mid twenties and the negative effect that can have on clients perception when buying such a large purchase as a home. I am an expert at what I do but does my image and first impression clearly show that?

Wearing structured clothing has been the biggest thing I've worked on. I came across a great example that really gave me clarification of why structure is so important. I was out showing million dollar listings and came across another agent that was only a few years younger than me. She really knew her stuff but she wasn't dressed for the job. She looked like she could fit in with my high school kids on a dressier day rather than selling real estate. She was dressed in a long sleeve thin cotton short, a poofy skirt that was very young and moccasin slippers.

The following examples are both great dresses that could be worn for work.

Both great but they portray such different images.

The same is true of a sweater vs a jacket.

I love my sweaters especially the the ones like this but I will be skipping them when it comes to dressing for work on days when I will be dealing with clients or potential clients.

All images from Target.

A woman's prerogative...

2010-10-27T22:37:00.000-07:00

to change her mind.

Correct?

I ordered this for my birthday rather than the watch I showed you two posts ago.

This watch wasn't available when I started my search so I'm so glad they released the new one before I ordered the old one, especially since I also got this watch as well.

The other one was too similar to the black one and not as dressy as the new one. Not a huge fan of the bling but I still like it better over all.

I also decided to give in to...

I've waited since June for the beautiful white iPhone 4 but they just announced that they would be delaying it again till spring. My old 3G was cracked and not nearly as fast as it should have been and that's causing troubles for my real estate business. Rather than completely giving up on the white I ordered a white case.

Birthday weekend

2010-10-26T22:16:00.001-07:00

I had such an amazing birthday and birthday weekend.

My husband and I went up to our family cabin in the mountains and relaxed. It was so nice to be able to get away and to spend time together without distractions. We did simple things like play uno, skip rocks on the lake and drive all the way around the lake (I've always wanted to). It was the perfect way to unwind from the 12 hour days I've been working lately.

We also got to spend time with this little one...

If you look closely in the background there was snow on the pass, almost snowboard season!

I spend my actual birthday getting a relaxing pedicure, inventing a new Starbucks drinks and then small group with my Young Life girls!

My birthday wish list

2010-10-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

My birthday is a little over a week away so that means time to make a wish list!

The most desired item on my list is a tortoise shell watch, I don't love the black face but the price is right on this watch as well as the face size.

Ever since I was little and playing with my mothers accessories I've loved tortoise shell and have always thought of it as such a classic look. I also think it is going to be the next white watch trend. Love my white watch but I don't feel right wearing it in the fall or winter so this will be the perfect cold weather accessory.

The next item is actually on my Christmas wishlist,

I came across it on the Forever 21 blog and knew I had to have it.

They actually make great jackets!

It may be the middle of October but since we already have the money for our Christmas budget set aside why not start gathering gift before the malls get crazy.

Hoping this helps us conceive

2010-10-16T22:49:00.000-07:00

I just ordered this off Amazon.

I came across it tonight and the reviews were so great that I decided to place an order. There are a lot of things that can affect fertility but I'm hoping this will be the answer since we already know there aren't any major issues in our way. I've tried the sticks that you use to test one week a month and I just can't seem to remember to test that week. I'm hoping that having this always in our bathroom will take away the element that always makes me screw up the tests.

Also on a related note I found out today that one of my best friends and her husband are expecting. They were so excited to be able to call friends on their 1st wedding anniversary and tell everyone the exciting news. I am having a hard time adjusting because since we became friends 4 years ago my mindset has always been having kids while hers has ranged from an early relationship, being engaged, married and now expecting.

An old memory

2010-10-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you a picture of my husband's Grandparents on their wedding day.

Love the little things like this that surround a funeral.

A sad day

2010-10-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

I am writing this post on pure emotion right now. My husband's Grandmother passed away today. We were lucky enough to be be with her and actually praying for her while she passed away. Sadly I didn't realize how close to death she was and wasn't able to visit with her before she slipped away. The biggest thing that I wanted to ask her was questions of the diamond in my engagement ring. It is a family heirloom that belonged to her and is at least 100 years old. I wish that I could learn more than that fact that is to be passed along to the Reid of the family, a name we will pass along to the oldest son or the last born of all girls if that is what God gives us. The day was hard because the experience today brought back memories of my own Grandmother passing almost exactly three years ago. Please keep my family in your prayers this week as we have a celebration of life and scatter the ashes.

Where is your baby?

2010-09-21T23:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had a big fundraising event for Young Life where I run into tons of people I know. I saw a friend there who had just had a baby and I asked them "no baby tonight?". They went on to say that they had left him with her sister and proceeded to ask "where is your baby?" I made a joke of it saying that my baby was at the firehouse working, since that's where my husband was, but inside I was asking the same question.

Seriously at 26 how is infertility even an issue I am dealing with?

Homecoming

2010-09-19T21:51:00.000-07:00

This weekend was homecoming weekend for my alma mater. It also happens to be the same high school I lead Young Life at. The past few years it had become a tradition to attend the

pre-dance photos and take a photo or two with the girls before they depart for dinner.

Don't they all look stunning!

Please keep one of my girls in your prayers, she has an ovarian cyst and has been in major pain for almost a week now. Her pain level is a 9 out of a 10 almost all the time even with major medicine. It is looking like she will have surgery tomorrow.

Image is everything?

2010-09-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

Today I had coffee with an image consultant to talk business. She was formerly a very high end Realtor so she had some great tips for dressing for my real estate business. I learned a lot but I am finding that it left me with a lot to think about. Since I am only 26 her main tip for me were ones to make me seem older and more professional so that clients will think of me as the expect when buying their biggest purchase.

