42

Long time - No write.  I think that's just how it's going to be around here.  It's a reflection of the ebb and flow of my life, I guess.

So I will be 42 on Thursday.  Very strange.  Sometimes I feel like a 40 something year old woman, and other times, not at all.  My face and my metabolism definitely feel it.  Oh the wrinkles and sun spots.  Oh the 7 lbs that I can't seem to get rid of (I know, it could be worse).  But I continue to fight the fight.  Still doing the Weight Watchers thing, still keeping up with my cardio and weight training and yoga and barre and anything else that suits me.  Stepping up the skin care regimen, using a retinoid serum regularly as well as a good (read expensive) moisturizer.  Trying to make an effort every day with my appearance, it helps me not feel so dull and worn out, I guess.  I went a little darker with my hair this Fall/Winter.  I was, perhaps, too blond over the Summer.  The darker color is good, but boy do the wiry grey hairs pop through more.  Have to see if there is some happy medium next time I'm in the salon chair.

Hubby asked me what I wanted for my birthday recently.  I said nothing, just a nice dinner, we've spent enough $ the last few months (Christmas, Bubby's BDay).  Then I proceeded to buy these for myself online yesterday:

Athleta Striped Swagger Skirt

 

Maduka LiveON Yoga Mat

 



The yoga mat is somewhat of a necessity as my current mat is starting to fall apart AND I slip on it.  I have one of those hot yoga towels, but it just gets in the way.  Anyway, hoping that spending a bit more will help with the slippage and maybe offer a little more cushioning.  Another result of getting older, I've been having problems with my shoulders and neck.  I think I tweaked something in Body Pump a week ago and have been dealing with stiffness, lack of mobility and headaches.  Trying to do more yoga for a while to loosen up and making Hubby give me massages each night.

 





I enjoyed two weeks of vacation during the holidays.  I didn't do much but relax and read and it was BLISS.  I haven't done that in a LONG time.  I had hoped to read maybe one or two books over the break, well I managed to read a heck of a lot more than that (and have read a few more since getting back to the work/school routine).  Here are some goodies that I enjoyed:

 

The Lucky Harbor Series by Jill Shalvis.  If you like easy - fun contemporary romance novels with a bit of baum chica bau bau, these are perfect!

 

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.  This is the third or fourth book by Liane Moriarty that I have read and I really enjoy her stuff.  I would compare her to Jennifer Weiner and Jane Green.

 

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain.  I saw this book reviewed in a magazine and decided to give it a shot.  It was very good, sort of a family drama/mystery.

 

Other Random notes:  Hubby and I watched This Is Where I Leave You (Jane Fonda and Jason Bateman) the other night - SO GOOD.  I am enjoying this season of Downton Abbey much more than I did last season, it has been worth staying up late for on Sunday evenings.  I am anxiously awaiting the return of Outlander (STARZ) in April.  Not sure how I am going to handle the second half of the season as I know what awaits and have a feeling that STARZ will deliver the entire story in all its disturbing details (not gonna say more than that - read the book!), but I did really enjoy the first part of the season, amazingly STARZ has done a good job with this one.

 

That is about it around these parts.  We're experiencing some very unseasonably high temps here in Colorado right now (high 60s) while the east coast is getting slammed by Winter.  I'm loving it and know how annoyed I will be when Winter returns (as it will, it always does).  I want to wear that skirt (above) and exercise outside again.  Football season is sadly over (my Broncos had a disappointing season) and that opens up our Sunday afternoons.  Our Saturday afternoons will soon be spent travelling to soccer games again, so I guess I should enjoy the freedom that cold temperatures bring while I can ...



 



 

Celebrate!



Happy 4th of July!  How can it be here already?  The last month has flown by.  Summer is in full swing here and we've been busy.  I'm looking forward to a LAZY day tomorrow.  No work, no gym, no schedule.  We might go to the pool, we might go to a movie, we might go to a BBQ and we might go to a soccer game.  I'm not making any promises.

I'm enjoying summer to the best of my ability.  Sometimes it is hard, truth be told.  My job gets uber busy in the summer (that's agriculture, folks) while many of my friends and family's summers are spent relaxing, hanging at the pool, playing outside with their kiddos.  I know the grass is always greener and yada yada yada, but I SO envy my friends and family that have their summers off (and by off, I do not mean that they are not busy raising their kids and managing their homes, so no rotten tomatoes).  Oh well, that's life and I'm not one to wallow, so I move on.

On a lighter note, here are a few items that I've been digging lately and have been making my summer more enjoyable:

Striped Summer Tote from DSW

I enjoyed a GNO with a friend a few weeks ago and after a couple of margaritas we walked over to a nearby DSW where I used a Rewards coupon that I'd been saving ... I scored this tote for $18! 

