Morning beautiful friends! Hope your week is going well. We are enjoying some goooooooooorgeous weather down here in Virginia and I'm basking in the sunshine and warm temperatures. So happy SPRINGTIME is right around the corner.
Today I thought I'd share some of the things I'm loving lately. I always find these posts on other blogs intriguing and quite often find new favorites. I admit I don't have anything new and trendy to share, but the products below are all things I use weekly if not daily.
Le Husband brought me home these socks and shoes -- at different times -- and they have both become staples in my work wardrobe. I love the shoes, they provide great support for lifting and my elliptical workouts and are nice to switch off and on with my regular teaching shoes. I was a little less sure of the socks -- I think they look silly on -- but they allow me to grip a bit better while doing lunges and hang/cleans.
My yoga mat is used almost daily and I am in the market for the a new one. How fun are these colors?
I was in the market for a new shampoo/conditioner set after Pureology changed their formula [boo] so I reached out to my favorite hair girl, Courtney. She told me about Joico so I ordered it off of Amazon and have been la-la-la-loving it. My hair feels fresh and clean without feeling weighed down. Oh and it smells delicious, which is an added bonus.
Totally random to have a coffee maker on le blog, but y'all, this BUNN is a dream. I always forget how LONG it takes for regular coffee makers to brew coffee because our Bunn brews in less than two minutes. You can't 'prep' it to brew on it's own, but I pour the water in the coffee pot head to the bathroom to wash my face and by the time I'm done so is the coffee. #lovethebunn
While starting the purge process I uncovered some Lancome Juicy Tubes gifted to me and I forgot how shiny their glosses make my lips. I will never give up my Sugar lip colors, but it's been fun to break out some new [old] fun colors.
Well, that's what I'm loving right now. Are there any new/old products you're loving?
linkinguphere
March 9, 2016
March 8, 2016
Books on Books on Books
Woohoo, it's book day! I love writing this post for Steph's book link up, I find so many wonderful books and enjoy reading all the fun recaps. If you're a reader you should totally join in the fun next month.
"One Person Can Make a Difference
In search of adventure, twenty-nine-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children's Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal.
Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war. But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined. When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned: The children were not orphans at all. Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war--for a huge fee--by taking them to safety. They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.
For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task. He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury. Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life's work.
"Little Princes" is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, "Little Princes" is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyond our wildest expectations. [Image and summary via goodreads]."
I LOVED THIS BOOK! What started out as a random grab from the library turned into a book I could barely put down. I FLEW through the pages and found myself wishing I could up and move to Nepal to help continue Conor's work. He has such a way with words and I can't help but imagine everyone feeling the same things I felt while reading his story. EVERYONE should take a moment and add this book to their list. It is SUCH an eye opening tale and one that will stay with you for a long time.
"When Hector Lewis told
his daughter that she had a nothing face, it was just another bit of
tossed-off cruelty from a man who specialized in harsh words and harsher
deeds. But twenty years later, Heloise considers it a blessing to be a
person who knows how to avoid attention. In the comfortable suburb where
she lives, she's just a mom, the youngish widow with a forgettable job
who somehow never misses a soccer game or a school play. In the state
capitol, she's the redheaded lobbyist with a good cause and a mediocre
track record. But in discreet hotel rooms throughout the area, she's the woman of your dreams—if you can afford her hourly fee.
For more than a decade, Heloise has believed she is safe. She has created a rigidly compartmentalized life, maintaining no real friendships, trusting few confidantes. Only now her secret life, a life she was forced to build after the legitimate world turned its back on her, is under siege. Her once oblivious accountant is asking loaded questions. Her longtime protector is hinting at new, mysterious dangers. Her employees can't be trusted. One county over, another so-called suburban madam has been found dead in her car, a suicide. Or is it?
Nothing is as it seems as Heloise faces a midlife crisis with much higher stakes than most will ever know. And then she learns that her son's father might be released from prison, which is problematic because he doesn't know he has a son. The killer and former pimp also doesn't realize that he's serving a life sentence because Heloise betrayed him. But he's clearly beginning to suspect that Heloise has been holding something back all these years.
