Monday, December 10, 2012

Motivation Monday

Happy Monday!I hope you all had a great weekend!!!! We didn't have much going on, but it was still nice! Friday night we had my Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law & nieces over for dinner and had a couple glasses of wine. It was nice to spend some quality time with them before the craziness of the Holiday really kicks in to full swing the next couple weeks! I also have a coupe DIY projects going on that I'm hoping to post later in the week as well!

But what I really have going on right now is that I'm trying to get myself motivated. I'm quite ashamed to say that I've really fallen off the wagon lately. Before my surgery in October I was doing so good! I was waking up early every morning and getting a good workout in right after my Hubs and son would leave for school. I was eating well and starting to get a little toned. And then I started feeling so sick and it felt like everything with my health spiraled out of control. I'm ok now, I still have a bit of things going on that I'm going to address after the New Year, but nothing serious. I just want to start working on myself again & to enjoy my Holidays!!!

So this week I am back on board the health train! I've been loving soups, stews & chili's, so we'll be keeping it light with an array of them for dinners with a salad all week. I'll be getting back into my TAM workouts and also be adding in some delicious recipes & workouts from the Tone it Up nutrition plan I follow as well. Love those girls!!! In the meantime, I thought I would post some of my fav pics from my "Thin"spiration board on Pinterest! I need some extra motivation and if you do too, maybe this will help you!!!

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I'm off to work out! See you tomorrow with a new gift guide!!!


XOXO

Friday, December 7, 2012

Friday's Fancies - Pretty in Plaid



sweater  //  jeans  //  glittens  //  trapper hat  //  scarf  //  coat  //  bag  //  boots

It's that time of the week again! I love this weekly Friday's Fancies linkup with Long Distance Loving! It's always so fun to put looks together and see what everyone else comes up with!! This week, as you can see, the cozy trend continues. I've always loved plaid, but can't always pull off the complete plaid trend other than a cozy flannel shirt. So I like to add touches of it. I'm still loving the Sorels and these boots are adorable!!! And I practically live in Cowlneck sweaters during the winter. The winter white is so pretty! 

Make sure to check out the linkup and join in! Stay tuned for more Gift Guides and if you missed my Sparkle themed gift guide from yesterday, you can check it out here! Happy Friday!!!

XOXO

Thursday, December 6, 2012

A Dose of Sparkle...



necklace  //  tank  //  iphone case  //  nail laquer  //  hair pins  //  earrings  //  satchel

I've been meaning to get some gift guides together for a while now and this year I'm finally ahead of the game! Expect to see a few over the next week featuring some of my fav items as well as a few that are on my own wishlist!!! As for this guide, it's no secret that I'm majorly obsessed with sparkle. There's no doubt in my mind that any of these gifts would make a fellow sparkle addict swoon. I personally own the tank & iphone case and I love both! I also own a similar pair of earrings and I love them! They are perfect for everyday wear, but a little different than your traditional diamond stud. I've been hearing great things about Julep's nail color and think this set would be perfect for me! Plus Julep;s nail laquers don't contain all the gross chemicals that most do, and you know how I feel about all the nasties in my beauty products! I've also been coveting this Deux Lux satchel for some time! Isn't she lovely?! My only issue... I can't decide which color I like best. I'm very partial to the gray since it has both gold & silver glitter!

More gift guides to come soon! Don't forget to stop back tomorrow for my Friday's Fancies!!!


XOXO

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Tuesday Musings

Tonight is the night!!!! It's one of my favorite traditions this time of year and I get so excited for.... The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show! Nothing screams holiday cheer like supermodels walking the runway in skivvies & wings to the beat of Bruno Mars! Am I right?!? In all seriousness, I absolutely love everything about it. It's girly perfection and all the angels remind me of living dolls. I adore all the sparkles, glitz, etc and not knowing what will come down the runway next. I get giddy like a little girl watching. I so wish they would have had the VS Fashion Show when I was little!

{ source }
 I mean how gorgeous & adorable is Miranda Kerr?!? I still can't believe this girl had a baby! Any of them for that matter!!! And I love seeing Orlando just gazing at her so adoringly as she flutters down the runway. I can't wait!!!

 Another exciting yet slightly sad thing tonight will be the Sons of Anarchy season finale! I can't believe the season is over already!!! Oh how I'm going to miss my weekly dose of Jax & Chibs!!! I don't know what I'm going to watch this week with all the mid-season and season finales going on. All the shows are just dropping like flies! Do you watch SOA? What do you think is going to happen tonight???


