tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68486817369291856252024-03-13T22:20:44.396-05:00Life and everything I'd rather be doingkelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-77558054270263626162015-02-18T18:37:00.002-06:002015-02-18T18:38:45.471-06:00Living with 7 Different Men at 14 Years Old?!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qyUj9XDtE9o/VOUwGfXS6JI/AAAAAAAAChs/ULsvrjBfK80/s1600/snowwhite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qyUj9XDtE9o/VOUwGfXS6JI/AAAAAAAAChs/ULsvrjBfK80/s1600/snowwhite.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I liked the "Fifty Shades of Grey" books. Yep. Haul out the rope, burn me at the stake, I liked the books. Were they racy? Indeed. Were they for adult eyes? Absolutely. Did I emerge from reading them wishing that my husband would toss on some jeans and beat me senseless? No. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm a little confused about the sheer ferocity of the outcry against first the books, and now of course, the movie. After all, there's been some racy material to hit the screen before. There was a movie marketed towards children that featured a 14 year old girl living with several unmarried men before being poisoned and taken advantage of by royalty. Yep. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I plan to have a long, in-depth discussion with my daughter about not living with strange men, taking produce from strangers, and of course, some self-defense moves for when a Prince tries to plant one on you when you're unconscious. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's my take on it: You don't need to tell your 5 year old about 50 Shades of Grey. Seriously. Did your parents talk to you about 9 1/2 Weeks? No? Mine either. Guess what? I've still never seen it. Wild Orchid? Nope. I didn't even know that last one existed until I hit up Google. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you want to read it, see it, experience it - go for it. Don't drag your kids into it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-26494352950322262402014-11-28T20:32:00.000-06:002014-11-28T20:33:39.520-06:00StitchFix: Round Two<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My second <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4237931" target="_blank">StitchFix</a> box arrived today, and I darted towards the front door, grabbed it, and ran like a kid back to my room to try it on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I switched stylists from <a href="http://kelmarco.blogspot.com/2014/11/stitch-fix-my-experience.html" target="_blank">the last one</a>, and decided to try one who styles a friend of mine and I've loved what I've seen. How'd it go?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So.. I kept <b>one</b> out of five, but that doesn't really tell the true tale. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The good</b>: A lot of what was sent was "my style". She also specifically sent me a shirt I had pinned to my StitchFix board on Pinterest but in a different color.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> I'm allergic to angora and it's listed on my SF profile. One of the items was 60% angora so that was our from the get-go. Ironically because most of it was my style - I felt like it looked like a lot of stuff I already owned. I can't really decide if that's truly a bad. I mean, she got my style - damn her? ;) I also felt like nearly every item was a little expensive, except of course the top I didn't pick! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let's dive in.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Piece #1 - Kut from the Kloth skinny jeans. </span></b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yxWTxLUZKCc/VHkt5iVQxZI/AAAAAAAACd4/igOEnO9cUlw/s1600/IMG_2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yxWTxLUZKCc/VHkt5iVQxZI/AAAAAAAACd4/igOEnO9cUlw/s1600/IMG_2017.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These jeans were fine. And therein lies the true problem, right? They're fine. They were comfortable, they fit well, but I really liked my last jeans so I wasn't really in need of any more, and not a massive fan of the contrast stitching. My husband again busted out the "Those look fine." which since was pretty much what I felt about them, they were doomed. ;) </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $78. Verdict: Sent back. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Piece #2 - Andrew Marc - Dark Pink Envelope Collar Dress</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wJBOtSS0pCQ/VHkuKhDr4yI/AAAAAAAACe0/M-JQpu8LSWo/s1600/IMG_2020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wJBOtSS0pCQ/VHkuKhDr4yI/AAAAAAAACe0/M-JQpu8LSWo/s1600/IMG_2020.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I admit it. I sneaked a peek at the style sheet and was really intrigued when I saw it. The color was pretty, but had it been black I would have been drooling. I liked the style and the slightly edgy collar, and the length and fit were perfect. However, the fabric was a little in between - too dressy really for my office but not dressy enough for a dinner date or a holiday party in this shade of pink. For the record, my husband loved it and gave it a "wow!" when he saw me in it which was nice but I was waffling and the price... </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $128. Ouch. Verdict: Sent back.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Piece #3 - Grey Patch Pocket Cardigan</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This looked cozy. Or really, would have had my Benedryl-fueled Spidey senses not known immediately that it contained something that I was hideously allergic to. It did have a bit of an odd edgy faux-leather type trim on the pockets, and some inside-out seams that I'm not a big fan of as I feel like they make an outfit a little more casual then I enjoy. Anyway, this piece annoyed me in that my SF profile says I'm allergic to wool, cashmere, and angora, which makes sweater season only slightly more enjoyable than a visit to the OB. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $68 Verdict: Sent back. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Piece #4 - Green/Cream/Black Striped Cotton Top</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Un0PM0ylUKA/VHkuKtSlehI/AAAAAAAACfE/YWycd2oBahE/s1600/IMG_2022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Un0PM0ylUKA/VHkuKtSlehI/AAAAAAAACfE/YWycd2oBahE/s1600/IMG_2022.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aside from the Kelly green, this looks both like something I would buy and something I sort of already have. It fit really well, was really soft, and had it not hugged my muffintop like they were long lost friends, I probably would have kept it. All in all, since I already own a few like it, I didn't. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $38. Verdict: Sent back. </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Piece #5 - 41Hawthorn - Black 3/4 Sleeve Shirt with Studded Detail</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is the top I had pinned, so I was excited to receive it. In black, which of course, I adore. ;) Even though I had pinned it online, I was a little hesitant when I saw it in person... Was the person wearing it when I pinned it a size 2? Was this going to be one of those tops where I was super disappointed? Nope. I ended up liking it, and the husband gave it two thumbs up. It originally looked a little sheer when I held it up but wasn't seethrough at all when I tried it on, thank goodness. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $58 Verdict: Kept. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Overall:</b> I was a little disappointed in this shipment. Mainly I think because there's a lot of build up to them and to only keep one out of five was a bit of a bummer. That being said - it wasn't like I received another totally hideous shirt like that one in the last shipment. A lot of it I really liked, but I guess I was expecting to be totally wowed this time and I wasn't. Not only that - I was a little surprised at a few of the price points but that could also be because I've been online black friday shopping and everything is like $4 with free shipping. ;) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All in all, I'm excited for my next StitchFix but also sort of wishing they offered a "every six weeks option" because 4 weeks lands basically on Christmas but 2 months is just too darn long to wait! ;) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Check it out or support my StitchFix habit <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4237931" target="_blank">here</a>. ;) </span>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-8284832146673380162014-11-02T14:48:00.001-06:002014-11-02T14:48:46.052-06:00Stitch Fix - My Experience<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, I ordered my first <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4237931" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a> box about six weeks ago, and it arrived yesterday. Now, there was a bit of a wait, so if you're like me and a big fan of instant gratification - it can be a little rough, but I took it as an opportunity to buff up my Pinterest board