5 Things

1. The Collect App! I seriously got on my blogger account today so that I could write a '5 Things' blog JUST so I can share this app. Now I'm going to have to think of 4 other things... ANYWAY, yes. So the app is free and it completely plays to my love for documenting things. It's a photo-a-day journal app that is so simple and sweet. It's not a social app, shockingly, but I'm obsessed with taking the time to notice something each day that I'm grateful for or makes me happy, capturing a photo of it and then looking back at the blessings that month! You can print out the calendar at the end of the month and have a physical journal to browse through... but I probably won't. Although since you don't have to create an account to use the app, if your phone goes south, your journal will be lost with the phone.

2. My homemade iced coffee! I made my very own batch of Pioneer Woman iced coffee Saturday night (I know, I'm such a wild child) and it turned out really stinking good! I put a splash of milk in it and since the fridge door was already open and everything, I poured some maple syrup in it, Buddy the elf style. Yummm. It was my picture for Collect on Saturday and everything.  It was the most exciting thing I did Saturday. Couldn't really take a picture of me sitting on the couch watching Sister Act II, now could I? I don't think I need to even mention that D went out of town Saturday to see his mom... based on my activities, I think it's pretty clear I was unsupervised.

Letting it... brew? steep? Not sure what the terminology is for iced coffee.

This isn't a picture of myyyy coffee... it's the picture Pioneer Woman put on her recipe... 

but mine looked very similar

3. Irene Suchoki. She's a Canadian photographer after my heart. D mentioned a while back that he doesn't want "any abstract art in the house" which I thought meant no Cubism-era Picaso or anything, which is fair; that stuff is trippy. But come to find out, he means he wants exclusively literal art. Photography, really. So when I happened upon Irene's Etsy shop, I knew it would be the ideal compromise. I see a bulk order being placed in the near future. And for the record, she does photograph colorful stuff, too. I just happened to pick a couple colorless examples.

Icebergs reflected off still water

The black sand beaches of Ireland

Zebra stripe without being all up in your face about zebra stripes.

4. Monistat Anti-Chaffing Gel. Yum, right? But it's not quite what you think. I saw on Pinterest that people are claiming it's the dupe for Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and it sparked my memory. I used to use it, mixed with my foundation in the summers, to keep from sweating all my makeup off. So I've brought it back in to the rotation now that the weather is heating back up and I forgot what a little miracle worker this stuff is. I got it at Target.

5. Toe touches - I get in to a rut when it comes to abs but this one is new in my rotation and it's a keeper. I thought doing V-ups WAS doing toe touches. Unbeknownst to me, those are different exercises. Gawd, Karen, you're so STUPID! These you keep your feet right where they are in the picture below, no up and down with your legs. Only your upper body moves. Burn baby burn!

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Wedding Planning Part II

Yea... I'm not doing so good at blogging my wedding planning. In my defense, it's because I haven't done a ton of wedding planning worth blogging about?? I think when I'm in the throws of decorating, it'll make for better blogs (and pictures).

But for propriety sake, here's a little peek in to what we've got nailed down so far.

1. The dress!!! That was harder and then easier than I thought it would be. My first outing turned out pretty miserable, tears in the dressing room and everything. However, it turned out that I was just at the wrong store. After my first trip, I was sure I was going to be the bride that hated everything. I tried on dress after dress and my sister, mom and Ashley would oooo and ahhh but I just rolled my eyes. I hated all of them.

BUT THEN! I picked out another store and did a little research. I found out what designers they carried and scoped out the selection online before heading in. I had a list of style numbers I would be interested in trying on and just handed the list to the consultant. She pulled what they had in stock, about 5 of the dresses I had picked out, and I fell in love with all of them. Don't worry, I won't be the bride with the wardrobe changes. I narrowed it down. Luckily, I'm super decisive and picked which one I wanted, bought it, and since the sample they had fit me like a glove, took it home with me. Boom. Done. Dress.

So yea, my recommendation would be to look up the designers the store carries online and come in with an idea. Also, I forced myself to try on silhouettes I didn't think I'd like on my body type... and I didn't like them. So, I mean, that's still probably good advice but if you already know what you want and you try it on and it looks totally fly, don't second guess it. You're a grown up who knows what she likes. Embrace it.

2. I found a photographer that isn't going to just rob us blind! She's PERFECT, too. I insisted on going to coffee with her before hiring her and she came in SO prepared. She bought my coffee (nice touch), she had a ton of samples to show me, answered ALL my questions, and laughed at my jokes! What more could a girl want?! No really, we clicked and I was so thankful. I think I'll have a lot of fun with Megan on the big day!

This is the list I found on Pinterest of questions to ask your photographer. 

I printed it and carried it in with me like a total dork but no regrets. It was really helpful.

3. We picked a DJ! And get this... he's the cleaning guy at my office! No. I'm not kidding. He has a couple jobs and one of them is DJ! He does our company picnics and events around Seminole and he did a party we went to the other night. I told D to scope him out and D took it very seriously. He liked the way he transitioned between songs (I would have never noticed), he liked that he rolled with the punches (one of those being that D requested the end of the party turn in to karaoke night) and he had a great selection! His set up is legit... so yea! Serious budget saver there! Also, he's really just the nicest guy.