Jergens BB Body Cream

Seriously, this is the best body cream ever.  It is a tinted moisturizer, not to be confused with a self tanner, so like a body makeup.  I put it on my legs and arms in the morning after my shower and let it dry for 5 minutes or so before getting dressed (while I do my makeup).  It gives just a bit of color and glow and the smell is YUMMY.  I love it.

Note, no picture to upload, sorry ... something is wonky.

John Frieda Everlasting Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner

Confession, I'm not a natural blond.  Well, let me clarify this.  I'm a natural dark or dirty blond.  Not naturally any shade of blond that anyone finds remotely attractive.  So I color my hair.  In the spring and summer I tend to go very blond.  In the fall and winter I'm a darker blond with both low and highlights and use a sulfate free shampoo and conditioner.  However, when I'm BLOND, like right now, I use the John Frieda Blonde collection.  I'm currently loving the Everlasting Blonde collection as it is designed for color treated blonds (although any of the Blonde collection works on color treated hair, I believe).  It really helps with the brassiness and the dry straw issues that come from being this blond and using a blow dryer and hot iron most days.

 

 

 

Home Projects

 

We just marked one year in our current home (maybe I should stop calling it our new home now).  Honestly, we were so wiped out from the move that we didn't do much but unpack (mostly) until recently.  We're still not painting, renovating our dated kitchen or replacing carpet, but we have started replacing light fixtures and some doorknobs as well as adding/changing some décor.  For years I've really struggled to put my finger on just what style of home décor tickles my fancy.  I like some country, but not TOO country.  Some shabby but not TOO shabby.  Some Americana Folksy but not TOO Folksy.  I think I've narrowed things down a bit and would now say that I really like the upcycled vintage (Americana) style.  I think.  So, anyway, we replaced our dining room light fixture last weekend and put up this one from Lowe's.

 



 

 



 

Colorado Outdoors

It feels wrong to live in this beautiful state and not take part in some sort of outdoor experience at least once each summer.  I'm talking an outdoor concert, an outdoor sporting event, and outdoor marketplace or fair.  Something.  I didn't have anything planned until I noticed a friend's FB page with a post about Fitness on the Rocks at Red Rocks.  My BFF and I are signed up for the outdoor yoga session and I can't wait!

 

So that's what's shaking around here.  Happy Summer!



Summer!

It may not be summer officially, according to the calendar, but c'mon, it's summer!  For some reason, summer use to be my least favorite of the seasons, but I've started to enjoy them more the last few years and I'm actually happy for the warmer temps, longer days, and school break.  We kicked our summer off with a road trip style vacation this year (pictures below) as we drove across the state of Kansas, stopping to see family here and there and spending several days in Kansas City, Missouri.  We went to a KC Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals baseball game, spent a day at Worlds and Oceans of Fun, shopped away a morning at Country Club Plaza, spent some time at KC LEGOLAND as well as Union Station and Science City, and relaxed by our hotel pool (rooftop!).  Overall a good time was had by all.

Pictures

 

 

 

So now we're home and have officially started our summer routine.  I will bring Bubby into work with me each morning for about 30 minutes, then walk him across campus to his sports camp.  Our late afternoons and evenings will consist of soccer games (always, ugh) and short trips to our neighborhood pool (gotta get our $ worth).  We had a great time Friday night with a group of families at our local drive in theater and then all the 10 year old boys had a backyard camp out (not ours, thank you).  I imagine there will be a few more of those in the next couple of months.  All in All, I am looking forward to a fun summer.  Work is always hectic for me in the summer, and this year will be no exception, but I'm going to do my best to enjoy the school break while it lasts!

 

Right now my biggest dilemma is picking a summer read.  I'm just not getting as much reading in as I use to, so I'm trying to decide which one of these to spend my dough on:

 

All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner

 



 

 

OR

 

 

The One and Only by Emily Giffin

 

 

 



I Like It!

My Bubby is a music lover like me.  He is constantly listening to tunes around the house.  The pro is that we like the same music (mostly), the con is that he listens to the same songs OVER and OVER.  Loudly.  He was listening to something this morning and the 3 words I Like It were much of the song's lyrics.  It inspired me to do another "things I'm digging" post.

So we spent last weekend down in the Denver area at a soccer tournament.  Several of the team families decided to forgo the 90 minute drive back and forth and opted for rooms at the same hotel.  We were one such family.  Score (pun intended)!  We were close to the tournament park AND close to some great shopping and dining.  I lived in the Denver area years ago.  I have family and friends all over the place down there.  Still, I don't get to a lot of areas often enough and am always late to the game when it comes to "new" (loosely used) shopping and attractions.  Denver "recently" got a handful of Trader Joe's stores (we are always so late to the game here in Colorado, considering our population size).  I love me some Trader Joe's.  Let me clarify that I have only ever been in a Trader Joe's maybe 4 times, but when I have been lucky enough to get inside one, I have a blast.  We'll be getting one of our own here soon (Fall 2014 is the talk).  Anyway, being close to one on Saturday, I made Hubby go with me to load up on non-perishables.