XOXO

Friday, November 30, 2012

Friday's Fancies - Cozy Weekend



 sweater  //  jeans  //  earrings  //  necklace  //  hat  //  boots   //  coat

This week I'm linking up with Long Distance Loving for Friday Fancies. It's been quite a while since I've done this, but now that it's finally my ideal season, I had some inspiration! Right now I'm all about being cozy, especially on the weekends! This is my favorite time of year and I love to accessorize with amazing coats, cute boots, soft winter scarves, glittens and hats as well as simple gold jewelry. This monogram necklace has been on my wishlist for quite a while!

On another note.... I've been meaning to take pics of those jacket I bought from Banana Republic years ago, and I mean years!!! But it's beautiful, I've never worn it and I would really like to find it a new home just in time for the holidays!!! It's more of a dress coat and it's literally still in the dust jacket I brought it home in. It's a silk brocade dress coat in a pretty champagne/gold color with a paisley pattern of light green with gold thread. This pic doesn't do it justice!!! It was regularly $298, I purchased it for $189 and am willing to part with it for $100. It's a size Small and it would make an amazing compliment to a gorgeous outfit for Christmas or New Years Eve! If you're interested, shoot me an email or comment here!


Have a great weekend!!!

XOXO

Monday, November 26, 2012

Cyber Monday Steals!

There are so many great deals going on today that it makes my head spin! I'm not a black friday shopper, at least not in stores anyway. Today is my favorite shopping day to kick off the holiday season and that's mainly because I always prefer shopping online & think that cyber monday offers the best deals. I can prioritize so much easier and I know exactly how much I'm spending. I get major anxiety trying to make important decisions standing in a store! I'm known for buying and returning items many times this time of year. Just ask my Husband!!! He never seems to understand why I can stand in JCrew agonizing over which coat to buy for an hour when there's a good sale! These are important decisions!!! So I apologize in advance if this post is all over the place. I really can be such a magpie when it comes to pretty things. Especially pretty sparkly things, which to my delight, dominate the shops this time of year!!! So here are a few of my handpicked fav's....


I snagged this gorgeous silk skirt from Club Monaco on sale with an additional 30% off! They only had Size 6 left, so if you love it and that's your size, hurry!!!



These cashmere fingerless gloves were also an amazing deal! They come in a bunch of colors (grey & camel are my fav!) and with the additional 30% off they are a steal!!!



There's also some amazing deals on Gilt today! If you're not familiar with this site, it's a sample site that I've been shopping through for years! You can get tons of designer items at a discount, like this Soia & Kyo Houndstooth Coat or this adorable Moschino Heart Umbrella on sale today! Even better, Get $25 off your first purchase through this link!


So that wraps up all my current picks! Also make sure to stop by a few of my other fav stores to get some great deals...

JCrew - 25% off with code MONDAY & 6% cashback
Asos - 30% off with code CYBERMONDAYSPECIAL
Madwell - 25% off with code TREAT & 8% cashback
ON, Gap & BR - 30% applied at checkout & 10% cashback

Happy Shopping!!!

XOXO

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I'm so sorry for the lack of posts lately! I always feel like my brain is going a mile a minute!!! Ever since Halloween, everything seems to be on warp speed! Can you believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving?!?! The time just flies by!!! I've been really trying to get everything organized between my son's class parties, planning gifts, making gifts etc because I know that Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye! With life going by so quickly, I wanted to make sure I popped on here to share a few things...

What I'm thankful for....

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I'm super thankful for my little family - my husband, my son, my pets & myself ; ) It's so easy to get caught up in the everyday woes of life, family issues (c'mon most people have them!), financial stress, and sometimes even "keeping up with the joneses". I don't necessarily wish I had things other people have specifically. But I'm def guilty of wishing I had things on my own wish list and not appreciating what I already have. Today I read a very sad post by a blogger sharing the story of how she lost her little brother in a tragedy 3 years ago, and it really made me stop and think. Sometimes I get so caught up in the "get up go go go" constantly, that I forget how fleeting & fragile life really is. No ones life is perfect. Mine certainly isn't. There are things I wish were different and often find myself pining, which makes me forget how good I have it. I have a home with a roof over my head, nice things and a wonderful Husband & little boy who I love dearly. What more could I ask for?

I also truly appreciate all of you! I'm such a perfectionist that I often get caught up in constant self-criticism regarding my blogging. It's times like this where I remember to take a breath, stop focusing on what I'm going to write about next, is it good enough, will people like it, etc and revel in the fact that I've connected with all of you. I've become bloggy friends with some amazing girlies over the years and am making so many new friends through this little blog O' mine, that I never would have crossed paths with otherwise. I love that. The sense of community!!! I adore all of you and am so happy that you have stuck with me through so many ups and downs in the last year!