4. We picked out Save the Dates! I know, we're getting ahead of ourselves a little here. But, hey, anything to get a check mark on my to do list, I'm game. What actually happened was that HE really liked them. He hasn't really had an opinion about much yet, so when he was psyched about these engraved wood Save the Dates, I was sold. They met my two requirements: they had the date on them and they weren't very expensive. Done. And. Done. Well... we've requested some font changes (a few too many hearts for us, personally) and need to approve the proofs... but otherwise, totally Done and Done.

Oh, and we don't have to stress about getting our engagement pictures done to include on the Save the Date, which is an added bonus. We have been meaning to get those done but finding a time that the photographer is free, my highlights aren't totally grown out and we don't have something we'd rather be doing... practically impossible. But we'll buckle down and get it done soon. Maybe.

Etsy, if you're curious.

That pretty much covers our progress as of yet. Our top priorities coming up are:

1. Sampling whiskey cocktails in an effort to pick a signature drink for that night (it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it!) So far, our favorite is really just whiskey and soda water with a bunch of fresh lemon juice. But don't worry, we realize that's a pretty lame signature drink. We'll keep at it.

2. Making up a hashtag for the festivities!!! I delegated this to D; he's pretty clever. It'll probably be some engineering joke. :)

3. And, oh yea, we should probably finish asking our bridal party to participate. I just have one more little lady to ask but D still has to ask ALL of his guys! We wanted to do as many face to face as possible but some plans have changed and its looking like we're just gonna have to suck it up and make some phone calls.

So there's my short and sweet update on wedding planning for ya! Afterward, I'll definitely share my master wedding spreadsheet, lessons learned, maybe even budget because, honestly, that's a big part of wedding planning!

Thanks for caring, bloggies! Love you!

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Currently

How is it already May, ya'll? I think it's science that while you are engaged, time moves at warp speed. I'm loving it though because we have so much coming up this fall/winter that the anticipation is killing me! Here's what I've been up to for the last month, though.

Watching: NBA Playoffs, obviously. It's unhealthy. D had to give me a walkie talkie last night because I didn't want to stand in the garage and hand him things while he was working in the attic on the AC because the Thunder game was on.

Reading: Game of Thrones - Dance with Dragons (the last published book) and I'm about half way done.

Planning: My girls weekend with Mel in Chicago!!! We're both tres bummed that the weather is going to be dreary and lame but that just means more indoor activities (my favorite). We're planning on delicious brunches (with AMERICAN BACON, per Mel's request. Apparently bacon in Belgium isn't the same), shopping, hitting up some cool jazz clubs, and just soaking up some quality time being tourists! It's been almost 9 months since I've seen her? If I did that math right. So yea, next weekend is just what the doctor ordered.

Mad About: The Met Gala fashion. *rolls eyes* What a let down. The best dressed girls could have worn the exact dresses to the Oscars (looking at you, Blake Lively) and all the risk-takers missed the mark like woah (Lupita Nyong'o... uhm... huh?). Let's hope music festival season gives us more to talk about.

*yawn*

Easy, killer.

Happy About: OMG, did you catch Kevin Durant's MVP acceptance speech?! (I know, I forget my audience isn't nearly as basketball crazed as me). So pleased with the selection this year.

Craving: Rosa's bean and cheese burritos. Like 5 of them, covered in queso, all in one sitting. Daryl has all of a sudden sworn them off in our household; I think he attributes my Rosa's obsession with the weight I gained last year but he's too kind to say it. No, I get it. I don't blame him. But I really really really really really want one five. I'm glad I have him around to Slap Chef me. (<<No seriously, click that link, it's so funny)

Creating: A spring/summer wardrobe! I think this is the year I'm branching in to the classy crop top scene. Watch out, world.

Celebrating: Doubling my leg press weight, decreasing the assist setting by THREE notches on the pull-up assist machine, and just overall getting a ton stronger at the gym!

I won't lie. I'm super frustrated with what the scale is showing me these days; I feel like I'm busting my butt (literally, my butt is so sore) but no movement on the scale. I get it, muscle is heavier than fat... but c'mon! I may have to retire that jerk of a scale for a little while.

Oh, and I completed my first 5k! I can't really chalk it up to a huge accomplishment; I walked a ton. But now I'm ready for my next one - I can only get better!

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Candy Girl

I decided, like a FOOL, on Wednesday that I'm giving up sugar. Again. I've cut it before during my Whole30 and felt like I could take on the world... but then I had just one little Twix bar and I fell so hard off that wagon. SUGAR IN EVERYTHING! And then I gained like... 15 lbs.

Honest Abe, I eat 8-10 mini candy bars a day. Every day. Not on cheat days. EVERY. DAY. And I crave them. ESPECIALLY after I eat lunch. I sometimes am STILL CHEWING my last bite of lunch as I walk to the candy bowl for my post-lunch candy. I'm like a zombie and sugar is controlling my life. I am 100% addicted to sugar. It's my little demon.