With no formal education, no real family, and no friends, Heloise has to remake her life—again. Disappearing will be the easy part. She's done it before and she can do it again. A new name and a new place aren't hard to come by if you know the right people. The trick will be living long enough to start a new life [image and summary via goodreads]. "
This book was suggest for me by my library app and I thought "Why not". I'm on a bunch of along waiting lists for more current books and will randomly pick up books to pass the time in between. I was pleasantly surprised by Lippman's writing style and enjoyed her character sketches. She jumps back and forth between past and present but everything is easy to follow. The story was quite interesting and I found myself silently cheering for Heloise as she looks forward to remaking her life. There were a few times I knew what was coming next, but she also kept me guessing as well.
"The year is 2008 and
Samantha Kofer’s career at a huge Wall Street law firm is on the fast
track—until the recession hits and she gets downsized, furloughed,
escorted out of the building. Samantha, though, is one of the “lucky”
associates. She’s offered an opportunity to work at a legal aid clinic
for one year without pay, after which there would be a slim chance that
she’d get her old job back.
In a matter of days Samantha moves from Manhattan to Brady, Virginia, population 2,200, in the heart of Appalachia, a part of the world she has only read about. Mattie Wyatt, lifelong Brady resident and head of the town’s legal aid clinic, is there to teach her how to “help real people with real problems.” For the first time in her career, Samantha prepares a lawsuit, sees the inside of an actual courtroom, gets scolded by a judge, and receives threats from locals who aren’t so thrilled to have a big-city lawyer in town. And she learns that Brady, like most small towns, harbors some big secrets.
Her new job takes Samantha into the murky and dangerous world of coal mining, where laws are often broken, rules are ignored, regulations are flouted, communities are divided, and the land itself is under attack from Big Coal. Violence is always just around the corner, and within weeks Samantha finds herself engulfed in litigation that turns deadly [image and summary via goodreads]"
When I'm looking for a way to pass the time I will often just look at some of my favorite authors to check out some of their older books. This one is only two years old but I somehow missed it when it first came out. I honestly didn't expect much from it, just a book to pass the time, but golly if I wasn't constantly trying to sneak a few pages here or there. Le Husband even asked me what was so enthralling, haha. I honestly can't say WHY I was so entrapped by the story, I think I was drawn to Samantha's blunt attitude and living so close to Appalachian I felt a bit of a draw to the mountain's plight. There are QUITE a few shocking turns in this book and I would have given it five stars but I felt the ending fell a bit flat and didn't wrap up what I expected.
"Detective Lindsay Boxer and her three best friends are back and recovering from the events that pushed them all to the edge.
After her near-death experience, Yuki is seeing her life from a new perspective and is considering a change in her law career. San Francisco Chronicle reporter Cindy has healed from her gunshot wound and has published a book on the infamous serial killers she helped to bring down. Lindsay is just happy that the gang are all still in one piece.
But a new terror is sweeping the streets of San Francisco. A gang dressed as cops are ransacking the city, and leaving a string of dead bodies in their wake. Lindsay is on the case to track them down and needs to discover whether these killers could actually be police officers. Maybe even cops she already knows [image and summary via goodreads]".
Patterson is know for weaving a gripping tale and 14th Deadly Sin kept me on the edge of my seat. Lindsay and friends are juggling multiple cases and everyone is enjoying a bit of a change in their personal or professional life. Yuki really finds her voice in this story and I applaud the new change. You can feel the desperation in the police force as they try to find out who the killers are running a muck in the city. Just when you think you're on the right track Patterson throws another twist. This book is everything the Women's Murder Club promises, intrigue, thrills, girl time fun and of course a good guy and a bad guy duking it out.
"San Francisco Detective Lindsay Boxer is loving her life as a new mother. With an attentive husband, a job she loves, plus best friends who can talk about anything from sex to murder, things couldn't be better.
Then the FBI sends Lindsay a photo of a killer from her past, and her happy world is shattered. The picture captures a beautiful woman at a stoplight. But all Lindsay sees is the psychopath behind those seductive eyes: Mackie Morales, the most deranged and dangerous mind the Women's Murder Club has ever encountered.
In this pulse-racing, emotionally charged novel by James Patterson, the Women's Murder Club must find a killer--before she finds them first [image and summary via goodreads]."