Her list of tips for me...

Structured clothing

Jackets not sweaters (falls under structured clothing)

No open toed shoes/ peep toes at most

Neutral, pinks or reds only for nail polish

To get an actual hair style rather than a hair cut

Work on my makeup

I will admit that I don't wear a ton of makeup but I defiantly had on more than she thought. I think the biggest makeup item missing today was eye liner which I normally wear. I am not sure that I am ready to drop $150 to see her makeup person just yet. I have however set an appointment with her hair stylist for next week. I need a stylist who will figure out the best cut for my hair, face and profession so I am excited about this step. How sad is at the beginning of fall to be told not to wear sweaters, I do have a few jackets though and enjoy wearing them. Last weekend I did a bit of shopping and ended up picking up two jackets before our appointment. She also mentioned that she hadn't seen me wear anything that was a fashion faux pas but that these tips could help me in my business.

Have you ever done something like this?

What we woke up to this morning

2010-09-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to bed like any other evening but this morning when my husband went to get in his car for work he found this...

His front tires and wheels were stolen sometime in the middle of the night, right out in front of our home, below our room where we were sleeping with our windows open. We live in a very nice suburb in a gated community so this feels like such a shock to us. The police believe that they came down from Denver to nicer areas where people won't expect something like this. The police also told us we are lucky it is up on cinder blocks and not just dropped on the ground. Luckily our insurance will cover the replacement, one negative though it's not ideal to only replace only 2 tires at once.

90's hits

2010-08-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

I was driving around the other day when my favorite local station was playing this 90s hit...

I proved to myself that I still knew every word of the entire song.

Takes me back to the days of overalls, huge clothes and ghetto being in.

Dear J Crew

2010-08-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

Dear J Crew,

While perusing your new arrivals today I came across this shirt.

I was shocked to see the price tag of $158 because I bought the same shirt under four years ago for the sale price of $30. Who decided to add an extra $100 to everything you sell?

Fall vs Spring

2010-08-25T00:02:00.001-07:00

I know that I may be alone in this statement but I have realized I am more motivated to try to slim down when fall gets here than spring. This entire summer I've worn loose dresses almost everyday but jeans or pants only a handful of times. The dress below is the perfect example, less fabric but not clingy.

Even though I am craving fall clothes the thought of fitting into my jeans and tops without a muffin-top is much more frightening to me than a summer dress. The thought of my skinny jeans and boots excites and frightens me right now!

craving fall

2010-08-23T23:09:00.000-07:00

I would venture to say that most of you are craving fall right now. School has started and that changes our mindset of the hot hot days. Here in Colorado the forecast for tomorrow is only in the low 70s and I am bummed. If it were any other day I would been so excited for the break from the warm weather and look forward to wearing jeans. Tomorrow though I am in business meetings all day and I have had my dress for the day picked out for over a week, sleeveless appropriate for work but still summery. I guess I will have to pull out my white jeans for the cool weather. I wish instead that I could be at home enjoying the cool weather with my windows open.

My perfect sunglasses

2010-08-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we attended the Mile High Music Festival. While I was getting ready and looking at photos from last years concert I was so sad that I could no longer find my favorite pair of sunglasses that I wore last year. (Pictured below) These were perfect for my face and never fogged up so I could wear them for 14ers and running as well as everyday.

This year I settled this year with cheap forever 21 glasses that were a little too oversized for me.

As we were watching Steve Miller Band I spotted a woman in the crowd with the amazing Nina sunglasses. I teased my husband that I was going to offer $100 to buy them off her and he told me to start at $50. The concert ended though and we all went on to the next concert. Later that evening though I spotted the same woman again and approached her to ask what the style name was on the glasses. We talked for a few and I finally got the nerve to offer to buy them from her. She was shocked when I offered her $50 cash for the glasses and quickly took my offer! When I came back with my prize in hand my husband jumped on ebay to see if I got a good deal, looks like I saved at least $100. So excited to have them to wear for day two of the MHMF. (Don't worry I washed them asap.)

Family get together

2010-08-08T21:20:00.000-07:00

Today we had a big family BBQ over at my in-laws house. We have such a hard time getting everyone together when it's not a holiday so today was special. We didn't take a ton of photos but here are the few we did take.

Great excuse to wear one of my new dresses!

Our little niece Anna.

Here is a little video I took of my husband playing with our nieces and nephews, we already have 8.

Huge Loft Sale

2010-08-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

I just scored some amazing deals from Loft. Their friends and Family event is happening this weekend so I got 30% off my entire purchase. For only $70 I got 2 maxi dresses, 2 work dresses, a top and a statement necklace. One of the maxi dresses was only $3.07.

My most expensive dress at $20.

$6 necklace that was $45.

I don't think you even need the F&F coupon, just mention it when you check out.

Now that Tebow is a Bronco

2010-08-06T18:14:00.001-07:00

Now that the Denver Broncos have recruited Tim Tebow I feel pressure to actually watch this season. The big problem though is that I know nothing about football and need to learn. I've actually wanted to know more for a while now but I think this is the push I need.

How did you learn the rules of football?

My favorite "color"

2010-07-31T13:19:00.001-07:00

For as long as I can remember I have been drawn to the color white. There is nothing like white summer dress, a crisp white shirt on your man or fresh white linens on a bed. Almost every time I show my husband a room I love he replies "of course you love it, it's white".

When we purchased my car I had white as my top pick but our auto broker found us a bright silver that had everything else we wanted. Every time I see my car in white I am drawn to it and silently wish mine was white as well.