On that note, I have an amazing recipe to share with you. Many years ago, when I first started cooking Thanksgiving dinner (which I think was back in my Condo with my then Fiance at maybe.... er.... 23?) I pulled out an Ad for Jimmy Dean sausage with a stuffing recipe on it. Now let me preface by saying that I am a Health Nut a majority of the time. However, I've been making this recipe for so long, that it's a Thanksgiving staple in my home! And now I want to share it with you!!!


I really hope you enjoy it! It's so good!!! I'm hoping to get some gift guides together over the next week or so! There's some amazing deals going on that started today! Check out some of my fav items from JCrew, JC Factory, Anthro & Club Monaco!!


JCrew - 25% off $150+ with code COLOR25
JCrew Factory - Extra 15% off already marked down items with a purchase of $100+
Anthro - Extra 25% off Sale items no code needed
Cub Monaco - Extra 30% Off Sale items + FS

I'm also planning on sharing more sales as well as my top picks! Until then, wishing each and every one of you a fantastic holiday!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

XOXO

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Wednesday Wants - Gift Ideas for someone special or you!!!

Since the departure of Sandy it's been freezing here in Jersey! I don't mind it much though. Winter is my fav season!!! Am I a glutton for punishment? No way! I love being toasty & cozy. But most of all, I love everything the late Fall & early Winter brings! The crafts with my son, snugly movie nights with the Husby, prepping for delicious holiday meals, making holiday gifts, and getting ready for Christmas! Yes... I really dropped the C word already. It seems the second it starts to get chilly and November starts, I have Holidays on my mind. I love it all. The music, the decor, the crafts (hello pinterest!!!) and ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas!

So of course, in all of my Pinterest Perusing & Window Shopping daily online, I've developed quite a lust list! I just had to share a few of my fav's!!!


One little darling at the tippy top of my list lately is by a company called Melange Perfume based out of LA. I've been following this amazing company for some time and kept dragging my feet on making a purchase since I couldn't decide what I wanted. I LOVE mixing my scents, so I knew I def wanted a palette. I finally decided on the Amber 2 palette and put it on my birthday list back in Sept. Hubby did buy it for me and  I have not stopped wearing this gorgeous set of scents since!!! The fragrances are so unique and I love that I don't smell like everyone else!

One thing that is super important to me is that the perfumes are a healthy alternative being that they are based with various natural oils depending whether you go with a liquid or solid. For those of you that might be new to the blog, I'm a health nut! Especially with cosmetics!!! You might be shaking your heads thinking "But what does that have to do with perfume?" Well unfortunately your typical perfume can contain thousands of chemicals just in the "fragrance" part of it!!! I know, I know. I'm sorry! I don't mean to burst your pretty little bubbles, but it's true =( Trust me, I was once a perfume collector many years ago. But I haven't worn regular perfume in years. In fact, aside from the hazard factor, it downright assaults my nose at this point! Anyway, moving on.... This palette is to die for! You can wear the scents alone or layer them and you can rest easy knowing that you're not lacing your body with tons of ick!!! The best part? Melange recently had a palette featured in Marie Claire and they are offering a celebratory coupon code to be used on their palettes!!! Now through November 20th you can save 20% on any palette by entering "Marie Claire" at checkout & recalculating! I highly recommend the Amber 2 if you love vanilla and smoky scents. Amber 1 is next on the list for me!

I've also been lusting after this gorgeous Deux Lux satchel for quite a while! They posted a little sneak peek photo on their FB page back in the summer! That's how long I've been waiting for this baby!!! Isn't she gorgeous?! Though I have no idea which color I would pick. I'm between the Gray & Black I think. This bag adds the perfect dose of sparkle in those chilly winter months and what girl doesn't need sparkle?!?



I also have a lengthy list of current fav's that I've been keeping track of through CurrentlyObsessed and rather than post all the pics separate, it's just easier to allow you to scroll through! Right now there's an Asos coupon for that lovely Foil Dot Sweatshirt (ACE25) and there's also a coupon for JCrew Factory (HaulPass)!

Happy Shopping!!!

XOXO




DISCLAIMER: The Melange Perfume review was not paid and I will recieve no compensation for this post. I just happen to really love the product! I would never post about a product that I didn't like. I hope you enjoy the palette as much as I do!!!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

I'm Back with some JCrew Fav's!


Hi Lovelies! I apologize for the long delay in posting! I'm finally starting to feel like myself again, but have had so much going on. Between my couple week recovery, school events for my son, and the recent Hurricane devastation (I'm ok & luckily, so is my home. Others were not so lucky...) I just haven't had time to really sit and post and honestly, with so much going on so close to home with Sandy, I didn't feel right posting until now. Last night we were watching the Telethon and it's just so sad. There were many people in my area that had damage from water, fallen trees and even a couple fires from power lines & transformers blowing out. It was very scary preparing for the storm and not knowing what to expect. We watched the news for days and it was really surreal to see so much tragedy playing out right before our eyes not far from where we live in NJ. Needless to say, that's been on my mind and with school being out for a couple days and starting back up with Halloween madness, it's been hard to find time to sit and gather myself to write!