FYI, this is NOT the book to read before you get on a cruise because something involving a cruise ship happens. Guess who read this book before her cruise back in December? ME! I held off on recapping until I had read the next book. Cindy goes a lil cray in this book but I guess it's her turn, haha. Again, this book follows the Patterson formula but the reintroduction of Morales is a great catalyst for other story lines in the book.
"It's finally time! Detective Lindsay Boxer is in labor--while two killers are on the loose.
Lindsay Boxer's beautiful baby is born! But after only a week at home with her new daughter, Lindsay is forced to return to work to face two of the biggest cases of her career.
A rising star football player for the San Francisco 49ers is the prime suspect in a grisly murder. At the same time, Lindsay is confronted with the strangest story she's ever heard: An eccentric English professor has been having vivid nightmares about a violent murder and he's convinced is real. Lindsay doesn't believe him, but then a shooting is called in-and it fits the professor's description to the last detail.
Lindsay doesn't have much time to stop a terrifying future from unfolding. But all the crimes in the world seem like nothing when Lindsay is suddenly faced with the possibility of the most devastating loss of her life [image and summary via goodreads]."
Soooooooooooooo, confession time. This book was a re-read, ooops. I started Unlucky 13 last month but COULD NOT remember Mackie Morales to save my reading life so I picked up this book hoping to refresh my memory. Sadly, it took until almost the last third of the book before everything came flooding back. I'm a HUGE fan of Women's Murder club and if you like mystery and strong women characters you should jump on this series.
"Eliza Benedict cherishes her peaceful, ordinary suburban life with her successful husband and children, thirteen-year-old Iso and eight-year-old Albie. But her tranquility is shattered when she receives a letter from the last person she ever expects—or wants—to hear from: Walter Bowman.
"There was your photo, in a magazine. Of course, you are older now. Still, I'd know you anywhere."
In the summer of 1985, when she was fifteen, Eliza was kidnapped by Walter and held hostage for almost six weeks. He had killed at least one girl and Eliza always suspected he had other victims as well. Now on death row in Virginia for the rape and murder of his final victim, Walter seems to be making a heartfelt act of contrition as his execution nears.
Though Eliza wants nothing to do with him, she's never forgotten that Walter was most unpredictable when ignored. Desperate to shelter her children from this undisclosed trauma in her past, she cautiously makes contact with Walter. She's always wondered why Walter let her live, and perhaps now he'll tell her—and share the truth about his other victims.
Yet as Walter presses her for more and deeper contact, it becomes clear that he is after something greater than forgiveness. He wants Eliza to remember what really happened that long-ago summer. He wants her to save his life. And Eliza, who has worked hard for her comfortable, cocooned life, will do anything to protect it—-even if it means finally facing the events of that horrifying summer and the terrible truth she's kept buried inside [image and summary via goodreads]."
This book was put on my list after finishing my first Lippman novel. I was captivated from the beginning but began to lose patience with Eliza around the last third of the book. I found that while I wanted to sympathize with her because of her ordeal [which is terrifying] but I kept wanting to smack her for not realizing how she was being used. The book had an incredible build with a pretty abrupt ending that I found kind of shocking. I think anyone would find this book entertaining, I'll be interested to hear thoughts from anyone who's read it.
What are your current must reads? Anything new I should put on my list?
linkinguphereand hereandhereandhere
 |
| * * * * * |
"One Person Can Make a Difference
In search of adventure, twenty-nine-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children's Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal.
Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war. But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined. When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned: The children were not orphans at all. Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war--for a huge fee--by taking them to safety. They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.
For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task. He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury. Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life's work.
"Little Princes" is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, "Little Princes" is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyond our wildest expectations. [Image and summary via goodreads]."
I LOVED THIS BOOK! What started out as a random grab from the library turned into a book I could barely put down. I FLEW through the pages and found myself wishing I could up and move to Nepal to help continue Conor's work. He has such a way with words and I can't help but imagine everyone feeling the same things I felt while reading his story. EVERYONE should take a moment and add this book to their list. It is SUCH an eye opening tale and one that will stay with you for a long time.