and be brutally honest with my Stitch Fix stylist about what I wanted/like/think works on me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For those of you who don't know how <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4237931" target="_blank">Stitch Fix</a> works - I'll explain a bit more. Essentially, it's a personal stylist who looks at your Facebook/Pinterest board/whatever you want to supply access to to pick out five things monthly and send them to you to try. You fill out a profile, answer a lengthy list of questions about what you like, rank some pictures, etc and they run with it. When your box of items arrives, you have the opportunity to take three days to try them on, select what you like, and send back what you don't. You pay $20 for a styling fee, and it's applied to whatever you decide to purchase. Purchase nothing and you're out the $20 fee. Purchase one to four things and it's applied to the purchase. Purchase all five and you get a 25% discount and then your $20 styling fee is applied as well to the purchase. Well.. it seemed simple until I typed all that out. Hopefully you get it. If not, more <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/faq" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Step 1 - Your style profile. Be honest. Do not claim Jessica Rabbit if you are more Elmer Fudd. Be specific. "I like dresses" is a little helpful. "I like dresses that go to my knees or longer" is more helpful. "I'm allergic to wool, hate my upper arms, and like dresses that go to my knees but not maxi dresses" seems picky but is really helpful. Who wants to pay $20 each month to hate every single thing that they receive? Not this girl. Want to know just how much? Here's how brutally honest I was in my "anything else we should know?" section:</span><br />
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<i>I've got a bit of a pooch from having my daughter, i won't wear any dresses that are too short unless they're special occasion (i put a toddler in a carseat daily, no one needs to see that). Allergic to wool, cashmere & angora. </i></span><br />
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They ask age, if you're pregnant, do you have kids, how do you like your clothes to fit on different areas of your body, do you want to receive certain types of clothing - how much are you willing to spend on each piece, how often do you want to receive them, etc etc. Be honest. Take the time you'd normally spend cursing over jeans at the mall and apply it here. One and done folks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Step 2 - Get your Pinterest on. Hate pinterest? Who cares? Take 30 mins and find outfits that you like or styles/colors/ANYTHING that you like and pin it to a Stitch Fix board and put that link in your profile. Mine's <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/khaverland/stitchfixstyle/" target="_blank">here</a>. Be specific. If there's a dress, boots, and a cardigan and you'd rather sit through a conversation with your boss completely naked than wear that damn cardigan - say "Love the dress, love the boots, HATE that cardigan" so your stylist doesn't look at that and think you love the whole shebang.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Step 3 - You wait. Not good at waiting? Me either. WHERE THE HELL IS MY FIX? Now you get the name.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Step 4 - The package arrives. You grab it, scamper inside like a squirrel and tear it open anxiously. When the box arrived, and I first opened it, I was really nervous. I know myself better than anyone, and I still will pick some things for myself that I question later, so how will a total stranger "get" me?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let's dive in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Piece #1 - A fuschia roll-sleeve top.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was a little torn when I saw this. I normally love hot pink. I really wanted a shirt just like this... but I wasn't sure I wanted them together. In fact, I was pretty sure I didn't. Still, I promised myself I'd try them all on, and break out of my comfort zone. I also decided I'd rope my husband in on this and give him a fashion show to see his opinion of the pieces. He thought the idea was a little nuts in general, but was a good sport. He's actually the reason I kept this shirt. I waffled, but he loved it and my uncertainty was really only the color in terms of this shirt and a brief hiccup wonder over the price. I can be really stingy when it comes to myself yet I'll plunk down money all over the place for others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $48. <b>Status:</b> <b>Kept.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Piece 2 - A short sleeved, floral and striped top.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-st8ZRHsPvEY/VFaSg9TWenI/AAAAAAAACco/wPDpsJQ6tl0/s1600/photo%2B5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-st8ZRHsPvEY/VFaSg9TWenI/AAAAAAAACco/wPDpsJQ6tl0/s1600/photo%2B5.JPG" height="200" width="150" /> </span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3lbdJ3kkezw/VFaSnvmwV3I/AAAAAAAACcw/TeHuRz9BrFU/s1600/photo%2B1%2B(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3lbdJ3kkezw/VFaSnvmwV3I/AAAAAAAACcw/TeHuRz9BrFU/s1600/photo%2B1%2B(2).JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hate this shirt. I can't even explain quite how much I hate this shirt. I like stripes. I even occasionally like floral but this shirt was a nightmare of epic floral and stripey proportions. This shirt never had a chance with me. I tried it on, the fit was fine, but I wouldn't wear this shirt even if I was guaranteed that no one would ever see me. I would see me and I would hate it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $34. <b>Status: Sent back.</b></span><br />
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Piece 3 - A short sleeved, grey top with a banded waist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was iffy on this shirt right out of the box. It was super soft, which was lovely, but I'm high-waisted and my "pooch" is really more of a muffin top so this is the type of shirt that doesn't generally work on me. Add to it the fact that it reminded me a lot of a maternity dress that I had and this one wasn't doing so hot. Still, I tried it on and charged forward. My husband declared it "fine", which really sealed the "no thanks!" for me, combined with the price.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $58. Seriously. <b>Status: Sent back quickly. </b></span><br />
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Piece 4 - A two-pack of gold earrings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I loved these pear-shaped studs. LOVED them. They're simple and elegant and I absolutely would have picked them out for myself. The other earrings, I wasn't really in love with. They weren't bad, but when that's the sentence that you write about them, you don't have any business buying them. The problem here was that these were a 2-pack and I couldn't keep just one, which led me to do the "If they're under $XX then I'll keep them". They weren't. At least I know that they're out there and I can find them sometime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $32. <b>Status: Sent back.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Piece 5 - JEANS. Skinny jeans.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The words that strike fear into the heart of 99% of women. Skinny jeans. I was sure I would hate these. Skinny jeans? I have legs like a turkey. Big thighs from years of soccer and Hot Tamales. A white girl ghetto booty doesn't help with this as it adds that element of "I don't want plumber's crack" and it's no wonder that denim shopping is only slightly below "Brazilian bikini wax" on my pain scale. So imagine my surprise when a) they fit b) I liked them and c) I decided to keep them! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Price: $88. <b>Status: KEPT!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So there it is. Stitch Fix #1. I went back and edited my profile a bit after this box - rejecting floral altogether, and adding a few more things to my Stitch Fix board.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All in all, I'm going to try it again. It was a good eye opener and I love the little card of style ideas that they send to show you how each piece can work a few different ways. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4237931" target="_blank">Get your Stitch Fix here</a>.</span></div>