So, The I Like It List for Now:

Trader Joe's Cookie Butter

Yummo.  I am a huge gingerbread fan.  I could put an entire Barbie Gingerbread Dreamhouse away on my own.  This stuff has a hint of that.  Oh My Gosh.  I prefer it on graham crackers, animal crackers, toast.  Hubby has replaced his peanut butter with it on his lunchtime sammich (his term).



Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Almond Butter

I know everyone raves about TJ's peanut butter, and the stuff is good, I concede.  However, the Almond Butter, is in my opinion, even better.  I like Almond Butter, in general, but am picky about it.  The other stuff I've tried usually has to be refrigerated (TJ's does too) and then winds up hard OR it simply requires so much stirring every time you open the jar.  Not this stuff.  Yes, you need to store it in the fridge and yes you are going to stir it a bit, each time, BUT not too much stirring and the flavor is hands down the best I've tried.

 

 

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Moving on from the Butters. 

 

I have terrible fingernails.  They split, they peel, they break.  I also have big man hands.  I do.  So, I pretty much always have my nails done.  It's the only way I can stand to look at them and the only thing that keeps me from picking at them.  I bit them constantly as a teenager, I wonder if that's why they are so bad?  Hmmm ... I digress.  So, yeah, I usually have polish on my fingernails.  Mostly I go with a light pink or nude color so that I can get close to a week out of my mani.  Maybe not quite.  Anyway, I recently read about this great and affordable top coat that many a manicurist swears by and guess where you can find it?  Sally Beauty Supply!  Maybe Ulta or Sephora too, although I've never seen it there.  Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat if fantastic stuff and is only around $8 a bottle.  First time I used it I was amazed at how fast it dried and how hard of a finish it provides.  Money well spent!

 



 

Starbucks Black or Green Tea Lemonade

 

I've long been a fan of Starbucks tea.  Hot when it is cold outside (Zen!) and cold when the temperature rises.  Last summer they had some kind of peach and green tea concoction that was nice.  While we were at the tournament last weekend, I was feeling a bit dehydrated but I wasn't in the mood for plain water.  I decided to try the Iced Green Tea Lemonade (I always go unsweetened!) and I thought it was great.  This morning I had a hankering for something refreshing and decided to try the Iced Black Tea Lemonade (unsweetened!) ... Love.  I have a feeling that I'll be drinking a lot of this stuff over the next several months.  Wow.

 



 

 

 

So there you go.  Some good stuff.

 

Happy Memorial Day!!!

 

 

 

 







So, This ...

My 10 year old's soccer schedule has been ruling my life for the past 6 weeks or so.  I have about 3 weeks left of this and then I am hoping to have a life again outside of the soccer field.  Well, except that he was just asked to play on a summer league team.  Oye.

I tried to have a Girl's Night Out last Saturday night.  Fail.  Everyone is SO busy.  Almost all of my girl friends are moms with young-ish kiddos.  I understand.  Kinda.  I still felt a bit unimportant, I have to say.  Trying not to take it personally.  I still need some help in that department.  Bahahahaha!

Had a CRAPPY week at work last week.  I actually walked out of my office for an hour at one point, upset with a few coworkers.  Fairly drastic but I was about to lose my shit.  I don't regret it, a girl can only take so much.

I did get to see The Other Woman with a friend recently.  Is now on my list (near top) of Best Chickflicks of All Time.  Perfection.

The weather was wonderful here last weekend.  We got our garage cleaned out and organized (only took us a year, since moving in and just jamming everything in there).  I did some weed pulling and I even put out annual flower pots ... early for me as I usually wait for Memorial Weekend.  Now we're in a bit of a rainy period, ugh ... come back sun and 80 degrees!

 



I've been bored with my workouts and Bubby's soccer schedule has made gym going on the weekends especially challenging, so I bought a Barre3 DVD set off of QVC recently.  Love.  It.  We have a barre studio here in town that I've wanted to try, but it isn't in a convenient location and the drop in prices are ridiculous.  I'm happy I spent just a little more to get this complete set that I can use over and over.

So Mother's Day.  Happy Mother's Day.  Is a bit of a weird holiday for me, the past 4 years since my mom passed away.  Happy because I am lucky enough to be the mom of a wonderful boy but sad because I miss my mom so much.  On an eery note, I recently came across this necklace that my mom gave me when I was 11 years old.  A LOVE stamp.  So Love!