/////
 |
| * * * * 1/2 |
For more than a decade, Heloise has believed she is safe. She has created a rigidly compartmentalized life, maintaining no real friendships, trusting few confidantes. Only now her secret life, a life she was forced to build after the legitimate world turned its back on her, is under siege. Her once oblivious accountant is asking loaded questions. Her longtime protector is hinting at new, mysterious dangers. Her employees can't be trusted. One county over, another so-called suburban madam has been found dead in her car, a suicide. Or is it?
Nothing is as it seems as Heloise faces a midlife crisis with much higher stakes than most will ever know. And then she learns that her son's father might be released from prison, which is problematic because he doesn't know he has a son. The killer and former pimp also doesn't realize that he's serving a life sentence because Heloise betrayed him. But he's clearly beginning to suspect that Heloise has been holding something back all these years.
With no formal education, no real family, and no friends, Heloise has to remake her life—again. Disappearing will be the easy part. She's done it before and she can do it again. A new name and a new place aren't hard to come by if you know the right people. The trick will be living long enough to start a new life [image and summary via goodreads]. "
This book was suggest for me by my library app and I thought "Why not". I'm on a bunch of along waiting lists for more current books and will randomly pick up books to pass the time in between. I was pleasantly surprised by Lippman's writing style and enjoyed her character sketches. She jumps back and forth between past and present but everything is easy to follow. The story was quite interesting and I found myself silently cheering for Heloise as she looks forward to remaking her life. There were a few times I knew what was coming next, but she also kept me guessing as well.
/////
 |
| * * * * |
In a matter of days Samantha moves from Manhattan to Brady, Virginia, population 2,200, in the heart of Appalachia, a part of the world she has only read about. Mattie Wyatt, lifelong Brady resident and head of the town’s legal aid clinic, is there to teach her how to “help real people with real problems.” For the first time in her career, Samantha prepares a lawsuit, sees the inside of an actual courtroom, gets scolded by a judge, and receives threats from locals who aren’t so thrilled to have a big-city lawyer in town. And she learns that Brady, like most small towns, harbors some big secrets.
Her new job takes Samantha into the murky and dangerous world of coal mining, where laws are often broken, rules are ignored, regulations are flouted, communities are divided, and the land itself is under attack from Big Coal. Violence is always just around the corner, and within weeks Samantha finds herself engulfed in litigation that turns deadly [image and summary via goodreads]"
When I'm looking for a way to pass the time I will often just look at some of my favorite authors to check out some of their older books. This one is only two years old but I somehow missed it when it first came out. I honestly didn't expect much from it, just a book to pass the time, but golly if I wasn't constantly trying to sneak a few pages here or there. Le Husband even asked me what was so enthralling, haha. I honestly can't say WHY I was so entrapped by the story, I think I was drawn to Samantha's blunt attitude and living so close to Appalachian I felt a bit of a draw to the mountain's plight. There are QUITE a few shocking turns in this book and I would have given it five stars but I felt the ending fell a bit flat and didn't wrap up what I expected.
/////
 |
| * * * * * |
After her near-death experience, Yuki is seeing her life from a new perspective and is considering a change in her law career. San Francisco Chronicle reporter Cindy has healed from her gunshot wound and has published a book on the infamous serial killers she helped to bring down. Lindsay is just happy that the gang are all still in one piece.
But a new terror is sweeping the streets of San Francisco. A gang dressed as cops are ransacking the city, and leaving a string of dead bodies in their wake. Lindsay is on the case to track them down and needs to discover whether these killers could actually be police officers. Maybe even cops she already knows [image and summary via goodreads]".
Patterson is know for weaving a gripping tale and 14th Deadly Sin kept me on the edge of my seat. Lindsay and friends are juggling multiple cases and everyone is enjoying a bit of a change in their personal or professional life. Yuki really finds her voice in this story and I applaud the new change. You can feel the desperation in the police force as they try to find out who the killers are running a muck in the city. Just when you think you're on the right track Patterson throws another twist. This book is everything the Women's Murder Club promises, intrigue, thrills, girl time fun and of course a good guy and a bad guy duking it out.
/////
 |
| * * * * 1/2 |
"San Francisco Detective Lindsay Boxer is loving her life as a new mother. With an attentive husband, a job she loves, plus best friends who can talk about anything from sex to murder, things couldn't be better.