<br />kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-56547172514002914642014-07-27T09:12:00.001-05:002014-07-27T09:41:47.050-05:00This Week's Recipes<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I will admit.. I am not always successful. For example, this week, I got stuck at work and we ate leftovers.. and then I realized - when my weeks are insane, I am not going to come home, chop up veggies and then thread them onto shish kabobs. This led to me not even using the shish kabob meat I made and marinated because I get weird about chicken and how many days it's been since I bought it, etc. I can't help it. I've got poultry problems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/meatball-nirvana/" target="_blank">Meatball Nirvana</a> was amazing as always, and the <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beef-or-Chicken-Marinade/Detail.aspx?evt19=1" target="_blank">new marinade</a> was REALLY good on chicken and browned up really nicely on the grill. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This week I'm making tuna salad for some lunches, I've cut up red bell peppers, and mixed them in baggies with baby carrots and celery. I've premade bacon (For easy cleanup, put three sheets of foil for extra coverage, space them out over the baking sheet, pre-oil with a spray of PAM or whatever you use to avoid sticking, 400 degrees for roughly 20-25 minutes). We prefer our bacon crispy so sometimes we end up at 30 minutes but I start checking it around 20-25 and sometimes rotate the pans from top to bottom, etc). The benefit is that I can pre-make bacon for the week (we eat a lot of bacon. a lot.) and there's no hot grease flying around my kitchen with a toddler AND my stovetop is free to do other things. I can chop veggies. I can prep tuna salad, because my oven is doing all the work. Score! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tonight - </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pasta with delicious,delicious meat sauce (which is pretty similar to </span><a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Southern-Style-Meat-Sauce/Detail.aspx" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">this</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, sans mushrooms.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Monday - Filet mignon is back on the menu, with these amazing <a href="http://kelmarco.blogspot.com/2011/01/brussel-sprouts-and-kale-oh-my.html" target="_blank">brussels sprouts</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tuesday - Ironically, I'm trying another <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/yummy-honey-chicken-kabobs/detail.aspx" target="_blank">chicken kabob</a>... Tuesdays generally aren't insane and it's earlier in the week so I'm hopeful. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Wednesday - Salmon with caesar salad. (I'll probably do my fallback salmon recipe which isn't written down anywhere. Pat the salmon dry, add a little butter to the pan over medium heat, sprinkle your spice rub of choice liberally over the salmon - and plunk that baby in and listen to the sizzle).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thursday - </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kung Pao chicken makes a triumphant return at the request of the hubby so it must have been pretty good ;) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Friday - Leftovers! </span><br />
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<br />kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-70492153514256312112014-07-20T21:46:00.004-05:002014-07-20T21:46:45.330-05:00Week 2<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Recap of last week's recipes:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Kung Pao chicken was marinated for days instead of the suggested 30 mins in the recipe - and my husband said it was amazing. I thought it was good but as a non-kung pao eating girl normally, I could have taken it or left it. For make at home Chinese that didnt take me long day of? Sold! Word of warning: That recipe only fed two of us and my husband ate 60% of it and still wanted more! I'd double that recipe if I were feeding two or more!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Unbelievable chicken was AMAZINGLY good. I'm not a big fan of the fact that sugar is an ingredient in it so it won't make the regular rotation but it really was unbelievably good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Steak is back on the menu with some grilled asparagus. Tips on the green: Get the fattest ones you can find. Sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil. Salt. Pepper. Toss it all together. 8 minutes at 400 degrees. That's it. The key to good, crispy, asparagus. Don't buy those pencil thin ones and then blast them for 15 minutes. It's gross. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- I'm attempting a new one with <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hawaiian-Chicken-Kabobs/Detail.aspx?evt19=1" target="_blank">Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs</a>. Chicken's already marinating. I tweaked it a little and left the pineapple juice in. We'll see how it goes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Another newbie up on the menu with <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beef-or-Chicken-Marinade/Detail.aspx?evt19=1" target="_blank">this marinade</a>. Not actually the one I meant to make but I was really tired after a weekend of Potty Training bootcamp so the chicken's in it and I bet it will be delicious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tonight, I made the best meatball recipe ever. Friends, meet <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/meatball-nirvana/" target="_blank">Meatball Nirvana</a>. I use half ground beef, half sweet italian sausage. You'll be glad you did. These are freaking amazing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Leftovers are of course also on the menu. Didn't get to chop up veggies or fruits today after a crazy weekend so that's on the calendar for tomorrow. Good luck this week! </span>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-36816435883414494522014-07-13T20:40:00.001-05:002014-07-13T20:40:06.438-05:00A week of recipes!<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Meals for this week</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here's what I've prepped this week (these recipes are not mine, just ones that I'm trying out. Bolded means they're a favorite, regular fond means I'm testing them out this week and I'll keep you posted!) </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Sunday</strong> - Filet Mignon on the cast iron skillet, steamed broccoli, baby peas, and Caesar salad. For this one, I preheat the oven to 450 degrees and warm the skillet up to high or one notch below (electric stovetop, sorry!) and while it's coming up to sizzling - pat the steaks dry on both sides, rub with olive oil, and apply kosher salt and ground pepper liberally to both sides. As we're medium rare folks in this casa, we get some thick filets (3-4") and brown them for 2-3 minutes on each side. Grab a potholder and transfer the entire pan into the oven. I generally do this for about 4-5 minutes. When it's been that long, pull them out, remove the steaks from the skillet to a plate, and cover them with tinfoil for five minutes to let the juices redistribute and the steaks rest. Trust me, worth it. For our Caesar salads, I take one heart of romaine, chop it up, add a dash of salt and pepper and some grated Parmesan, and toss it all together with </span><a href="http://www.briannassaladdressing.com/products/asiago-caesar/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">this amazing Caesar dressing</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Yep, it's bottled. No, it's not healthy. It's Caesar dressing, not a rice cake. Own it or leave it. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So, I am a big fan of marinade. Big. Huge. Think Beatle-mania but for marinating things. I've got a toddler, and a serious lack of free time. A win is shaving my legs two or three times a week - I don't have time to mess around - especially during the week. So, I prep things on Sunday. I cut up veggies for bagged veggies during the week (celery, bell peppers, baby carrots, etc.), sometimes I make tuna salad to bring to work 1-2 days a week for lunch, sometimes I hardboil eggs - generally, I do things that I can do at the same time. Today, I cooked bacon in the oven, hardboiled eggs on the stove, and mixed up three marinades at the same time. Yes, I'm freaking amazing but no, that's not why. It's all in the name of making my life easier during the week. So, when I'm referencing a marinade in one of these recipes - I probably made it Sunday, and likely marinated the meat longer than they recommended in the name of making my life easier. Back to the game plan.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Monday - I'm making </span><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/unbelievable-chicken/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Unbelievable Chicken</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. It's a new one in my repartee but it's a riff on one that I've made before and really enjoyed - </span><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/marinade-for-chicken/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">this one</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>.</strong> I don't use dry mustard. I pull out the bottle of French's and use that instead. It works and I don't have to run to the store for a spice that I don't have. I've ever swapped out plain white vinegar for the apple cider when I didn't have it. I've used bottled lemon juice. See where I'm going here? Ina Garten would be horrified - but it gets the food on the table and it's been GOOD. Yes, I've already made the marinade and the chicken is hanging out in it in my fridge as I type. Bonus - I make 2x the marinade and save some for next time = less prep for me. I also put in 4 chicken breasts or more so I've got leftovers.