Totally looks like a drug up close.

So I gave it up. I got stuff I want to be skinny for so out you go, sugar. I thought about quitting after my 5k tomorrow but I wasn't sure I'd have the same umph if I waited so I put my foot down and said NO MORE. This may be my biggest blunder right before my first running event, but worst case, I fail miserably at the 5k but I still haven't eaten sugar. That's something I can deal with.

It's hard and it's making me grumpy and tired and I have headaches and I can't concentrate. I absentmindedly carried a 10lb dumbbell back to the locker room with me yesterday after my workout. It's affecting my life so I feel like I need to explain to people "I'm sorry for saying that mean thing, I decided to give up sugar and I'm just really upset" but at the same time, I don't want people asking me a million questions about giving up sugar so I'm just going to let them think I'm PMSing or something. I am so over explaining why I eat the way I eat.

I really try not to talk about my diet. I was that girl for a while but I've mostly figured out a good enough way to eat and... well, I'm not on a diet anymore. I just know what foods I like to choose, what foods are only for special occasions and what foods make me feel miserable and I should avoid all together. It's not something I consciously think much about anymore. HOWEVER, this sugar thing is at the forefront of my mind and ALL I want to talk about so you're catching the brunt of it, bloggies.

I have read articles and can speak from experience, it really does take 21 days to form a habit. During my whole30, the last week was pretty easy, actually. So I followed a Pin-tip and did this in my office:

21 sticky flags along the inside of my cabinet as a countdown visual

I already ripped two off for Wednesday and Thursday. It felt really good. Not as good as eating a Subway chocolate chip cookie or anything... but pretty good.

I asked Daryl to hide the remaining Easter candy and/or take it to work and he offered to just throw it in the garbage which I think is a great solution. I hate when people pawn their junk food off on me. So in the garbage it went.

I've been drinking water like it's my job, which seems to help some. Also distractions. Big ups to my coworkers for keeping me busy and/or stopping by to chat. Staying busy is such lame advice for someone trying to quit something but it really does help me. But I have to be real busy, not fake busy (Pinteresting, watching TV, reading a book). Those things just make me want to eat MORE.

This has helped a lot... even if my heart rate isn't high, at least I'm not tempted to snack.

And as if it were meant to be, the candy bowl in the front lobby disappeared because they're repainting the lobby! I'm not sure where it is but I've vowed not to look for it. Hoping the painting takes like... 20 or so days to help me avoid the temptation.

My sis is helping out by sugar detoxing with me... but who else wants in?! C'mooooon... you know you want to! (has that ever worked in the history of ever?)

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Get Real

So I got an email today from Chase Bank saying I could get pre-sale tickets to the Beyonce/Jay-Z tour this summer, on sale TODAY! I immediately got so excited and followed the link to Ticketmaster. I typed in my code and started browsing the seating chart... thinking if I'd want to invite D or blow him off and force my friend Katie to go with me (she's already in Houston and would be way more fun to take that D). Then I remembered... Oh right. I hate concerts. And I just closed the browser window. And went back to my work.

So I thought I'd share with you my list of things everyone else seems to love and I do not love.

1. Concerts - the sound quality is poor. It's crowded and expensive. For free, I can stay home and watch Youtube music videos with much better production quality and actually see the star's face. AND I don't have to listen to songs I don't already know. AND I don't have to wear pants.

I just don't get the appeal...

2. Fresh air - I will almost always choose temperature-controlled indoor activities to fresh air.
3. Bowling - Doesn't it seem like it might give you a wrist injury? It's not very ergonomic.
4. Dodgeball - I just take it too personal.

Yea... no. I will not be purposefully signing up for this.

5. Getting spa treatments/my nails done/my hair done - it takes too damn long! Even massages, where part of me is hoping it goes on forever, another part of me is wishing I weren't laying in a dark room for 90 precious minutes of my beloved Saturday.
6. Babies - Children, yes. Babies, no.

The exception.

7. When my friends call me - Yes, even you. 99% of the time, I'd rather you had text. But everyone agrees with me on that, though, right?
8. Channing Tatum - I'm sorry. This is so mean to say and it's my worst fear that someone else might say it about me because other people HAVE said it about me before but... he's a total butter face. You know, the horrific term guys use for girls with hot bodies and not hot faces... 'everything about her is hot BUT HER FACE... BUTTER FACE'. He just does NOT do it for me. And I'm such an awful person but it's partly those EARS! And also the fact that he's hairless. Weirds me out.

And I'm a brat, but even here, his body is meh. He could use to cut body fat.

9. Moderate temperatures - If it's not 95+ degrees, it's cold and not worth leaving my house for. Stop prancing around in 75 degree weather like it's ideal. If I'm not at a pool, there is no reason for me to be outdoors (see number 2).
10. Pumpkin Spice Lattes - WHITE GIRLS! IT IS NOT WORTH THE CALORIES! And don't act like the dairy in that latte doesn't make you fart. Get real.

What about you? What awesomeness do you just not get?

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