Then the FBI sends Lindsay a photo of a killer from her past, and her happy world is shattered. The picture captures a beautiful woman at a stoplight. But all Lindsay sees is the psychopath behind those seductive eyes: Mackie Morales, the most deranged and dangerous mind the Women's Murder Club has ever encountered.
In this pulse-racing, emotionally charged novel by James Patterson, the Women's Murder Club must find a killer--before she finds them first [image and summary via goodreads]."
FYI, this is NOT the book to read before you get on a cruise because something involving a cruise ship happens. Guess who read this book before her cruise back in December? ME! I held off on recapping until I had read the next book. Cindy goes a lil cray in this book but I guess it's her turn, haha. Again, this book follows the Patterson formula but the reintroduction of Morales is a great catalyst for other story lines in the book.
/////
 |
| * * * * |
Lindsay Boxer's beautiful baby is born! But after only a week at home with her new daughter, Lindsay is forced to return to work to face two of the biggest cases of her career.
A rising star football player for the San Francisco 49ers is the prime suspect in a grisly murder. At the same time, Lindsay is confronted with the strangest story she's ever heard: An eccentric English professor has been having vivid nightmares about a violent murder and he's convinced is real. Lindsay doesn't believe him, but then a shooting is called in-and it fits the professor's description to the last detail.
Lindsay doesn't have much time to stop a terrifying future from unfolding. But all the crimes in the world seem like nothing when Lindsay is suddenly faced with the possibility of the most devastating loss of her life [image and summary via goodreads]."
Soooooooooooooo, confession time. This book was a re-read, ooops. I started Unlucky 13 last month but COULD NOT remember Mackie Morales to save my reading life so I picked up this book hoping to refresh my memory. Sadly, it took until almost the last third of the book before everything came flooding back. I'm a HUGE fan of Women's Murder club and if you like mystery and strong women characters you should jump on this series.
/////
 |
| * * * * |
"Eliza Benedict cherishes her peaceful, ordinary suburban life with her successful husband and children, thirteen-year-old Iso and eight-year-old Albie. But her tranquility is shattered when she receives a letter from the last person she ever expects—or wants—to hear from: Walter Bowman.
"There was your photo, in a magazine. Of course, you are older now. Still, I'd know you anywhere."
In the summer of 1985, when she was fifteen, Eliza was kidnapped by Walter and held hostage for almost six weeks. He had killed at least one girl and Eliza always suspected he had other victims as well. Now on death row in Virginia for the rape and murder of his final victim, Walter seems to be making a heartfelt act of contrition as his execution nears.
Though Eliza wants nothing to do with him, she's never forgotten that Walter was most unpredictable when ignored. Desperate to shelter her children from this undisclosed trauma in her past, she cautiously makes contact with Walter. She's always wondered why Walter let her live, and perhaps now he'll tell her—and share the truth about his other victims.
Yet as Walter presses her for more and deeper contact, it becomes clear that he is after something greater than forgiveness. He wants Eliza to remember what really happened that long-ago summer. He wants her to save his life. And Eliza, who has worked hard for her comfortable, cocooned life, will do anything to protect it—-even if it means finally facing the events of that horrifying summer and the terrible truth she's kept buried inside [image and summary via goodreads]."
This book was put on my list after finishing my first Lippman novel. I was captivated from the beginning but began to lose patience with Eliza around the last third of the book. I found that while I wanted to sympathize with her because of her ordeal [which is terrifying] but I kept wanting to smack her for not realizing how she was being used. The book had an incredible build with a pretty abrupt ending that I found kind of shocking. I think anyone would find this book entertaining, I'll be interested to hear thoughts from anyone who's read it.
What are your current must reads? Anything new I should put on my list?
linkinguphereand hereandhereandhere
March 7, 2016
Weekend Away That Was All Play
Good morning and a happy Monday to all. I hope your weekend was wonderful and Monday is being kind so far. Our weekend was a blur of motion as we headed to Cincinnati for a quick family visit. It will be our last visit until we move [!] and it was nice to hang with family for a few days. Now we are back cranking through the work week and time to get serious about packing up our apartment and finishing up planning our trip.
This weekend I…
… woke to snow bright and early before our flight.
… enjoyed the luxury of the AA Admiral's club thanks to Le Husband's CC. #theonlywaytotravel
… practiced my Italian for our trip.