Now that the iPhone 4 has come out and has an option in black or white it is a no-brainer which color I would get.

When I went to pre order it though they announced the white would be delayed for about a month. I have patiently waited for the month to be over and now that it is they have announced that they won't be available till the end of the year. I find myself trying to patiently wait for the white to start selling while my husband plays with his new one. Besides the white I can't wait for the improved camera and the hd video. Best of all though I will no longer have to deal with the slight crack in mine!

Total Randomness

2010-07-29T23:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a glimpse of things that have happened this week to me...

My gynecologist commented on my teal toe nail polish today. Luckily I was just sitting on the table but still weird considering he's about 60. He's such an amazing doctor though.

My foreign neighbor said hello beautiful, hello princess to me yesterday when I waved to her.

My husband is the one who begs to go to Yogurt Land nightly. I would rather stick to my diet. Two weeks ago I was begging him.

I decided not to put on my body glide yesterday while going for a 5 mile walk in short shorts that kept riding up. Now I'm not sure when my thighs will recover, so painful.

Workers are coming to rip out our cement porch tomorrow because apparently it is collecting moisture and rotting away. This is going to be a pain while they rebuild it for the next three weeks. My dog is not going to be happy with all the men around and the noise.

See why I'm hitting a blogging wall... Life is pretty random right now.

Feeling Crafty

2010-07-28T13:42:00.001-07:00

This morning after I had coffee with a friend I ran to the craft store that was right next door. There were so many things I was temped to buy but I ended up leaving with this pre-sewn ribbon.

I plan on adding it around the neckline of a tanktop, pink on one and white on another.

I was inspired by this blog post and figured I would try something similar. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Even if money was no issue

2010-07-27T21:39:00.001-07:00

I've been online shopping all evening at my go to stores and I am shocked to admit that there is nothing I can find that I would even want if I had all the money in the world. What is going on with the fashion industry right now? Does anyone else feel the same?

Back to working out

2010-07-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been absolutely terrible about working out. Give me a trail that looks like this...

Even one covered in yuck like this...

where I have to wear these not to slip...

and I'll be happy.

I have the hardest time waking up early and getting in my workout before the summer heat sets in. The past 4 days though I've been back to working out. Yesterday I had just enough time to get in 5 miles before the sunset.

My friend even joined me halfway through.

Such an amazing sunset.

It's been hard getting back into it but I've gotten in 14 miles the past 4 days.

Are you a summer runner or a winter runner like me?

No longer blond

2010-06-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

I finally took the jump yesterday and cut at least 4 inches off of my hair!

It was getting way too long and stringy in the front, now it's finally all my natural color.

I stopped coloring my hair in October 2008 and I have just let it grow out since then. I was never happy with the color when my hair is died dark so growing it out was a better option for me. The key was to have my girl color it darker and in a way that the color blended and wasn't a noticeable line. It's been a long process going from blond to natural but I'm glad I've done it.

Finished!

2010-06-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I left you with pictures of our trashed guest room.

This is what we accomplished yesterday...

I am still a little shocked that it is back to clean and ready for guests. As much as my husband doesn't love this room I love that it is full of my college stuff. Men don't like the canopy but it really fills the height of this tall room.

Lovely Saturday Planned

2010-06-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

You may be asking yourself what I am up to on this beautiful Saturday.

No?

I figured as much but it's my blog so I'm going to share.

I am going to recruit this man...

to help me clean and mostly organize our home.

The guest room may have gotten a little out of control the past month or so...

Can't even take a photo in our only full length mirror of a potential outfit without having to crop out some of the mess.

Most of the mess is the result of not fully switching summer clothes for winter clothes and getting it packed away. I also took the summer bedding off the guest room bed without making the bed.

I did manage to get my closets/ room squared away yesterday. All the summer shoes are out!

Can you tell I may be addicted to baskets.

Awkward?

2010-06-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

Lately I have encountered a few people people who I have known before I was married so reintroducing myself feels so awkward. Is it just me or is it the weirdest thing to say I was Lauren ..... but now it's Lauren .....?

Back from camp

2010-06-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted but today I finally have a day all to myself for the first time in three weeks! We had a great time at Young Life camp and as promised the kids each had the best week of their lives! Here are some pictures of just a few of the things we did.

We stopped the charter bus on the way at Slide Rock State Park on the way to camp. There is a chute that you can slide down and some spots to go cliff jumping.

After a 14 hour bus ride we had arrived at Lost Canyon!

My group of girls

We ran through a big mud obstacle course.

We ran around with pool floats and each named our pet

We got dressed up

We dressed in western clothes, had a carnival and swing danced

Then we jumped into the pool with our western gear on

One of the biggest things I did at camp was do all the adventurous stuff and not miss out. I have done it all before at different YL camps but doing it at 26 is different than at 16...

Much worse when you are up that high in the air holding onto only a cable

We also did a ropes course that has a ledge that is 50 feet up in the air so the only way down is to jump...

I look silly in this photo but I was so proud of myself for jumping off rather than just cowardly stepping off in fear.

One of the biggest highlights was getting to have JJ Heller sing for us each evening.

Off to camp

2010-06-04T19:27:00.001-07:00

I have about 2 seconds before I leave to get on the bus for Young Life camp in Arizona! It is promised to be the campers best week their lives or their money back. Please pray for us this week and a safe bus ride to and from camp! Thank you!

Girls night

2010-05-31T09:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had a fabulous girls night. No girls night right now is complete without Sex & the City II, dresses and cocktails!

We all got ready together and my friends house so I let my friend do my makeup and hair. My hair hardly holds curl so it is funny to see it so curly. (The ribbon on my dress had come undone and I hadn't realized it.)