But I'm finally back and ready to get this blog going in full swing again! I wanted to post about something a little lighthearted with so much sadness going around. I checked my email this morning and J.Crew is having one of their amazing sales!! 25% off of your total purchase of $150+ with free shipping as well with code OURTREAT! Of course I had to peruse the entire selection and picked some of my current fav's! Now is a great time to snag a couple at a great price!!!



PS - as you will notice, this is a RewardStyle boutique! You may have seen my CurrentlyObsessed button over on the right! If you want more info on how to get involved with RewardStyle, I would love to refer you to them! Shoot me an email and I'm happy to pass along your info ;)
Enjoy your weekend!!!
XOXO

Thursday, October 11, 2012

MIA Update - Surgery



Hi Lovelies!

Gosh it feels like it's been a million years since I last posted!!! But in all seriousness, it has been quite a while. I feel so awful about it. But there's a reason for that! I'll get to that in a second....

But first, can you believe it's finally Fall?!?! I'm BEYOND excited!!! I'm such a Fall/Winter girl and there's nothing like basking in this Autumn loveliness after a hot summer that felt like eternity. I'm so happy to finally be wearing jeans, cardi's and boots again!!! I'm really looking forward to enjoying all the things I love this season - Pumpkin Spice Latte's, Fall Festivals, Hot Apple Cider, Pumpkin Picking, etc. My absolute favorite time of year!

Ok, so on to why I've been so MIA. Over the summer I decided to take a bit of an unplanned hiatus. My son was home and with plans, playdates, etc everything was just so chaotic all the time. I felt like whenever I would sit down to blog I was constantly being interrupted. I was really looking forward to the new school year starting and had all these grand plans for this blog. But as soon I was preparing to get back in my groove, I started feeling really sick. Like REALLY sick & in pain.... like all the time. I had felt this way off/on for a while, but this time it wasn't going away and it was bad. I had gone to see the Doc a couple times, but just kept getting passed around for different tests and appointments. Finally one day I felt so sick I called and told them they needed to send me for a CT scan of my abdomen. They found a couple simple cysts on my liver & kidney and they also found an Ovarian Cyst. They don't seem to be overly concerned that the cyst is anything like cancer, so for now, I'm not going to worry too much. But my gosh does it HURT! This was about a month ago. Then I started getting really bad pains in my right shoulder, up my side, getting fevers, feeling nauseous and I realized that this was not the cyst. So they sent my for a HIDA scan. Last week I got a call that my Gallbladder was only functioning at 8%. I was told I would need it out or it might get infected from all the inflammation. So I scheduled my surgery and kept the appointment after many agonizing days trying to decided if it was definitely necessary to remove an organ from my body. Now the surgery is finally here and it's at 6:15am tomorrow.

I'm still a little nervous. Surgery is never fun after all. Unless of course you're waking up to a nice new set of boobs or something. Then maybe the pain isn't so bad. But this isn't fun. I'm really trying to stay positive and hope that I'm not one of so many people out there that has issues after! I decided today that I'm going to wake up & feel so much better and getting my bum gallbladder out is going to be the start of a brand new healthy lifestyle! I just didn't want all of you to think I've forgotten about you!!! Thank you for sticking with me and thank you to all the new followers as well! I'll be back to my normal self soon and have so many new plans for this blog! Do me a favor and send me TONS of positive vibes for tomorrow ok??? See you all soon!!!


XOXO

Thursday, August 16, 2012

So Lost...


Do you ever feel so lost... so confused... that sometimes you don't know which way is up? Like you're swimming so deep in a million things that you get lost and can't figure out which is the way to the surface. That's how I've been feeling lately. This September I'll be 32... I know.... YIKES!!! I truly thought I would have myself figured out by now. When I turned 30 I literally felt like someone flipped a light switch and everything started coming into focus. There was such a moment of clarity, unlike my other birthdays. It became so much easier to see what I like and what I don't like. Who I want to be and who I have no interest in being. But in the last 6 months or so, I've been feeling so overwhelmed. Like I'm having a major identity crisis. Everything in my life as far as everyone else goes - friends, family, etc is good! But as far as I go.... Not so much. There could be worse things to be confused and overwhelmed about, I suppose. But it's just such an odd feeling to feel so disconnected from yourself. To feel like you don't even know what you like or are interested in anymore. That's kind of the reason I've been pretty MIA lately. I apologize for that! Sometimes I just feel like too much of my blogging is fluff. Don't get me wrong... there's nothing wrong with fluff. But I want you all to get to know me too - beyond all the sparkles, pretty clothes & lust lists. Lately I've been feeling like if I don't have anything super interesting to say, maybe I shouldn't say it at all. I just want to warn you that the next few months will most likely be very scattered here on the blog! I desperately need a reset so I can start exploring who I am again, so don't be surprised if you see quite a mismatch going on! I promise that it will be things everyone will love. Thanks for sticking with me!!! ; )