… laughed at my 1% fluency.
… was majorly bummed when our delayed [mechanics] flight kept us from picking up nephew from school.
… had a delicious lunch with Grandparents and loved surprising grandma.
… jumped in full swing to lego, beanie baby and wrestling time.
… brought along our homemade tortilla recipe and created some delicious fish tacos for dinner.
… snapped a bazillion pictures of our adorable second nephew. #ohmygoodnessthosecheeks
… woke up to the phone ringing at 730am because our nephew wanted us to join him for Saturday errands.
… got ready in 15 minutes and met them at the door.
… reveled in the smell of doughnuts at our second stop for the day.
… devoured my cinnamon toast crunch chocolate doughnut. #holysugarcoma
… took our second set of grandparents out to dinner at a delicious Cajun restaurant. #familyisthebest
… started up wrestling as soon as we got back home.
… watched a little bit of Frozen and Despicable Me before dinner. #Ineededanap
… became a car aficionado after a lesson with lil man. #guesswhogotallthepinkcars
… ate a delicious dinner, drank some wine, played legos then went to bed as soon as the boys left.
… passed out for eleven glorious hours and felt like a new person on Sunday morning.
… packed up, helped make breakfast and got it one last play session before we left for the airport.
… kissed and cuddled this lil face a million times before we left.
… practiced some Italian on the plane, read and prepped my BODYPUMP playlist for Monday's class.
Now I'm charging through Monday and looking forward to a quiet evening at home. How was your weekend?
March 4, 2016
March Forth on Friday
March forth, sweet friends, march forth. Sorry, am I the only one nerding out?!?! Yeah, oh well. Happy Friday to you all. As usual, the week was fast and furious and I'm quite ready for a lil R&R this weekend. Fingers crossed the so called 'snow storm' doesn't mess up my plans. Alright, let's get on to some favorites, shall we?
Favorite quote of the week: Time to follow the three C's in life!
Favorite post of the week: Yesterday I finally shared my big news and was completely blow away by all of your sweet messages. Thank you for making feel even better about our decision and for supporting during this time of change. Y'all are the best and I'm so grateful for this community. #bloggingisthebest #thankyouforsupportingme #bigchangescoming
Favorite links of the week: Hope you learn something.
Breathtakingly honest post about beauty standards.
Check out good ol Proto Zoa now. #zenonhadsomuchwrongwiththefuture
Favorite video of the week: Daddy did it. #hilariouscantstoplaughing
Favorite funnies of the week: Giggles and laughs and smiles oh YAY!
Hope you have a fabulous day and a wonderful weekend! < 3
**linking up Here here , here, here and, this week**
Favorite quote of the week: Time to follow the three C's in life!
 |
| [source] |
 |
| [source] |
Sara shared an mouth watering St. Patrick's day recipe on Thursday. Mint and marshmellows? YES PLEASE!
Jennifer Garner is such an incredible role model, talk about grace under fire.
Breathtakingly honest post about beauty standards.
Check out good ol Proto Zoa now. #zenonhadsomuchwrongwiththefuture
Six things I really regret my first year of motherhood. This goes out to my mama friends.
Interesting article about ringing in your ears and emotions.
Favorite video of the week: Daddy did it. #hilariouscantstoplaughing
Favorite funnies of the week: Giggles and laughs and smiles oh YAY!
 |
| [source] |
 |
| [source] |
 |
| [source] |
 |
| [source] |
 |
| [source] |
 |
| [source] |
 |
| [source] |
 |
| [source] |
**linking up Here here , here, here and, this week**
March 3, 2016
The Big Reveal: We're Doing Europe and MOVING {True Confession}
After months and months of planning, thinking and praying Le Husband and I have decided we are going to leave the Northern Virginia area for Knoxville, Tennessee. And before we take the final leap we are taking time off this spring and spending 29 days in Europe. HOLY COW, is this real life?!?! #forrealisthisreallife
Talk about a confession, huh? Yup, I've been keeping this lil secret for quite awhile and finally feel the clarity and faith to share it here on the blog. A little backstory if you will. After a lot of hemming and hawing and praying Le Husband and I decided back in October that even if opportunities didn't come our way we would quit our jobs and move by spring 2016. Scary right? Then in November Le Husband floated the idea of using the time after we quit our jobs to finally go and see Europe. Honestly I was quite skeptical of the idea because even though it's always been a dream it's an EXPENSIVE dream. Immediately I reached out to friends who have traveled in Europe [oh hey BOFF and Kristen] and peppered them with "Is this really possible?" questions. After realizing it was actually quite possible Le Husband and I developed a plan. We decided to use my yearly bonus [which he would match] as our budget and we'd travel for as long as we could and see as much of the continent as possible.