We had a great time and stayed up till after 4 talking. I actually really enjoyed the movie and could really relate to Carrie and her marriage. I am so happy with my husband but at times our idea of what to do for the evening can be very different. It was just interesting to see someone else talk about that. Speaking of my husband though he was such a great sport yesterday when we attended the engagement party of one of my bridesmaids. I wasn't really sure what to expect, it ended up being a ton of single girls I knew a little in high school all sitting around for a couple of hours. It was fun and I'm glad we went but my husband wasn't really a part of the girl talk. He was so great though and just let me talk and hang out even though he was so out of place.

Have a great Memorial Day, I'm off to the pool and then my mom and I are going to see the movie Babies this afternoon since my husband is working.

Second baby showers?

2010-05-21T23:32:00.000-07:00

In a couple of weeks I am invited to a second baby shower for a friend. The second child is the same sex as the first and has the exact same due date (how weird would that be) so the clothes will be the exact same season as what she already has. I know that second baby showers are a growing trend right now but I want to get your opinion on them. I am leaning one way but my mind isn't completely set. What do you think about second baby showers especially when the ages will be close and the same sex as the first child?

DIY Mani/Pedi

2010-05-20T23:05:00.000-07:00

It has been so long since I have splurged on a pedicure much less a manicure so when Groupon offered a mani/pedi for only $22 I was all in. I love the look of having my nails professionally done but it really isn't realistic for me to consistently do right now. Even if we had the money my finger nails grow ridiculously fast and it looks terrible in only a few days. I feel like a pedicure is much more practical for me because it lasts weeks rather than three days. I have decided to get better at painting my nails so that they look manicured without spending the money. I've learned a few things lately.

Your not splurging on the manicure so splurge on the polish. OPI lasts so much longer than cheaper nail polishes, don't forget the base coat and top coat as well. Ulta always has sales on OPI.

Practice makes perfect, don't give up after one try. I have learned to start just before the cuticle because if you use it as the starting point the polish pools there and makes a funny line. Also don't wipe off too much of the polish. OPI has great brushes that hold the right amount of polish.

Coral is super hot right now but the coral I picked for my toes looks too red for me, I wanted pinker. The lady next to me had on such a fun color that is topping my summer must have list...

Go On Green

Great pedicure color, a little too wild for fingers for me.

My best tip for your feet though...

Heel of Approval from Bath and Body Works

This foot cream does wonders for your feet. Put it on with socks at night and after a few days your feet will look like you just got a pedicure. Using it consistently is the key. I use to have terribly cracked feet but now you can't even tell.

Do you have any more tips for me or hot summer colors I must try?

Spring to me means...

2010-05-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

I've been in a funk lately because of our funky spring nonstop rain and snow. The 10 day weather forecast for Denver is finally nothing short of marvelous though. Time to start wearing all of my summer clothes. I've built up quite the collection of sun dresses and fun skirts over the past few years. They are just so easy to throw on and go on a hot summer day. The biggest reason for my growing collection is the fact that I always find them for super cheap, usually under $25.

The following are a few examples, not always the best photos but the only ones I have.

J Crew purchased on our 2nd anniversary in 2008

J Crew again for around $25

On the left is my little brother and the right is my kindergarden boyfriend who is now a pro wakeboarder on a random night out.

Purchased from the Gap for around $10. Terrible photo but you get the idea. This dress was perfect to wear last year to the mile high music festival.

We spent a lot of time in this tent getting relief from the hot sun last year.

One last one, best photo I could find. It's actually the same dress as the first one just a different color, J Crew again.

The past few years I've been wearing dressier flip flops with my dresses but this year I am so excited to pair them with these...

$25 from Target!

May Flowers?

2010-05-11T20:29:00.000-07:00

It's the middle of May and I put up with April showers to get May flowers.

This is what is expected the next two days in Denver though.

Spring in Colorado always keeps us on our toes. I have months worth of summer dresses and skirts I'm dying to wear.

Test results

2010-05-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

It's taken me a little bit to update the results of our last infertility test. All looked good though, my fallopian tubes are open. I'm not really sure where to go from here besides trusting God that His timing is perfect. Thank you again for your prayers!

Last round of tests

2010-05-02T21:47:00.000-07:00

I want to thank all of you who have been so supportive with your comments and prayers through all of our infertility testing. We have our last big test tomorrow at noon. I believe it is called the HSG for short, they will be injecting dye into my uterus and then doing an x-ray to see if my fallopian tubes are open. I really don't know much more than that about the test and I thinking ignorance is bliss because I am a huge baby about needles. My instructions read take 4 advil the night before and 4 more an hour before. I know it will be a little uncomfortable but hopefully not bad.

If you've had it done and it was terrible or heard terror stories about it now isn't the time to share because you will FREAK me out and make me a mess for my appointment. Please let me know though if it isn't a big deal. Thank you!

test results

2010-04-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

We got back the results of infertility test # 2 of 3. We may have figured out what the problem is and it is a small one! I still have one test though in two weeks before we will really know.

Wild spring weather

2010-04-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what your weather there looks like but here in Denver we are having a wild week. We have seen sun, rain slush and snow this week all in the same day. Everytime I pull the weather up the forecast has changed drastically even if it's only been a few hours since I've looked. This is what the current forecast is.

This morning when I looked it was suppose to snow tomorrow so I'm not really sure what to expect this week. I am so over the snow and cold weather and ready for gorgeous dresses like the ones below. I have made myself wait until May 1st to pack away my winter clothes and break out the skirts and dresses.