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Tuesday</strong> - Tuesday is a newbie! I'm excited to try </span><a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Kung-Pao-Chicken/Detail.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kung Pao Chicken</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> at home. Listen, I love chicken. Love it. Don't get tired of it, but the Mr. does - and therefore I'm spicing it up in the kitchen. Nuff said. I'll keep you posted. Again, the marinade is already in the fridge, kickin' with the chicken. (Sorry.) I've even got everything for the sauce ready and pre-mixed in the fridge. It's a lot of the same ingredients as the marinade so my house is only destroyed once (well, at least for that...) </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Wednesday</strong> - It's FAJITA TIME! I take my Mexican food seriously - and after being betrayed by marinades before - I've committed to </span><a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-fajitas-50400000109625/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">this one</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. We're pretty serious. I've used this with chicken, beef skirt steak - it's amazing with both. I'm not a huge fan of jalapenos in my fajitas, so I just cut up a few bell peppers (red and green) and a sweet onion into strips. Split the marinade into baggies with the chicken and the veggies I separate them because... ew.) and let them hang out in the fridge. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Thursday</strong> - Salmon for Aaron, and chicken leftovers for this salmon hater. I'll probably chop up a few peppers, squash, zucchini and toss it together with a little olive oil, garlic salt and pepper and maybe bust out a frozen vegetable steamer package. Again, I'm down for simple. </span><a href="http://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2011/03/baked-salmon-with-onions-red-peppers-and-lemon-soganli-kirmizi-biberli-firinda-somon/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This one's</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> one of my favorite salmon recipes - bonus? You may have already cut up a lemon, some bell peppers, and an onion for the earlier recipes. Score. Foil packet = no cleanup. Eeeexcellent. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Friday</strong> - Leftovers for both of us - fajita salad? Likely. Fajita bowl? Sure. I've made the food - we're eating it. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It may seem strange that we're rocking leftovers two days in a row but there's a few really simple reasons. #1 - I do grocery shopping on Sundays. By Friday - I wouldn't want to eat any uncooked meat hanging out in my fridge. In fact, I may even switch that Salmon for Aaron to a different day because seriously, who wants stinky salmon in the fridge? But #2 - I've made the food - we're eating it. Most importantly, my schedule can shift around, and I'm prepared to shift with it with some meal prep. Usually there's another simple night in there - a kielbasa and some veggies, or something relatively simple. Roast chicken. Something in the slow cooker. It balances out my steak night and makes my life... well, you know..</span>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-50963501124653464282011-10-13T14:49:00.006-05:002014-07-13T20:40:48.639-05:00It's a...uh...<div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-17LTxRbKNhk/TpdBvsTpdhI/AAAAAAAACTw/7snqZHJ9LNc/s1600/baby_orangutan_gnaws_mom.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-17LTxRbKNhk/TpdBvsTpdhI/AAAAAAAACTw/7snqZHJ9LNc/s200/baby_orangutan_gnaws_mom.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663067344044914194" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 145px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
Well, it's happened. I am having a baby. Affectionately referred to as 'nugget' when I'm in a good mood, and cheekily called 'dreamkiller' when I'm craving sushi, or missing my old food habits. Needless to say, most of my time at the moment is spent sleeping - and very little blogging is happening, but mostly because my body is in a state of complete and utter rejection of the healthy paleo eating that I had been doing up to this point. Want me to prove it? Here are my pregnancy cravings so far.</div>
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Weeks 4-6: Mint and Chip Ice Cream which up to this point in my life, I had never liked and eaten maybe twice.</div>
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Week 6-7: Out with Mint and Chip and up with sourdough (morning sickness hello!) and PBnJ sandwiches.</div>
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Week 7: Coca-cola slurpees (this one is still a little ongoing but I've got it mostly in check)</div>
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Week 8: Cinnabon. Seriously. </div>
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Week 9: Nestle Drumsticks. </div>
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Week 10: Chicken fingers (and I can finally eat eggs again!)</div>
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Food Aversions:</div>
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Coffee (all kinds, all the time)</div>
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Soda (no desire at all for any)</div>
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Chicken that is not in chicken finger form</div>
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Beef Jerky and Turkey jerky :( </div>
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Steak (seriously!)</div>
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Eggs up until Week 10</div>
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Chocolate (unless it's ice cream!)</div>
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You see how this might be a little limiting to paleo, yes? Hope to be back on the wagon soon. </div>
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kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-73006178826357066962011-06-06T09:43:00.006-05:002011-06-06T09:52:08.284-05:00Me vs. Myself<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q0Tt3x2kr50/TezpGPTmW0I/AAAAAAAACNw/TyAGz-LalgU/s1600/Hell_Yes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 94px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q0Tt3x2kr50/TezpGPTmW0I/AAAAAAAACNw/TyAGz-LalgU/s200/Hell_Yes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615119128821390146" border="0" /></a>This morning's workout was BRUTAL, especially for those of us who are not a huge fan of putting one foot in front of the other, quickly (AKA running...).<br /><br />Michael (scaled):<br />3 rounds<br />800 meter run<br />50 GHD situps<br />50 Hip Extensions<br /><br />After getting less than 6 hours of sleep (thanks hubs! ;) ) - It was certainly not a workout I wanted to contemplate.<br /><br />My alarm went off, I cracked open one eyeball - and the negative Nan voice totally kicked in. It went a little something like this:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Nan: Get up? Already? But you're so tired... you'll never be able to do that workout when you're so tired. Go back to bed...<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />Me: that sounds awesome. Bed. Yes. NO. NO. WAKE UP.<br /><br />Nan: No, it's totally okay to sleep in and miss your workout. It's running. You hate running. And you're so very tired....<br /><br /></span></span>I'll spare you the rest - but I won. :) So there I was, up and at 'em at 5:30am and heading to Crossfit. This will now be referred to as the workout where I beat Nan. I made it through two rounds without walking or stopping to gasp for air on my run, which was amazing! Then came another test... my coach called out that there were 90 seconds left - not enough time to run my last 800 meters. This is where I usually cave. I sit. I relax. Maybe I'll even stretch a little - but I won't submit myself to another run when it won't count.... except today.<br /><br />Today, I hopped up from my hip extensions - and ran a 400 meter instead. I told Nan to shut it when she was howling with fury, denied the chance to sit and slack instead of running when both legs felt like they had 100lbs attached to them and didn't want to move. Not only did I run - I ran it as fast as I could. It may not have counted on the white board - but it certainly counted inside.kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-57729575006842631542011-06-03T10:08:00.007-05:002011-06-03T10:20:43.129-05:00CAN.<span style="color:#ffffff;"> <span style="font-family:georgia;"><em><strong>"Do not wish to be anything except what you are." - St. Francis de Sales</strong></em></span><br /></span><br /><br /><div><strong><em></em></strong></div><br /><div>I spend a lot of my life wishing to be things. Skinnier. Faster. Stronger. Maybe it's time to stop and savor the victories - big or small, the things that I already am.