Ps - don't think I haven't noticed all of you new lovelies that are now following! I absolutely have and appreciate you so much!!!! <3>


XOXO

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Bachelor Pad Recap Week 2


{ Via Abc }
 I missed my recap last week, but that's ok, the intro show wasn't packin' too much heat and the heat it was packin' (those twins), I wasn't too crazy about! But last night def did not disappoint for several reasons!!! And I also decided to linkup with More from Meg, which makes these recaps so much fun!!!

First and foremost.... what happened to "poor, sweet, loving" Chris from Bachelorette??? I don't really think that. I actually wasn't much of a fan of his at all and knew I didn't like him for a reason. I totally saw through the act for sure!!! I know this is a game at the end of the day and everyone plays differently, but I'm not digging the air of arrogance AT ALL. There are people on the show that have been on it before and someone that has even won (Mike Stag!) and this dude strolls in with a total ego! It's like Kacey all over again without the annoying sidekick or guarding & protecting anyone's heart!!! And Jaime.... poor naive Jaime. I love her! She was one of my fav's on Ben's season and I think she is so so pretty. But what is her deal with Chris?! Why is she chasing him and giving him the satisfaction, feeding his nasty ego? Ugh, it's driving me crazy already!!!

{ Via Wetpaint }
 And O... M... G... How funny is drunk Ed?!?! Last night was epic! When I saw his little car that said "The Pickle" on it, I thought it was so funny. But later on in the night when we found out what he was referring to... Hilarious!!! "Flying Pickle, oh yeaaaaaaaaa!!!!" Probably totally not funny in the moment when you're the girl in his bed, or when you're the girl that was engaged to him, but still so funny on tv! I was so glad he wasn't eliminated last night since I have a feeling that's not the end of Ed's drunken antics. Especially when him & Reid go at it next week!!!

 The highlight of my night last night was when the twins went home!!! O... M... G.... Not trying to be a nasty hater, but when I was watching last week and I remembered them as the train wreck sloppy messes from Jersey Shore.... Ewwww. I just wanted to throw up in my mouth every time they were on. I'm honestly shocked that ABC even had them on the show. I totally wasn't into the superfan thing to begin with, but allowing those girls on a major network show like that? So glad they left and I can enjoy the show finally!

And saving the best for last... I'm a huge fan of anything Bachelor/Bachelorette and love BP! I was already planning on watching of course, but when I found out a certain guy that I loved on his season of Bachelorette was going to be on, well.... I pretty much died!
{ Via Nick's Site }

Nick Peterson, from Ashley Hebert's season, was one of my fav guys and I personally thought it was nuts that Ashley didn't really give him a fair shot & he got sent home as early as he did! I've been hoping he would go on BP since then! I am actually shocked that we haven't seen any of the girls go after him yet! Are they freakin blind?!?!? I like a few of the other guys, but Nick is by far, the hottest guy there!!! Def take a sec to check out his new website too. He now offers personal training online for those of us that aren't lucky enough to see him in person in Tampa! The lovely Natalie Getz, one of my fav Bachelorette girlies, even makes an appearance with some awesome tips & organic bodycare rec's!

So until next week! I'm actually looking forward to seeing how this whole thing with Dave pans out. Like I said, I wasn't really thrilled with the aspect of superfans, but Dave has grown on me, and I think it's pretty cool that he seems to be defying his odds and has a fair shot at this game! If you're a fan of the show and planning on recapping, make sure to stop by this linkup! It's going to be so fun!!!

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XOXO

Friday, July 27, 2012

Getting Real...

{ via }
 Today is going to be a bit different than my usual light posts! I've spent a lot of time these last few months covering up daily woes in life with fluff - pretty clothes, favorite shows, and neverending lists of gorgeous wants & needs! And while those things are ok and always lovely, I post about them because they are me, but I don't know how to work in the other parts of who I am. The parts that aren't always so fun & happy. When someone comes to my blog, I want them to take a break from their mind. It might seem like I'm not that deep, but I like to keep my blog as a distraction from the mundane bits of life. From the worries and the stresses. I'm not saying my life is bad. But like anyone else, there are things I definitely stress about! So today it's time for me to knock down those pretty little walls and open up a bit...