There is just something about wearing a white dress on a beautiful day!

Photos from Lilly Pulitzer

Infertility Appointment

2010-04-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

Today we had our first infertility appointment. I was super nervous and wondering if it was the right timing, I never figured at 26 I would need a fertility specialist but it's not happening on our own. Luckily the doctor put us at ease by saying it was good that we came in. I didn't really know what to expect but before we left they started running tests starting with testing my blood. Good thing I didn't know it was coming because needles make me panic. I have already received a phone call back telling me that with the hormones they found they knew that I had ovulated this month. This is good news and bad news, good for the obvious reasons but bad because that is the easiest and cheapest problem to fix. Now the next step is to test my husband and then to make sure my fallopian tubes work correctly.

Weekend away

2010-04-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a great weekend up in the mountains with our friends at our cabin!

We also got in 3 days of skiing and snowboarding. The second day I decided I really wanted to try skiing again and see if I would enjoy it more than snowboarding. After trying both I am more comfortable snowboarding. Our last night we got a message from our neighbor telling us our hot water heater is leaking. Luckily my father in law came over to the house and drained it for us so the leaking water wouldn't do any damage. We knew it was going to go out soon but glad it happened over a warm weekend.

Our Easter plans

2010-04-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

Easter has been one of my favorite holidays for as long as I can remember. I know it has to do with the start of spring but the largest part of why it's my favorite has to do with the location of our church service. Every year our church rents out a huge outdoor amphitheater to hold the service at. Holding church outdoors in April in Colorado is always interesting, last year we sat in the snow/rain and still had an amazing time together. It was actually one of my favorite years because it wasn't about what you were wearing or being seen, it was about celebrating together.

Last year we meet up with my Young Life girls and their families and all sat together. As you can see staying warm top priority.

A view of the crowd.

This year the weather will be much nice but still only a high of 45 when the service starts. I was shopping the other day and found a jacket at Banana Republic and knew it would be perfect for Easter and showing houses in yucky weather.

See the shoes in the photo, they are some of my favorite J Crew shoes. Last night though I headed out to happy hour to meet friends and the back strap broke when I was getting in my car. Hopefully they can be fixed.

My New Goal

2010-03-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

I'm exhausted but wanted to do a quick post. We closed on a condo today for a very sweet client who couldn't have been happier! I am so happy and relieved because this deal really gave me a run for my money. I counted how many phone calls I made today alone, 75 to get this deal closed. Glad tomorrow is Friday and I can relax!

I do have to train though because I'm training for a 1/2 marathon that is in 8 weeks!

If you are interested in training for one Fitness magazine has a great training plan for beginners. The most I run this first week is 1 mile at a time and slowly work up to 13 miles.

Here is the program...

Click to enlarge or find it on their site.

Adventures in selling real estate

2010-03-21T15:07:00.001-07:00

Two blog posts in two days! Watch out world Simple Yet Classic is back!

I see a lot of really crazy stuff when I sell real estate. It is pretty crazy the condition that people keep their houses when they are trying to sell them. My favorite was years ago. There was a man lounging on the couch a baby crawling around and the place was a mess. There were cup of noodle cups laying around everywhere. I swear there must have been 50 in all around the house. The topper though was that they had cookies backing in the oven as if the smell of baking cookies would make you buy the completely trashed house.

Last weekend we stumbled across this in the living room...

I know there could be a million reasons for this but really why would you have it up when you are trying to sell?

I want to know from you, what crazy things have you seen when purchasing a house or what crazy tips for selling have you heard.

Random thoughts

2010-03-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

Just some random things that are going on in my life right now...

I worked almost 17 days straight this month. They weren't all full days and some were filled with my volunteer work for Young Life but it still was way too busy. My body is now rejecting how busy I have been and I've been sick for the past 2 days.

I picked these little plants up at Target for $10 and I just love them.

My husband didn't really see the point of them but they make me happy.

I have a closing next week!

... hopefully

I'm having major problems with getting the other agent to do her job so we can close. This is causing major stress in my life.

I tend to hold stress in my neck and shoulders and these have been amazing!!

I wouldn't have ever thought to buy these but I had a free coupon. They took away my pain even better than the muscle relaxants I take when it gets really bad

(very rarely, one prescription lasted me two years).

Out of the mouth of babes

2010-03-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

Every week at Young Life club we do a who's who of Young Life. We feature a talent of one of the kids, usually it is someone singing. Last club though we had a kid who preformed slam poetry. If you don't know what that is the best way I can describe it is rapping a poem out loud. The words of this 16 year old kid hit me so hard that I knew I had to share it with you.

Here are the first few lines

"Internet pornography is a beast that grabs young developing boys young minds

in the same way that being sexy and skinny plagues young women who are already beautiful

we get addicted to what is false, born into this mess like crack babies

why do we occupy ourselves with petty addictions to get by

prescribing our own prescriptions we get high

and everybody is addicted to something."

Shoes, shoes, shoes

2010-02-28T21:57:00.000-08:00

I may have gone to Target tonight and purchased three different pairs of shoes. The worst part is that it is snowing outside and two of the pairs are sandals.

I love the Tory Burch flats that have this scalloped detail, if I were to purchase TBs I would get Revas though. I actually wanted these to see if I thought I would wear gold or silver flats more often.

These are almost identical to Jack Rogers. I've admired the JR online before but they haven't really caught on here in Denver so I figured Target ones are just as cute for 1/5th the price.