</div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I am faster. Today, for exactly the second time in my life - I ran a full mile without stopping. Some people can do this in their sleep - for me, I always joke that I should be voted 'most likely to be eaten by a bear' because I'd be the easiest to catch. It's always been a minor (and petty) frustration of mine that my husband can go out and run a mile after not even trying for months or years. He just hits the track and keeps going. Maybe that's the part I'm missing - the part that cheers myself on and points out that if I just put one foot in front of the other consistently, I will make it. Maybe it's time to shut the voice up that whispers so loudly "you're making a fool out of yourself" or "you can't do this". I can. I've done it twice in two weeks. I absolutely can. </div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I am skinnier. I may not be <em>skinny</em> but I'd rather be strong. I'd rather have legs that can run a mile, arms that can swing that 16kg or 20kg kettlebell like it's a piece of me. I'd rather be happy that I can deadlift my body weight - and I hope that I've surrounded myself with people who support me in all that and love me for it. Just like I gave up the elliptical for Crossfit, I hope I can give up that whispery negativity for a louder voice that says "Keep it up!" and "You're almost there!". I say this consistently every week to the women who sweat beside me at Crossfit - maybe it's time to start saying it to myself. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-88318488810914858462011-03-22T13:14:00.003-05:002011-03-22T13:19:43.471-05:00A Love Affair...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ovl0IS9xOyA/TYjoId9y96I/AAAAAAAAA5w/cLfHYuMgkOw/s1600/02.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ovl0IS9xOyA/TYjoId9y96I/AAAAAAAAA5w/cLfHYuMgkOw/s320/02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586970569933518754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Italy. Just the word inspires visions of relaxation, red wine, open countryside, and more culture than you can shake a stick at. I love Italy. While it might be more appropriate to say that I love Rome (the only spot in Italy I've ever been) - I have high hopes to love the rest of it as well.<br /><br />A meandering two weeks, through Rome, Florence, Venice, Bari, Brindisi, Lecce, and then back to Rome for a final beautiful night before we leave. I cannot wait.<br /><br />See you April 11! :)kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-11207938137707810062011-03-19T23:13:00.005-05:002011-03-19T23:28:09.648-05:00Grateful - Be it!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IBS2kAG-fgU/TYWCB2lbwqI/AAAAAAAAA5o/xQXLc7rLiYg/s1600/2744476573_a76a733802.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 221px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586013881166971554" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IBS2kAG-fgU/TYWCB2lbwqI/AAAAAAAAA5o/xQXLc7rLiYg/s320/2744476573_a76a733802.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Of everything I am - I am fortunate. Sometimes in the darker times, I throw my hands up to the sky, curse the fates, and ask why. But, I am still fortunate. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I hope that whatever it said of me - it will never be said that I am ungrateful. I am so very grateful to my friends - and to my husband's friends. They are the mortar to our bricks - the very thing that holds us together when we alone would fall apart. I am grateful for my family - without them, I would be a mere shell of what I was meant to be. I am rarely as divinely happy as I am in Costa Mesa at Plums, chatting over a cup of coffee with my mom. I am rarely as carefree as I am on those perfect Austin days, with the sunroof open, the windows down, and my music turned way up. I am rarely as relaxed as I am on my neighbor Kate-E's couch, with a glass of wine, discussing the night away. I am rarely as perfectly me, as I am when I'm with my best friend, Deb. I rarely feel as loved or as cherished as I am when I'm with my husband - one of the few people in the world who truly, truly get what makes me -<em> me. </em></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I was having one of those perfect-Austin-weather, carefree sunroof days today. And when I came over a crest on the highway, I felt like I could see forever - and it was beautiful. I wished for my best friend in the passenger seat, like old times so that I could share it with her. I hope one day soon I can. Then I thought of Ben, and felt like of all days perhaps he was the one in the passenger seat with me instead, and I could almost hear him in his supremely Ben way, saying that he loved this time of year in Texas. Ben, with the permanent tan. :) I am supremely grateful for him. To never have been his friend, or his neighbor would have been a greater loss for me. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, if you read this blog - I'm quite likely thankful for you in some way as well. I am a sarcastic person - but always a grateful one. So I leave you with one of my favorite songs of the moment, and a chorus that literally has me throw my hands up in the air with the beautiful praise of it. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><em><strong>Love that will not betray you,</strong></em></div><br /><div><strong><em>dismay or enslave you,</em></strong></div><br /><div><strong><em>it will set you free,</em></strong></div><br /><div><strong><em>be more like the man,</em></strong></div><br /><div><strong><em>you were made to be.</em></strong></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Add a little love to your day, whether it's thankfulness for a beautiful day in general - or a little bit of appreciation for those who know and love you best.</div><br /><div></div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-60520981137550118552011-03-11T15:24:00.003-06:002011-03-11T15:28:36.137-06:00Sunshine, Here I Come!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P5-8glo8eM4/TXqT4aXqKOI/AAAAAAAAA5c/A3PNnKQXjOE/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P5-8glo8eM4/TXqT4aXqKOI/AAAAAAAAA5c/A3PNnKQXjOE/s320/photo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582937285439662306" border="0" /></a><br />Sorry so silent lately! Another injury (strained Achilles and two ankle-supporting ligaments) as the result of an unexpected business trip (literally and figuratively) and here we are.<br /><br />I'm ready for the weekend. Mr. Travis is ready for the weekend - are <span style="font-style: italic;">you</span> ready for it? Supposed to be beautiful here in Austin! Can't wait to spend some time outside, soaking up the sunshine.kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-60024712121598848062011-02-25T09:10:00.004-06:002011-02-25T12:14:02.904-06:00Deadlifts - They're Not For Sissies.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-868h9eTCxZQ/TWfHlxtRxhI/AAAAAAAAA40/9D3ifrBOaQM/s1600/230027624v1_400x400_Front_Color-Black.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577646115333981714" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-868h9eTCxZQ/TWfHlxtRxhI/AAAAAAAAA40/9D3ifrBOaQM/s320/230027624v1_400x400_Front_Color-Black.jpg" /></a><em><span style="font-size:78%;"> *caveat - the hands pictured above are NOT mine. Mine haven't ripped...yet. ;) </span></em><br /><div><br />A girl at work yesterday was talking about <em>(oh the horror)</em> dishpan hands. Apparently her 50's bungalow lacks a dishwasher, which really, would kill me at this point, but I have little sympathy for her dishpan hands. Why? Because Crossfit has given me a serious case of the man-hands. I'm okay with it, since I earned them.<br /><br />These hands have calluses that also have calluses, but I got them by struggling through pullups, deadlifting my body weight, and doing man-makers until I thought I'd die (or prayed that I might). I've gotten to a point where my hands are hindering my success instead of helping - my hands hurt so badly this morning that I did reps of TWO on the bodyweight deadlifts. Hence, the callus discussion.<br /><br />I never in a million years thought I'd be having discussions about the best ways to shave/shred/get rid of my calluses - but here I am. A lean, mean, callused machine. </div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-72163438737009765222011-02-23T14:09:00.003-06:002011-02-23T14:19:17.976-06:00Oddest Phenomenon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-glPFOnXnah4/TWVrkXN8MyI/AAAAAAAAA4s/zvPI6B0xURg/s1600/inappropriate.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-glPFOnXnah4/TWVrkXN8MyI/AAAAAAAAA4s/zvPI6B0xURg/s320/inappropriate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576981986020176674" border="0" /></a><br />I'm most comfortable in workout clothes.<br /><br />I realized this today as I was perusing Gap on my lunch hour, hoping desperately for a cute top to wear to my convention in Vegas (work appropriate or after-hours, really, I'm flexible).<br /><br />Twenty minutes later, I walked out of Gap Body with new running capris, three new workout tanktops and a single, solitary sweater that I couldn't resist the color of but didn't fit either of my Vegas categories. What on Earth?