Remember that Wanderlust post about the Mediterranean? So I was sneaky when I posted because we are going to make that trip happen. Our cruise is booked and we are finishing up our itinerary for the rest of the trip through France, Germany and Italy. To say I'm stoked would be an understatement. To say I'm overwhelmed would also be an understatement. There is so much to see over there and we are still struggling to try and fit everything into our trip. We are both HUGE WW2 history nerds so we are tailoring our trip around battles and history more so than normal sight seeing adventures [I AM SO EXCITED TO VISIT NORMANDY]. This promises to be a trip of a lifetime and I'm so looking forward to seeing another part of the world and enjoying new sights, foods and adventures with Le Husband.
Speaking of adventure, let's talk a little about our BIG move. We return from our jaunt through Europe and promptly three days later we will drive down to Knoxville to begin our new life. Luckily I have family in the area so we will be staying with them while we search for our perfect rental or home. This is a BIG deal. I'll be moving away from my immediate family and even though it's only an eight hour drive I've been within 20 minutes of my family since I graduated from college [Ten YEARS, holy cow]. Most of me is excited to really go and stand on my own two feet [with Le Husband] but there is a lil bit of me that is sad I'll be so far away when I achieve new milestones. Yet I feel this IS the right thing to do, even if it turns out to be only a short time away. We are ready for a slower pace of life and the ability to have a home with land without paying a bazillion dollars. Change is scary and as excited as I am for this new step there is a bit also a bit of fear.
How are you going to swing this you ask? For the time being Le Husband will continue to work for his company and will keep his same territory while I use our change to finally figure out what I want to be when I grow up. There are multiple opportunities in the area and I've begun revamping my resume which is scary as all get out. If I'm honest I would LOVE to find a job in the fitness world and continue to get certified in LES MILLS programs to parlay that into a career and not just a hobby. Who knows where the job search will lead, but I'm HOPEFUL it will be the start of something great. #takeachance
Maybe you think I'm silly for waiting so long to break the
news and maybe you think I'm a bit ridiculous for holding back, but you
know what, that's okay. I've become less frivolous in my declarations. I don't normally share news unless I know it's 99.9% [hello BODYPUMP certification]. I hate failing at anything and this will be the
third time Le Husband and I have tried to up and move. Each time life
happened and we had to put our plans on hold which became incredibly
frustrating and deflating. Part of me just wanted to throw in the towel and settle for
the fact we weren't going to be able to follow this dream and to just
buck up about living in this area forever. But we kept praying and realized this was something we had to do so we just went for it. We don't know what the future holds but we know we want to try.
Things became real last week when I had my review and dropped the 'I'm leaving' bomb on my boss. It went MUCH better than expected and he was quite supportive. Now that work knows I feel better about sharing it here on the Internet for everyone to see. Not that anyone I work with knows about the blog but you can never been too careful right? So there you have it friends, the big secret I've been keeping off the blog for the past six months. There are QUITE a few posts in drafts where I just had to spill my guts somewhere because things were still so up in the air. They might make it here, they might not, but for now I'm happy to be at the stage of sharing it with my blog land friends. Things in pinkland are about to get CRAZY busy as we start packing up our life, saying goodbye to our friends whilst packing our suitcases for the trip of a lifetime. Sleep will probably become a luxury but you know what, that's okay. I'm excited this is finally happening and I CAN'T WAIT to see where life takes us. Cheers to taking the leap and trying something NEW!