I haven't spoken too much about the Holistic Nutrition school I attended. I graduated this past February from the Holistic Health Coach program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Because I was dealing with various Health issues (nothing super serious) last year, I had a lot of ups and downs throughout the program. But I really do think that going through it during those difficult times really helped me! I truly did enjoy the program, but there were times that I was very overwhelmed. You find yourself considering all of these different point of views, questioning things in your life that you thought were pretty concrete. The next thing you know, you're trying new things, loving new things and you also become confused about some things. The thing about learning a more organic, natural approach is that once you know what you know.... it's hard to go back to who you were before. Not that I would want to at all. But sometimes ignorance definitely can be bliss!

At the end of the program I thought I had everything planned out. I was working towards opening a Healthy Lifestyling business. I had all of these grand plans. And then.... I became very overwhelmed with the stresses of life and I put a wall up. Here's a major tidbit about me. I'm a perfectionist. Bigtime. I'm def one of the "go big or go home" mentality. I don't like to do things halfway. I think at the time I was starting to put the wheels in motion for this business, underneath it all I just wasn't ready to "go big"! The thing about becoming a Health Coach is that while it's extremely rewarding and beneficial, it isn't just a career, it's a lifestyle change. I mean you can't exactly help others make big changes in life while you're off in a secret corner stuffing your face with Chick Fil A! Not saying I do that.... ; )

So a few months have gone by since I stuffed by big plans. Another thing about me is that I'm kind of a split personality. No, not like Sybil. Though she had many personalities from what I remember. Anyway.... I've mentioned this before, and it's a daily struggle for me. I feel like I'm two people at times. The J.Crew/Anthro loving, beauty obsessed magpie that loves to entertain and cook big italian dinners and isn't worried whether the chicken is organic or whether there's dairy in that. And then there's the girl that loves green juice and limits gluten & meat, that throws on the boho maxi dress & puts on the 100% natural lip shine to go out and radiates health. I'm a combination of these two women and I try to embrace it and make it work every day. More and more I realize that in a way, this is who I've always been. In HS I was preppy in the Fall & Winter, but once summer came I dyed my hair blonde and lived in bikini's, surfwear and beach clothes. I wasn't healthy back then in any sense of the word (though I might have looked it), but I see that my roots & split interests are still the same.

So as of right now I'm pondering my future. After a couple months of letting go of the changes that after a year started to overwhelm me, I'm starting to ease back into them. I haven't been eating terrible, but I will say that once I got out of my healthy routine, this is probably the most unhealthy I've felt in a while. I have realized that there needs to be balance. And there are some things I still really care about, and others I just accept are beyond my control and realize that I don't need to care that much. Unfortunately, in this messed up world we live in, I feel that it's hard to take a certain stance on health and still enjoy life to the fullest. It's def a challenge, but one I'm willing to accept and help others transition through as well.

I'm taking things very slow right now and am in the research stages! I'm not really considering being a Health Coach, but more of a Natural Beauty/Detox Lifestyle Coach. We'll see..... No set plans right now, just exploring!!! Expect to see some changes here on the blog, but not too much. I'm still the same girl you all know, you'll still see my fav show recaps, lust lists, and of course, Last Thing Thursdays (even though I forgot this week!), I'll just be showing more of my green, healthy side ; ) Happy Friday & thanks for listening!!!



 XOXO

Monday, July 23, 2012

Bachelorette Finale Recap


{ Via ABC }

Well last nights show was crazy! And by crazy I mean I was lucky I didn't fall asleep!! It was a tad on the boring side. The only saving grace was Emily's wardrobe. It def started off pretty quickly and immediately jumped into Jef meeting Emily's family. I wasn't too impressed with Jef's "Meet the Parents" attire, however, I do have to remember that they were in a tropical locale and also that he didn't pretend to be someone he wasn't. I def give him props for that!

Jef's meeting seemed to go really well and his final date with Emily went even better! It went so great in fact, that Emily decided to cancel her final date with Arie. I def didn't see that coming!!! Arie and all of us viewers were seriously blindsided on that one for sure I think! Ok, so here is where I have very mixed feelings.....

Let me preface this by saying that I really do like Jef. He's cute, has a very cool, down to earth vibe and seems like a genuinely nice guy. He's authentic and really does seem to be a "what you see is what you get" type of person. When I started noticing that he was going pretty far on the show, I thought that my dislike for Jef & Emily as a couple came from not being able to see them together. But last night my Husband made a comment to me watching the show that really hit the nail on the head. When they were kissing he said "they look like Brother & Sister". That right there my friends is the thing I couldn't put my finger on! I always thought that Jef could kind of pass for Emily's younger brother. But all that aside, I mean the guy can't help it if he was blessed with a baby face, it's the relationship & chemistry (or lack thereof) that bothers me. Ok, just bear with me a sec....