<br /><br />Then I thought back over the past two months... and realized - I've been doing this for two months! Going shopping and ending up with tons of new workout stuff - and really not much else. I'm lucky that my office is flexible with our wardrobe requirements as several of my outfits lately have incorporated my new favorite tanktop: <a href="http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=23279&vid=1&pid=807564&scid=807564002">http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=23279&vid=1&pid=807564&scid=807564002</a> in several different colors - all under one of the seemingly hundred cardigans I own.<br /><br />Sometimes, if it's Friday, I even incorporate my workout shoes - <a href="http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/Five-Fingers-BikilaLS-Womens.htm">http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/Five-Fingers-Bikila-Womens.htm</a><br /><br />Thank God, I haven't reached the realm of wearing my skintight workout pants yet.<br /><br />Yet.kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-44703557054726157222011-02-21T11:35:00.003-06:002011-02-21T11:41:47.952-06:00Mopedy, Mopedy, Mope Mope<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGDKaPhY3A4/TWKjv84p_kI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/AvPCwTQFtOA/s1600/eeyore.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 254px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576199332831034946" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGDKaPhY3A4/TWKjv84p_kI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/AvPCwTQFtOA/s320/eeyore.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Something is off today. I feel like there's several contributing factors but the main feeling of the day is that I want to take my toys and go home. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I had a lovely weekend with my lovely best friend and her ever-so-lovely boyfriend in town. Unfortunately, I celebrated this occasion with a bit too much gluten-filled abandon for someone on a food/exercise challenge. Cheese? Sure! Some red wine? Don't mind if I do! Chips? How much could a few handfuls of chips really hurt?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Turns out - quite a bit. I'm cranky as hell, sleep deprived and my stomach feels like a cement mixer is on high in there. I'm also missing my best friend like crazy already, and disappointed for letting myself jump repeatedly 'off the wagon'. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I will give myself credit for not missing a single workout while they were here and indeed - actually making it to a few extra ones. I didn't cheat at EVERY meal but I did cheat every day. Small victories? </div><br /><div><br />Time to buckle down and finish this challenge strong - 2 weeks left and not that I'm counting, but 30 days until Italy. Bring it on! </div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-26539145717557472462011-02-11T09:02:00.005-06:002011-02-11T09:42:33.468-06:00Sir Mix-A-Lot Was Right!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kkcWsxIkmPQ/TVVVkRxFyFI/AAAAAAAAAxc/ozaloFbFv64/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kkcWsxIkmPQ/TVVVkRxFyFI/AAAAAAAAAxc/ozaloFbFv64/s320/photo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572454195673811026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">So, fellas! (Yeah!) Fellas! (Yeah!)</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> Has your girlfriend got the butt? (Hell yeah!)</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> Tell 'em to shake it! (Shake it!) Shake it! (Shake it!)</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> Shake that healthy butt!</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> Baby got back!<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span>These are the jeans formerly known as "Damnit!" - as in, "DAMNIT, THEY DON'T FIT!". Attempts to put these jeans on have ended in crying, being pissed off, and sometimes, throwing them across the room. Lately, they've ended in a huge grin. Can't beat that.<br /><br />If anyone told me even a week ago - that I would be gloriously posting a picture of my bare stomach anywhere, I would have said they were crazy. Maybe it's the fact that I'm having an awesome day or maybe it's the fact that I feel great - but I wanted to post a paleo update picture! While the pounds aren't really falling off - the inches are! So what, you might say, does Baby Got Back have to do with my oh-so-chiseled abs? ;)<br /><br />If you asked my loving husband what my best feature is - he'd likely reply - my butt. That's right. I've got a white girl's ghetto-booty which has only improved by air/back/overhead squatting to freedom in Crossfit. So when I noticed my jeans loosening in the waist - I was excited... when I noticed a little jean loosening in the butt area - I was worried! I know, ironic. I've decided to counteract this by adding even more air squats to my loving routine and just hope that it will stay there in all it's glory.<br /><br />After all, no one ever wished for a flatter ass, y'know?<br /><br />Happy Friday! ;)<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:78%;" >*I have no idea what I was doing with my pinky in that picture...</span>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-90720743180237162672011-02-07T12:08:00.005-06:002011-02-07T12:42:39.991-06:00GF Double Chocolate Walnut Brownies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TVA3cYZvX-I/AAAAAAAAAxI/lEKzQ6CBlA0/s1600/double-chocolate-walnut-brownies-recipe-gluten-free-DSC_8600.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571013699783581666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TVA3cYZvX-I/AAAAAAAAAxI/lEKzQ6CBlA0/s320/double-chocolate-walnut-brownies-recipe-gluten-free-DSC_8600.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I know, I'm "on a diet" (I hate that but eating plan just makes me sound like an ass). Last week, my CrossFit Challenge team rocked the Paleo Potluck at Mary's Ridiculous House (Her kitchen is the size of my entire downstairs!) and my coach, as a treat to our sugar-starved and dessert-loving bodies made us these. I was skeptical at first. No sugar? NO SUGAR? But then again, wouldn't it defeat the point if it did?</span> <span style="font-family:georgia;">She did make a few Paleo-friendly substitutions that I kept in, and another one that I made just because I'm reasonably certain that in a fit of pique a few months pre-Paleo, I chucked my bottle of grapeseed oil. The original recipe is lovingly hijacked and then twisted from Elana's Pantry (www.elanaspantry.com) - THE site for gluten free deliciousness. </span><b><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">GF Deliciousness</span> </b></span><style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style><b></b><ul><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">½ cup dark chocolate chips (73% cacao preferred - you won't find this in the baking aisle) </span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">¼ cup coconut flour (sold in the bulk section of Sprouts for far, far less than the Red Mill GF)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">½ teaspoon celtic sea salt (I used McCormick Grinder's Sea Salt. $2? Sold!) </span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">½ teaspoon baking soda</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">2 eggs</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">½ cup honey (we used this instead of agave nectar and it was AWESOME)<span style="font-size:0;"></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">¼ cup grapeseed oil (I used extra virgin olive oil) </span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">1 tablespoon vanilla extract<span style="font-size:0;"> ½ cup chopped walnuts</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">⅓ cup dark chocolate chips 73% cacao</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">(My addition - 1 tablespoon of hot/warm/cold/whatever coffee)*<br /><span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;"><b></b></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;"><span style="font-size:0;"><b></b></span></span></span></li><ol type="1" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;"><span style="font-size:0;"><li class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">Place ½ cup chocolate chips in food processor<span style="font-size:0;"><and sand="" coarse="" of="" consistency="" the="" until="" pulse=""></and></span></span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">Pulse in coconut flour, salt and baking soda until combined</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">Pulse in eggs, honey, oil, coffee and vanilla</span></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><div align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;">Pour batter into a greased 8x8 pyrex dish<span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div></li></ol></ul></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:12;"><span style="font-size:0;"><p align="left"></span></span></span>So, as you can see above. I multilated this recipe. Took it out back and just beat it. I didn't even use the darn chocolate chips because (shock) my Walmart was really lacking in quality chocolate. I marched over to the candy bar aisle, girded my loins, and grabbed two bars of Lindt 70%. They worked like a charm! But a dessert that is good at taking substitutions and my husband and inlaws loved and I could eat? AWESOME. This isn't really "paleo" but truly, it's as close as you're going to get with chocolate! </p><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-size:85%;" >*I add coffee because in any recipe containing chocolate - it just takes it to the next level. It makes chocolate have this insane depth of flavor. I used to cheat and add it to boxed brownie mix all the time - your coworkers will love and hate you at the same time</span>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-42894387194156314492011-02-07T10:22:00.003-06:002011-02-07T10:32:21.827-06:00My life in eggs.