Last but not least this pair caught my eye and was only$12. Can't wait to pair both pairs of sandals with skirts and dresses this summer. They will also be nice options for the office without being flip flops. One of the benefits of selling real estate is you can really just go a few steps above what your client wears. I have one right now who always wears yoga pants when we go out so there isn't a ton of extra pressure to be super dressed up.

I wanted to show you this pair as well. I purchased similar the summer we got married almost 4 years ago and still wear them quite often. I am always getting compliments on them and asked where I purchased them from.

Want a laugh?

2010-02-27T22:21:00.000-08:00

I just watched this clip and it was too funny not to share!

WOW, is all I have to say.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-26T19:27:00.000-08:00

Remember me?

Yeah, I unintentionally took a little break from blogging. It was nice and needed but I'm glad to be back! For Valentine's Day we decided to stay a few nights in the mountains and go up snowboarding.

I was petrified to board again after 3 years of not going up at all. I own my own board though so it didn't make sense to rent skis. So petrified I couldn't even open up my eyes at the top...

Either that or my husband just took the photo at the wrong time.

I actually ended up loving snow boarding again and picked it up right where I left off. See I have a smile on this time...

We even ended up going through the trees on one of our runs. I had always heard about snowboarders riding through the trees but I could never understand how they did it. The very thought of doing it myself was unimaginable. I loved it though!

Taking a break in the trees.

Hubby hit a soft spot, good thing he didn't get stuck.

More smiles at lunch.

While we were up there we stayed at his family's cabin.

The lower level has bedrooms and the upper level has the living area and master bedroom. I can't wait to go up again for a few more snowboard days and to bring friends up! Can't wait to see this view of the lake this summer.

Another photo from Valentine's Day

One of the best parts though is that we got to bring Ridley. She was so confused all three days but this was her favorite part of our trip.

My husband's Grandfather caught this and many others and has them mounted on the walls. Creepy but a cool accomplishment for him.

Remember these

2010-02-06T23:58:00.000-08:00

Remember winter 5 years ago when pink Uggs with mini shirts were all the rage?

Where did they all go?

You see tons of tan, brown and black ones but never any pink or baby blue anymore.

Is it just me?

Doppelganger

2010-02-01T21:52:00.001-08:00

So this doppelganger game is spreading like wildfire on Facebook so I figured it would be fun to play along. The idea is to put up a picture of the celebrity you have been told you look like as your profile picture. Here is the one I put up.

I heard it much more when my hair was super blond.

Who is your celebrity look a like?

Bad Facebook Etiquette

2010-01-31T21:59:00.000-08:00

I have been a terrible blogger this week, you can't really blame me though I have been hanging out with these boys this week while their family was in Mexico!

On a completely unrelated note...

I was just browsing Facebook and spotted a photo album I scrolled though of my god daughter. 7 of the 8 photos that were in the album were one's that I had taken of her and sent to her mother, not the mother's friend who had posted them. Talk about bad etiquette. I guess the most shocking part was the two pictures of our god daughter and my husband playing.

Most depressing day of the year.

2010-01-26T12:09:00.001-08:00

Was it just me or was yesterday a funky off day?

I feel it and judging from Facebook and Twitter updates you felt it as well. My husband informed me that even the news reported yesterday was the most depressing day of the year. If you are interested into the why and how they researched it here is a link. Well the upside of that is that it is behind us and it can only get better from here!

Running skirt

2010-01-25T13:26:00.001-08:00

I have talked before about my love for new athletic gear. One of my favorite summer items is the running skirt. What do you think about this Lucy Skirt?

Click here to see on Lucy's website, the purple one is currently 75% off.

Did I save money or spend it?

2010-01-16T23:59:00.001-08:00

I just played the grocery game again tonight. I had to go to a 24 hour Walgreens because tonight was the last night of this weeks sale items. It was good though because it was slow and less stressful that a busy one. It took me a lot longer this time and it was a little stressful figuring out all the coupons and where to find them since there were so many, Walgreens has a coupon mailer and an in store one in addition to coupons from the paper. I saved some cash but I am not sure that I would have bought all of the items normally. They were things that would be nice to have but not must purchase items such as carpet spot cleaner. I've never bought three boxes of tampons at once but I have also never gotten three for the price of one. I think it will really be nice once we get our stockpiles going but it will take some time to do since you are purchasing when items go on sale rather than when you run out and usually two of an item at a time. The other thing about Walgreens is that they give you cash coupons for money off your next purchase but I feel like this time it added to our cost. I do have $11 though for next time that I won't have to spend.

Free food!

2010-01-12T20:39:00.000-08:00

I have a husband who LOVES food.

This was his plate at the firehouse Christmas party.

I can't tell you how many times I have gone to the firehouse and someone has talked about how much he eats. I'm not pointing fingers but I will say I gained quite a bit of weight right after we got married. I want to make my husband happy but I still have to stick to a tight budget. To do so I was shopping at W*lmart and figured that would be cheapest way to get food, luckily ours is a super nice one.

Tonight I tried using coupons at my local King S**pers (Kr*ger). It was so easy and I saved 50% off my bill for a total of $25 saved. The items weren't all ones I would buy at W*lmart but my husband was so excited when I called and asked him what varieties of Rice a R*oni he wanted. Normally I would just buy him a big bag of rice and he would have to figure out how to cook it. These cheap and easy sides will make meals both here and when he cooks at work easier.

I would have never known how to do this if I hadn't signed up for the Grocery Game.

It only took me about 10 minutes before I went to the store today, totally worth $25. I can't wait to

have a stockpile of cheap paper items because I am so sick of adding $20 to my C*ostco bill to

get tp. If you do sign up please include that I referred you, my e-mail is mrsjcrew at yahoo.com.