During the last episode where there was the fantasy suite.... It really pissed me off that Emily didn't give Arie extra time because she was afraid being in there with him would cloud her judgement. This is where I have an issue. She spent extra time with the other guys, allowing them the opportunity to talk more and have more one on one time and Arie didn't get that time. Then she allows Jef to meet Ricki and doesn't allow Arie to meet her. I do give Emily credit for canceling on the date if she knew that it was going to be Jef in the end. Every single person in Bachelor/Bachelorette history knew on that last date who they were choosing and strung the other person along. But I just felt so bad because I don't think she was being true to herself.

Ok, so last night I tweeted that I think Jef was the safe choice and that I think she thought there was a chance Arie might cheat on her eventually. I still think that. But I really pondered it a bit and tried to see everything through Emily's eyes. I'm a Mom. I get it. I can only imagine what it must be like to be out in the dating world, having been engaged before and it didn't work out, etc, and having a child to think about through all of this. I can definitely understand where she is coming from in that sense. She has the pressure of not wanting to get her daughter attached to yet another man, and have it fizzle out. The only thing that irks me is that Jef is just as capable of turning around and doing the same things. Would he? Who knows.

There are plenty of relationships that are built on friendship. And Jef & Emily seem to have that for sure. But is it enough to make it last? They just got engaged, are "madly in love" and all you see is peck, peck, peck. I'm sure she doesn't want to play tonsil hockey on a show when she has a daughter, but that didn't stop her from doing exactly that with anyone else... ahem... Arie. And that my lovelies is it.... There just doesn't seem to be chemistry. When I watch Jef & Emily I feel like I could be watching Siblings. I feel like watching him & Ricki interact is like watching a child with her awesome Uncle Jef! Sure Arie & Emily's relationship appeared to be mostly chemistry, but that's what we saw. I'm sure there was more to it.

I honestly feel that Emily cared deeply about both guys, but felt she needed to do what was best for herself as a family unit. "Jef makes me feel more confident" translates to "I don't think Jef will ever cheat on me." It was so obvious what she was trying to say. I'm sure she was just trying to sugar coat it and be nice, but at that point she might as well just come out and say it! She was in love with Arie and knew that if she spent extra time with him that night in the fantasy suite, introduced him to Ricki or went on that last date, she wouldn't be able to choose Jef. She didn't read the journal he left because she knew she would question her decision. She judged Arie based on his looks & lifestyle and assumed that it wouldn't be able to last forever. Who knows, maybe she's right! But lets call a spade a spade here.

I really do wish Emily & Jef all the best. They do look quite cute together, even if it still seems kind of weird to me. I hope it does work out and they are one of the few couples from this crazy franchise that makes it!

Now on to the real drama! Bachelor Pad starts tonight! Woo Woo!!! Who will be watching?!?! I LOVE BP so much. Although last year with Vienna & Kasey was sooooooooooooooo annoying, cue eye roll. I'm so excited about it! The only thing I'm not super excited about is the fact that Kalon is on the show. I really hope he doesn't ruin it with his pretentious snark! Bleh....

{ Via }
 What I want to know is whether you lovelies want me to do recaps of the show. I don't want to cloud up my blog with a bunch of stuff that is going to turn everyone off. I think there's going to be plenty to say about it for sure! So I would love to do it =)


XOXO

Thursday, July 19, 2012

The Last Thing Thursday #7

It's so hard to believe that a week has gone by since my last post! I feel so bad that I've only been posting once a week lately, but it's been really difficult to concentrate on things to post about this summer. Sometimes I feel like if it's just too fluffy, maybe I shouldn't post it at all. I'm really working on being a little more spontaneous on here and opening up a little bit! Def one of my goals for when the summer comes to an end!! In the meantime, here are this weeks Last Things with The Life of a Wife! The Last thing I....

{  Wanted to Buy - Clothes ...  }

BB Dakota Maya Lariat Cardi
 I saw this cardi last year and by the time I decided I liked it, it was gone. I just recently saw it popping back up on some blogs and think it would make a great addition to my Fall/Winter Wardrobe!


{  Was Excited About ...  }


I am finally on Currently Obsessed! I love stalking other bloggers fashion picks and I'm constantly compiling my own lists, perusing various shops and die-hard fav's every day!! Make sure to stop by & Stalk Me!!!