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TVAegmHWr6I/AAAAAAAAAxA/T_uml-0nMfU/s1600/golden-egg.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570986284393344930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 186px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 268px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TVAegmHWr6I/AAAAAAAAAxA/T_uml-0nMfU/s320/golden-egg.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Don't get concerned about the title - this is not about to be a post about my lady bits or reproductive anything, I swear. I have a Paleo stumbling block, which I'm a bit stuck on. Paleo and really, any awesome eating, encourages QUALITY. Free range, organic, grassfed, no cage, happy life, etc. That's all fine and dandy, and I'm sure it does taste awesome, but this girl's got a mortgage. A big one. One that will be paid off when I'm 40. That's awesome - but it does get in the way of free-range goodness. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>My husband eats at least 4 eggs a day, for breakfast. I eat two. That's six eggs (big math here) on a daily basis. I know it doesn't sound like it could be a budget buster, but let's do the math. I went to the Farmer's Market this weekend - and those happy chickens are apparently the next Oprahs because their eggs were $5/dozen. That's $0.42 an egg. Still cheaper than what I'd be up to in my former Starbucks Drive Thru Life (tm) but that means my husband and I, were we free range loving folk, would be eating $2.50 a DAY in eggs. Just for breakfast!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Let's rock that over a year. Would you spend $912.50 on eggs? Let's compare. My love/hate SuperWalmart relationship continues. Their eggs are $1.87 for EIGHTEEN. Let's round up to $0.11 an egg. Which means we have a $0.66 a day egg habit. Translates to $240.90 a year in eggs.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>That means in order for me to eat those healthy, happy eggs - I have to have almost $700 more a year in my food budget. And that's just the eggs! What about grassfed beef? Buffalo? Bison? Organic chicken?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I won't be winning any awards for this post - but a girl's gotta eat, and I'm not talking about $900 worth of eggs. I'll do my best Paleo, but I'm not down for my grocery bill looking like a house payment. </div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-70602109587964233592011-01-31T09:46:00.003-06:002011-01-31T09:53:17.205-06:00The Unexpected Punch in the Face<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TUbas-0IX3I/AAAAAAAAAwk/_h2FJu0_eM8/s1600/band-aid-celeb-charity.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568378455600947058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 206px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TUbas-0IX3I/AAAAAAAAAwk/_h2FJu0_eM8/s320/band-aid-celeb-charity.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><em>I've had two pretty negative experiences with my Crossfit coach these past weeks... and after the one this morning, I went with the "calling her out" approach. I'm a frustrated crier, so I went with the email approach. Open letter to a Crossfit coach below. </em></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Hey, </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Your words from this morning have been rattling around in my brain for the past two and a half hours, and I wanted to discuss them with you - so you'll know where I'm coming from. They hurt. There's really no other way to put it, but on the off-chance that you weren't aware, I wanted to tell you. I'm not writing this because I'm mad, though there is some of that as well. I'm writing it because I'm disappointed and hurt, and as my coach, I feel that you're the last person in the world who should make me feel hurt and discouraged. I'm also hoping that you weren't aware that your words made me feel this way, and by telling you that they do - that it won't happen again. I know that I'm a bit of the class clown, and that my sense of humor may make it seem like I don't mind being the butt of a joke, but sometimes - I do. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br />My experience with IAC has been very different this year than it was last year. This year, I decided to get off my grain-loving butt and devote myself to Paleo. It's been really, really hard for me and until Saturday, I was damn proud that I hadn't so much as eeked in a pita on my food log. Instead of any praise, this morning I got "Well, I knew you'd cheat". Ouch. I started paleo immediately following Christmas because I didn't want the extra workouts and the deprivation insanity to start at the same time. So this isn't week 4 for me, it's week 6. That's six weeks for a girl who couldn't go 1 day without ANY sort of bread before. I was really proud of that fact - until this morning. Maybe I'm overly sensitive following our exchange last week - but it all boils down to the way I feel - like I have a coach who doesn't believe in me. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Last year, my IAC coach was Carey. I'm not telling you this to impart any sort of "my ex was hotter" type strategy - but because I think she's a stunning example of what a coach should be. I didn't do every single prescribed extra workout last year either - but Carey was positive and enforced to us all that she was happy we were getting the extra workouts in, no matter what they were. We'd write them in our food logs - and every week she'd go over them with us, adding in any comments that she thought we needed to round out the workout (maybe some more cardio here, try to get in some more weights there) and even when I ate a BAGEL last year - it was more of a "hey, you're doing so well, don't do that". It was criticism but I never felt like a dog, getting smacked on the nose with a newspaper. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>When you asked us all to fill out a form giving you feedback on your coaching style, and how we liked to be coached, I did it. I was hoping that this might impart that while sometimes I need a boot to the backside - I also need a cheerleader. I need someone to believe in me other than myself. When I did lean lifting over the break with Anna and Cat - I was amazed. Holy crap, I can lift like they do. They were nothing but positive influences on my lifting and the eye opening partners that I needed. I did the same amount on press as Erika did this last time. ERIKA. I remember joining our class, struggling to do my 45#, and looking at her thinking I'd never, ever be able to lift in her group. I can. That's the type of reinforcement I need from a coach. I don't want this to feel like I'm berating you incessantly. I'm trying to open your eyes, tell you how I feel, and what I need. Right now, I feel like you don't believe in me, and that you haven't - and I get to spend the next six weeks in our IAC group. Not a great prospect at the moment. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Take care,</div><br /><div>Kel</div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-41349159562223198762011-01-27T14:08:00.003-06:002011-01-27T14:16:29.554-06:00Don't You Miss It?<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TUHSh6U_ORI/AAAAAAAAAwc/qDHx4SDDQhM/s1600/120px-Red_X.svg.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566962094441445650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 120px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 120px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TUHSh6U_ORI/AAAAAAAAAwc/qDHx4SDDQhM/s320/120px-Red_X.svg.png" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I have to be honest. One of the questions that makes me want to stab my own eyes out lately is "Don't you miss X?". X can be anything the person asking the question can't live without. Sugar. Splenda. Chocolate. Beer. Wine. Chocolate.(yes, twice). Bread. Cheese. </div><br /><div><br />The answer is quite frankly, yes. I do miss it. I miss chips and queso more than pretty much anything. But you know what I don't miss? Walking into my closet and trying to remember which clothes fit - because <em>they all do.</em> I don't miss that feeling of pulling something out of my closet and TRYING to put it on. And I certainly don't miss the feelings that came afterwards when it didn't fit. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>You won't catch me on America's Next Top Model anytime soon - but I'm choosing myself over cheese, crackers, wine, chocolate, etc. I'm not in a corner, weeping and drinking lemon water and wishing it was wine. Yes, I miss it and that's okay too. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-67051766243179714582011-01-26T09:19:00.003-06:002011-01-26T09:41:04.300-06:00Me vs. Me<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TUBAgIQQDQI/AAAAAAAAAwU/38R1gui8EEc/s1600/never-never.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566520060145569026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TUBAgIQQDQI/AAAAAAAAAwU/38R1gui8EEc/s320/never-never.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I think I haven't been completely forthcoming about this I Am Crossfit challenge that I'm doing. It's Paleo eating, 5-6 workouts a week, and thrice daily food logging to a Google document where my team and my coach can all see it. Hello Accountability!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In general, while I am not yet Crossfit - I am:</div><br /><ul><br /><li>Missing bread and sugar</li><br /><li>A wee bit cranky</li><br /><li>Sleeping like the dead</li><br /><li>Sore in places I didn't know existed</li></ul><br /><p>All in all - not bad. There are days when it's just me against myself. The little devil on my shoulder telling me to just sleep in and skip the workout, that it's too cold outside to go for a run (<em>and didn't I just work out this morning?)</em>, that a little chocolate won't hurt, or that sunflower seeds - how can they be bad? I gave into this demon a few times in the past week. I chomped on salty, delicious sunflower seeds until I was so dehydrated that any ounce of water I had consumed, didn't matter. I slept in and missed a workout - 13 hours of sleep that were pretty awesome - but I didn't make it up later. </p><br /><p>Sometimes in life, it's just you vs. you. I can't be mad at anyone but myself. So today I'm picking myself up, dusting myself off - and getting 100% back in the game. Because why on earth would I do this to myself to only give 80%? </p>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-2397425838326682402011-01-24T14:56:00.000-06:002011-01-24T15:06:09.943-06:00One Hundred Percent.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TT3pm9RT6eI/AAAAAAAAAwM/OHL3i8FsYq4/s1600/no-corn330-e1291645103556.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565861569991272930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 194px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TT3pm9RT6eI/AAAAAAAAAwM/OHL3i8FsYq4/s320/no-corn330-e1291645103556.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This post is two-fold - both dealing with 100%. Today I partnered up for lifting with the ever-buff, Ms. Erika Jeanne (<a href="http://erikajeanne.blogspot.com/">http://erikajeanne.blogspot.com/</a>). This in itself was a feat - I've always imagined that Erika can lift more with her pinky than I could with my entire body, but I was determined to try. Out came the big plates, and all I could think was "Oh crap, are those 15#s? TWO of them?" but I was determined to try. Several lifts later, we were both at 105# - distinctly a new PR for this selfdoubter. Erika, bless her loyal heart - did not doubt me. She eyeballed me, told me when my elbows were heading for the floor and in general - cheered me on to a THREE REP PR! I can't wait to try again and see what my one rep max is!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Onto my other 100%.... I am not an organic girl. I do not eat grassfed beef, despite trying to be Paleo. It was in this vein that I continued with my fat-free half and half in my coffee, snubbing my nose and gasping for air at the thought of using full-fat cream in my coffee. More fool me. As I was filling up my cup this morning, I was checking out my carton to see if it was recyclable (I realize that avid recycling doesn't mesh with my pesticide-filled produce buying, but go with it) and I was astounded to see a little asterisk with "NOT NORMALLY FOUND IN MILK PRODUCTS" on it. My eyes scrambled up the side of the carton to see what the heck was in my beloved nonfat half and half.... CORN SYRUP? My dairy product contains... corn syrup? Disgusting! You can bet your ever-shrinking behind that this girl is going to full fat creamer tomorrow. I am so grossed out at even the thought that I've been having corn syrup with my coffee. </div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-34222689762669663192011-01-19T13:38:00.000-06:002011-01-19T14:14:37.813-06:00Confessions of a Semi-Paleo Eater...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TTc-ZdPG34I/AAAAAAAAAwE/pe2XAUNRFn4/s1600/food-police-badge.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563984471705182082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 149px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 128px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TTc-ZdPG34I/AAAAAAAAAwE/pe2XAUNRFn4/s320/food-police-badge.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Paleo means: Eat meat, seafood, vegetables, seasonal fruit, good fats such as avocados, nuts – but not in excess. Plenty of olive oil, coconut oil, and coconut milk. Stay away from all processed foods, dairy, grains (yes even whole grains and brown rice), sugar, artificial sweeteners, fruit juice, and starchy foods like white potatoes and beans.</em></span></div><div> </div><div>I have to admit - despite my best efforts, I am still not 100% paleo. I still use a bit of half and half in my coffee, if my salad comes with some goat cheese - it's staying on there, and I prefer peanut butter to almond butter, in any situation. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I'm content with that. I'm still 95% better than I was before, and I truly don't believe that a diet Dr. Pepper will make me fat. Is it good for me? Probably not. I'm weaning, but I don't know if I'll ever be 100%. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>After the challenge, I fully intend to let myself have a glass of wine here and there. Call a cop. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-35883335901057280132011-01-18T12:08:00.000-06:002011-01-18T12:12:01.162-06:00PMS...Pancakes..Muffins...SYRUP.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TTXX4W-6YWI/AAAAAAAAAv8/2ldwELu4UH0/s1600/waffle.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563590277928214882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TTXX4W-6YWI/AAAAAAAAAv8/2ldwELu4UH0/s320/waffle.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>For some reason, I'm having horrible sugar cravings. Well, not just any reason. Reasonably certain it's PMS. Sorry for dragging my lady bits into the blog, but when all I can think about is carbs and the syrup I want to cover them in - it's what ends up on here. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Paleo is treating me well. One jeans size, 2 inches, 4 pounds...and a partridge in a pear tree. Once I get past these sugar cravings again, I think I'll be golden and back on the path of gluten-free righteousness. Until then, I'll be having unclean(eating) thoughts about a stack of buttermilk pancakes from Kerbey Lane. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6848681736929185625.post-1113210454568262972011-01-13T15:22:00.000-06:002011-01-13T15:35:04.968-06:00Spice is...mostly nice.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TS9v-RX7obI/AAAAAAAAAvw/aNxvlShrFko/s1600/moroccan-rub-rs-1142044-l.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561787180432204210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 252px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7B8_XCN7HY8/TS9v-RX7obI/AAAAAAAAAvw/aNxvlShrFko/s320/moroccan-rub-rs-1142044-l.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>As my husband will gleefully tell you - I led a pretty sheltered food life. For my birthday, I always only want one kind of cake - and it better be made from a box. I'd never had a pear until I was in my mid-20's. As far as I know, I've still never tried lamb. I don't like ANY seafood (Exception: tuna) or pork in the chop/loin/anything but bacon form. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Trying to go paleo has been really eye opening to me. Fennel? Brussel Sprouts? BroccoLINI? What the heck? Would I like any of these things? Was I going to feel like a cow, let out to graze on random crap in the field? Could I live without mashed potatoes, my beloved bread, and without *gulp* PEANUT BUTTER?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Turns out. I can. I do miss peanut butter. Anyone that tells you almond butter is better, or even remotely as good is a dirty two-faced liar. That being said, I'm trying. For my lunch veggies today, I went for an awesome mixture of roasted squash, fennel, broccolini, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts with an interesting Moroccan spice mixture that I snagged at Central Market. I learned a few things - all the veggies are pretty good, I still think fennel has a spicy licorice taste (which may be a sign that I didnt roast it long enough) and my stomach really wasn't quite sure what to make of the Moroccan spice mixture. It was tasty, a little spicy, and my untried stomach wasn't quite sure. Since I didn't throw up in my trashcan like I was fearing, we'll call it a victory. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>kelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07423630828263160569noreply@blogger.com0