So now, tell me the best way to quickly learn Italian and French and give me your MUST sees!
linking up with Jess for confessions and Kristin for whatsnewwithyou
 |
| [source] |
Remember that Wanderlust post about the Mediterranean? So I was sneaky when I posted because we are going to make that trip happen. Our cruise is booked and we are finishing up our itinerary for the rest of the trip through France, Germany and Italy. To say I'm stoked would be an understatement. To say I'm overwhelmed would also be an understatement. There is so much to see over there and we are still struggling to try and fit everything into our trip. We are both HUGE WW2 history nerds so we are tailoring our trip around battles and history more so than normal sight seeing adventures [I AM SO EXCITED TO VISIT NORMANDY]. This promises to be a trip of a lifetime and I'm so looking forward to seeing another part of the world and enjoying new sights, foods and adventures with Le Husband.
 |
| [source] |
How are you going to swing this you ask? For the time being Le Husband will continue to work for his company and will keep his same territory while I use our change to finally figure out what I want to be when I grow up. There are multiple opportunities in the area and I've begun revamping my resume which is scary as all get out. If I'm honest I would LOVE to find a job in the fitness world and continue to get certified in LES MILLS programs to parlay that into a career and not just a hobby. Who knows where the job search will lead, but I'm HOPEFUL it will be the start of something great. #takeachance
 |
| [source] |
Things became real last week when I had my review and dropped the 'I'm leaving' bomb on my boss. It went MUCH better than expected and he was quite supportive. Now that work knows I feel better about sharing it here on the Internet for everyone to see. Not that anyone I work with knows about the blog but you can never been too careful right? So there you have it friends, the big secret I've been keeping off the blog for the past six months. There are QUITE a few posts in drafts where I just had to spill my guts somewhere because things were still so up in the air. They might make it here, they might not, but for now I'm happy to be at the stage of sharing it with my blog land friends. Things in pinkland are about to get CRAZY busy as we start packing up our life, saying goodbye to our friends whilst packing our suitcases for the trip of a lifetime. Sleep will probably become a luxury but you know what, that's okay. I'm excited this is finally happening and I CAN'T WAIT to see where life takes us. Cheers to taking the leap and trying something NEW!
|
| [source] |
linking up with Jess for confessions and Kristin for whatsnewwithyou
March 2, 2016
C U R R E N T L Y
 |
| [source] |
craving: a warm goat cheese salad from one of my favorite restaurants and a Chick Fil-a milkshake. #notpregnant
going: to visit Le Husband's family this month. can't wait to hug my cute nephews and relax with family.
wearing: a mix of winter/fall/spring clothing. not gonna lie, I've dressed a bit warmer than the weather because I am just excited to bring out some of my favorite spring pieces. #blousesandflips
learning: the newest BODYPUMP release and a few back releases for my classes. #alldayerryday
praying: for the family of a rookie officer who was killed in our area over the weekend. It was her first day on the job and when she and two other officers responded to a domestic violence call she was caught in the cross fire and killed. I can't imagine the pain her family is enduring right now and I just pray for God's grace and mercy during their time of grieving.
reading: lots of different books on my kindle and lots and lots of travel blogs.
hoping: everything comes together for the future. #prettyplease
What's c u r r e n t l y going on with you?
linking up here, here and here.
March 1, 2016
Goodbye...Hello
 |
| [source] |
Goodbye... nasty, snowy, cold weather.
Goodbye... bad roads and working from home due to horrible commutes.
Goodbye... heavy jackets, scarves, mittens, Sorels and gloves.
Goodbye... month two of teaching BODYPUMP. #thanksforbeingkind
Goodbye... pretty pinks and reds everywhere. So sad to say goodbye to the glitzy glam of Love Day.
Goodbye... easy going life and down time every weekend.
Goodbye... shortest month of the year.
Goodbye... Leap day.
/////////////////////////////////////////
Hello... springtime weather. #hopefully
Hello... warm rains that create new life in springtime bulbs and flowers.
Hello... DST.
Hello... month three of BODYPUMP teaching. Hoping to rock it out like the previous two months.
Hello... skirts and fun blouses.
Hello... fresh vegetables, lean meats and runs outside.
Hello... new adventure and delivering the news to everyone.
Hello... longer days and shorter nights.
Hello... luck of the Irish. I have to say I enjoy the 17th more now that I'm part of an Irish family. #luck
Hello... month of the big reveal. Posting coming on Thursday!
linkinguphereand hereandhereandhere
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)