(  Watched on TV & Loved ...  }
 
Via NBC
Leave it to me to find yet another show that was canceled to fall in love with! This morning I decided I wanted to eat my breakfast in bed and tried to look for something new to watch. I saw a show called Best Friends Forever that sounded good & it did not disappoint!!! This show is pretty darn funny! But... It was cancelled half-way through the season. USA is in talks of possibly picking it up for more episodes if there's enough interest! It never fails that I try out a new show, end up getting sucked in, then find out it's done.


 {  Daydreamed About ...  }

Via NBC
 While watching Best Friends Forever, I noticed that Lennon has a super-gorgeous, impeccably decorated apartment! I found myself oggling so many things and was daydreaming about having such a lovely space to live in, long after I turned off the Tv. Yet another reason to be peeved the show was canceled!!!

So there are my last things for the week! A pretty short one this time. Make sure to stop by The Life of a Wife....

Link Up!!!



 XOXO

Thursday, July 12, 2012

The Last Thing Thursday #6

Hi Lovelies! I hope you all are having a wonderful week!! It's cooled down a teensy bit here in NJ as far as the humidity goes, which is a nice break after the brutal weather over the weekend! I've been soaking it up hanging out by our pool with my kiddo every single day & loving every second of it! I hope to try to get in more of a rythym over the next week with my blog posts again. I've been feeling a bit of a challenge since I don't have much time to get on the computer during the day now that my son is home! I'm working on it!!! But I'll always be posting on Thursdays since it's my fav linkup!!! So here we go... The last thing I...


 {  Bought - Clothes ...  }

{ Via Hautelook }
 I know I've raved about this dress so many times before, and just recently as well! I've been stalking the sample sites like crazy, so imagine my surprise when today I noticed that there was a Gypsy 05 sale on Hautelook! For some reason I had missed it and was lucky enough to have this beauty pop back out of someones cart into mine ; ) I cannot say enough about this dress! It's comfy and flattering and I could literally wear one every single day of the week if I had enough of them. Sadly they are a teensy bit $$ to buy them at full retail. So I wait for them to go on sale. The nice thing is that usually when one sample site has them, eventually the others follow suit. So I'm hoping to grab one more color over the next couple weeks!


{  Wanted to Buy - Accessories ... }

{ Via Etsy }
I know I've also mentioned a monogram necklace recently as well! I've been looking at one from Baublebar for some time, but just didn't want to pull the trigger on it. But today, I came across a pin of this fab post from Effortless Style! This gorgeous necklace is only $69 on an Etsy shop called Keti Sorely Designs! And it's also available in Rose Gold as well!!! Ahhh, be still my beating heart... This baby is def going on the Birthday wish list!!!


{  Cooked ...  }

{ Image Via }
 I LOVE Banana Soft-serve! I previously made it in my food processor and it was awesome!!! I loved the whipped texture and how creamy it was. But my poor food processor was taking quite a beating, so I decided to get the Yonana's machine a few weeks ago. We love it and use it all the time!!! My fav combo so far is 1-2 frozen bananas with frozen mango & cherries! SO good!!! And the best part? There really aren't that many calories in a pretty decent serving. Love it!!!


(  Watched & Loved ...  }

{ Via Bravo }
I've always been a fan of all the Real HW's! I've watched OC from the very first season. And I have to say, last season of NY was tough to watch with all the drama. I love reality shows and the drama, but sometimes it goes way overboard and when it monopolizes every single second of each show... it's a bit annoying. I was sad to see Kelly Bensimon go, but I really think the new ladies on RHONY have breathed a lot of life back into the show! I'm especially loving Carole Radziwill!


(  Read & Loved ...  }

{ Via }
 Ok, I'm not finished this book yet, but it's next on the to-read list. I just haven't had much time to get into it recently. I read the first in the series and while I wouldn't say it was a fav, it def held my interest enough that I want to keep up with the series. A Million Suns is the 2nd book in the trilogy. I'm hoping it's as good, if not better, than the first!!!


{  Obsessed Over ...  }

{ Via }
This is going to sound so cuckoo, but I've been totally obsessing over Winter staples lately. I know it's the middle of summer and it's sweltering outside!!! But I am just beyond picky over boots, coats, and other winter accessories... It takes me FOREEEVVVEEERRR to find what I like. I'm already looking and am really crossing my fingers that I'll find something good when the time comes!


{  Daydreamed About ...  }

{ Via }
 Just as we're renovating our kitchen, I'm daydreaming about our backyard. That is a last resort at the moment since we have way to many things that are higher on the priority list. But I still daydream about the yard I'd love to have someday whenever I sit outside. I envision a gazebo like this with fairy lights, gorgeous moroccan details and beautiful patterns. And fairy lights all over the yard of course =)

If you enjoy The Last Thing Thursday, make sure to stop over at The Life of a Wife!

Join in anytime!!!


 XOXO