The cost is $10 every 8 weeks but the first month is free!

Bewitched

2010-01-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning and I am killing a little time before I go workout. Bewitched the movie is on, it caught my attention because I use to love watching the reruns when I was little. It didn't take long to fall in love with the house that Nicole Kidman's character lives in. If you've seen it do you remember this charmer?

Love the outside but it was this shot that really got me.

Don't you love the arches and all the light.

10 weeks till...

2010-01-07T12:58:00.000-08:00

I know that most of the country is stuck in a cold freeze right now but I'm already starting to see a few signs that spring is approaching! For instance this came in the mail yesterday.

Did anyone else see page 4 and 5 and wonder who orders that? Click here if you are curious.

Yesterday we also walked into Gap to be greeted by quite a few pairs of sandals.

This can only mean one things to me, only 10 short weeks till spring!

Book Club

2010-01-06T23:51:00.000-08:00

I have recently joined a fabulous book club! A fun evening with new girlfriends, filled with interesting women of varying ages . We may also bring a bottle of wine each and encourage new attendees to have their significant other pick them up at the end of the night.

(The boys may call it wine club.)

Here's the downfall of it though.

I am struggling to get through the books before we meet each month. I am a reader but between the books I already have at home waiting in a pile and listening to books on tape while I run (at least 7 hours a week) I am out of reading time. It gets even harder when there is only 3 weeks between the clubs. I really enjoy the meetings and I know it is ok to attend if I haven't read but I am not sure I can fit it all in. Has anyone else had this dilemma?

What I learned about camera's

2010-01-03T19:51:00.000-08:00

One of my Christmas presents this year was a new camera from my Mom!

I knew that when you purchase a SLR camera that you go Nikon or Canon so I was so excited when I unwrapped my new Nikon COOLPIX S220. I figured the same brands would be best for point and shoot cameras.

This is the quality of the better photos I got...

My iPhone takes better pictures than that...

(Fooling around in Forever 21 last week with my YL girls.)

Today my mom and I headed to Costco to return the camera and get cash back so that I could get a Canon that got good reviews. My husband came across the one that I wanted though and said it was pretty big for a point and shoot so I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do...

Luckily a woman who works at Costco overheard our complaint and recommended getting a Panasonic. I was very hesitant but all the things she told me about the brand sounded great.

One of the selling points was that they use the same glass Leica lenses that the SLRs use. I guess most other brands are made out of plastic that scratches and get yucky over time.

Here is the camera I got...

Just a quick shot from it, a huge improvement over the last camera...

Yes, Christmas stuff still needs to come down. It's on tomorrow's list.

2010 goals

2010-01-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

The new year brings time for reflection and resolutions.

I am not a huge new years resolution person but if I had to make some here's what they would be...

Get in at least 600 miles, 900 would be great though. If I get in 20 miles a week I will have no problem hitting this goal. I started keeping track last March and rounded the year out with 308 miles. I took some major breaks in there.

My other goal is to count Weight Watchers points at least 5 days a week, not perfect but better than nothing. This is kind of a monthly goal for me because becoming a mother is an even bigger goal for the next year. If this happens I plan on trying to still get miles in just easier miles, not running. I just feel so much better when I am active.

I just came across this web site today to track your miles, Daily Mile. My username is simpleyeclassic if you join find me (the same as my twitter)! (Just informed it may be easier to find me by my email, mrsjcrew@yahoo.com) I love being able to see my miles tracked like this. I also still also love Running Ahead.

Follow Dave Ramsey's plan to get as financially fit as possible. We accomplished the first step just yesterday, save $1000 as an emergency fund.

Last but not least my goal is to become more of a Proverbs 31 woman.

My perfect work out playlist

2009-12-29T22:13:00.000-08:00

I have shared this on my other Weight Watchers blog but I figured I would share this with you as well since so many of you will be making resolutions to work out this new year.

One of the trickiest parts of working out is finding the perfect mix of songs for your iPod. We all know that if a song is too slow it will cause a huge lull in your energy levels and make the work harder. Lots of people love watching tv while working out but the hard thing is finding something that draws you in or getting the channel changed to what you want at the gym.

My answer to this has been audiobooks. They are free from the library and totally take you away instead of focusing on your workout.

Pretty sure almost all women have a huge to read list but also want to exercise. I spend so much time on the trail every week that I have flown through the first two Mark of the Lion books (500 + pages each). This series is by Francine Rivers who also wrote Redeeming Love. Get to the book store asap if you haven't read Redeeming Love. You won't be sorry you did.

Apparently the people at Lululemon agree with me click here to hear what they say about it.

I do understand that you may need the pump up of music. I listen to mine while I am driving to workout. I also have the newest shuffle and I love that it holds tons of playlists for this exact reason.

One question though...

Can you say that you have read a book when really you listened to it? Don't tell my book club this month if it doesn't count.

Running gear

2009-12-28T20:38:00.000-08:00

I am so boring lately my apologies for my lack of posts.

I have been busy running lately. My goal is to run 20 miles a week or to burn 3,500 calories.

All of this running has me pretty obsessed with running and workout gear lately. I think I have figured out the perfect mix of layers and gear for the cold weather.

On super cold (late start days) I really need to layer up. Running tights, compression mock turtleneck, fleece jacket and gloves. My legs are so cold by the time I get back but the pictures that I take are so pretty it's worth it.

Here are a few for you.

Did you see my little dog? She loves to run and will go as far as I take her (4-6 miles).

Here's a random thing I came across yesterday...

A dead bee in the snow on a 25 degree day.... random.

I have also become obsessed with running gear. I love to check it all out but lately all I have pretty much sporting is Target's C9 line. They are decent for the price point, all of the other gear I am drawn to is so expensive. I have found one shirt though lately at Target that is a real gem! They only carry it in white and a bright coral/pink color and this is what the back looks like.

I can't find it online but is is worth going to the store for. Seriously this is the perfect shirt for only $25. It's just thick enough for days where the weather is in the 30's, snug but not too tight (doesn't show everything) and doesn't really ride up. The sleeves are perfect as well, they can be hiked up comfortably (some are too snug to) or left alone without riding up. I was so excited when my husband got me the pink one for Christmas because I was wearing the white one everyday and washing it every time I wore it.

We've had quite a bit of snow lately and it's been pretty exhausting to walk let alone run in. I had heard about these things called Yaktrax and decided to try them out...

They strap to your shoes for more traction. They worked really well today.

Sorry completely random and boring today.

If your a runner or love workout gear who make your favorite gear or what is it?

Dear Victoria's Secret

2009-12-22T23:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Victoria's Secret,

When I was planning for my honeymoon you were a great go to for "sleep wear". It however has been almost fours years since I purchased these special items. While I love what I purchased I wonder why you are still selling so many of the same items so many years later. Time to update!

Thanks,

Mrs Classic

Bored stiff

2009-12-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

Wow I can't believe it has been so long since I have blogged. I have been so busy (as I am sure we all have this month) that tonight is my first night all month not having plans. I had scheduled yesterday off but I ended up going for a long 6 mile run super late and then had to run a few hours of returns and grocery shopping to do, by the time I returned home it was almost 10 so it really doesn't count as a night off, right?

I have to say my home is looking 100 times better than it did this morning but I am bored stiff. My husband is at work there is nothing on tv and laundry is only so fun. I almost wish I would have taken a photo of how messy our place had gotten. I am pretty sure my husband is going to die of shock when he gets home tomorrow morning because it looks nothing like the home he left. Luckily for me he never complained about all the clothes thrown about.

One thought though while I am doing 28573 loads of laundry....

Why do washers take a third of the time dryers do?

I need another drier to keep up with my washer.

It is just me?

2009-12-07T20:57:00.000-08:00

Has anyone else out there noticed that they don't make hair ties like they use to?

I am not sure if it is because my hair has gotten much longer than before or if I am wearing them too tight but they seem to lose their elasticity after one or two uses.

What to expect...

2009-12-04T23:36:00.000-08:00

Today I had some free time so I wandered around Target for at least an hour. I was looking for Christmas presents and gift ideas for my husband. It was so nice and relaxing to be able to wonder around and look at anything I wanted without having a time limit or anywhere to be.

I came across this book while I was there...

It's a great thing to pick up if you are thinking about babies in the next year or so. There are so many things you can do improve your health before conceiving.

Black Friday

2009-11-27T20:49:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, after celebrating Thanksgiving at both my husband's families house and my Mom's house, we went home and put up our Christmas tree. Then we braved the crowds at the outlet mall for black friday deals.

It was crazy...

It took forever to even exit the highway and by the time we got to the stores the deals weren't that great. I am a pretty big outlet shopper and find great deals at the J Crew outlet. I have to say there weren't any deals that were better than an average day, just way more people. Most of J Crew was 40% off but the clothes are only $10- $20 cheaper than the mall's J Crew. I would rather have the normal stores clothes because the quality is better. I did get the one thing I wanted, a grey velvet blazer but that was it.

Did I just go to the wrong stores? Did you get better deals?

Snow Camp

2009-11-24T10:08:00.000-08:00

Back from snow camp!

We had a great time with such a great group of girls.

Here's just a glimpse of the all camp crud war.

Hope all is well

2009-11-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

When you send some one a message and they end with

"hope all is well with you"

what does that mean?

Girl talk

2009-11-18T22:31:00.000-08:00

Just a warning: girl talk ahead for the one or two male readers that randomly appear.

***

I am dealing with a feminine issue right now. I just finished up a Z pack and being on an antibiotic cased said issue. I went to the store today to get some medicines and was baffled by the choices. There were at least 20 different option to choose from, anywhere from a 1 day to 7 day cure. I just don't get why if I can use something that can be used during the day and only takes one dose that is only a buck or so more why choose any other option?

Anyone have any insight on why you would buy the 7 day night only messy option for $2 less?

Christmas already!

2009-11-16T10:11:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or are people ready for Christmas and the holiday season earlier than normal this year? I have noticed that people are itching to put up their decorations earlier than I can ever remember. There are even quite a few of you who already have Christmas trees up. Not sure if this has to do with the economy or maybe the colder weather this year.

***

Have you noticed the same thing?

Facebook part II

2009-11-11T21:12:00.000-08:00

I guess that last post wasn't super clear...

We found out that my Brother-in-law and his fiance were pregnant via a Facebook message.

They also announced that it is a boy since they are already 22 weeks along.

Facebook gone too far

2009-11-11T11:21:00.000-08:00

I just got a message on Facebook that my Brother in Law is expecting a baby and that it's a boy.

His finance is 22 weeks along already and we had no knowledge of any of it.

Seriously telling your family over Facebook that you are expecting and the sex of the baby?

***

What would your thoughts be if this happened to you?

Candles

2009-11-08T12:28:00.001-08:00

I am a huge fan of lighting scented candles and letting them burn all evening. Every time I light them though my husband complains that he hates the smell and has a headache. I finally thought of a solution...

I took him with me so that he could help pick scents he likes. It actually turned out to be such a fun little adventure. Here's what we ended up with.

Now is the one who lights them!