Shameless Saturday

Hi friends and happy weekend to you! What do you have on the books for the next few days? I'm finally getting settled back in after an amazing trip to Fort Lauderdale, and I'll be dog/house-sitting for a few days. Besides cuddling up with some sweet pups, I hope to take advantage of the quiet (and the yucky forecast) and knock out my last few (work) blogs for the month. Other than that, it's all things pumpkin. More on that next week, though. I hope your weekend is off to a wonderful start. All my love until next time...

Hey! It's ok..

to spend 20 minutes wandering around Walgreen's aimlessly searching for something... anything to buy to ease the awkwardness of purchasing those remotely embarrassing items. I don't know how a Glamour magazine and a day-of-the-week vitamin organizer takes the edge off of purchasing tampons or anti-bump shave gel for bikini area, but it does, my friends, it does. 

if you didn't get the new iPhone, but between your new iPhone case (thanks J. Crew) and the new iOS (thanks Apple) you pretty much feel like you did. 

if the adorable European girl at J. Crew has you fully convinced that a high, messy ponytail is the chicest look ever. I'm sure it had nothing to do with her glossy, golden color, striking bone structure, perfect complexion, and model stature... I've rocked one every day since I saw her. #girlcrush

[Lauren Conrad sure knows how to rock a ponytail. Image via]

on my mind...

sirens; muffled
but growing louder, closer
and just as quickly disappearing again
faint.
monday morning has a way of doing that
sneaking up out of nowhere, loud and obtrusive
she could be gentle, you know. 
nudging you softly, kindly 
nuzzling into the warm of your neck
a light tap on your shoulder and
a gentle shake that seems to whisper
"i'm here and life is going to be beautiful."
instead she comes in with a jolting, jarring scream 
like a wailing child tormented by a bad dream
it's only monday
and really mondays aren't so bad themselves
its just the way the first sip of too-hot coffee burns 
your tongue
or the anxious feelings in the pit of your stomach that you can't seem to shake.
it's the car horns and the humidity and the pair of shoes you just can't find. 
no, it's not monday's fault, 
but she never seems to offer much solace. 
wednesday is a reassuring pat on the back 
and thursday generally comforting too
but monday is cold and distant.
before you know it, though, that too-hot coffee cools to just right
& you just have to keep telling yourself
"life is going to be beautiful."
because it's true, 
but monday isn't going to remind you herself. 

[images via Modern Hepburn]

fall swaps

It's not quite fall yet. In fact, I very much fell in love with late summer this same time last year. The mild days, empty beaches... I don't hate it. But, as we do with anything, I find myself constantly looking forward whatever is next, the sweet season lingering just beyond the horizon (only a few more days!) 

On Thursday I'm off to Florida, visiting my BFF and working in the office a few days, but I think the timing of the Autumnal Equinox couldn't be more perfect! I'm considering this trip my last hurrah of summer... short dresses and bold colors, and then when I get back I can fully embrace the new season. These are the swaps I fully intend to make, as the air gets a little cooler, crisper and the leaves begin to change. 

I'll trade...

Coral for Cranberry. My go-to color for summer will be replaced by a warmer, richer, yet equally vibrant hue. I have big plans for this top by Cynthia Rowley. Big plans, I tell you.  

Sandals for Moccasins. I love my gold, strappy sandals, but moccasins are made for jumping in leaves. Minnetonka is the only way to go. 

A True Ab-Original for Skinny Dip'n in Lake Michigan. My nail polish all summer long is bright and punchy, and though I'm not quite ready for the dark, moody shades of winter, I'm ready to embrace shimmery, muted neutrals. 

Tanks for Undone Oxfords. To quote my brother (directly) "When the sun's out, the guns are out." I'm not going to comment on his affinity for the tank mank top, but I will say I've exercised my right to bare arms all summer. Now I'm ready to ease into cooler weather with classic oxfords, buttoned up just enough with sleeves haphazardly rolled.

(via)

Leather for Suede: I love leather year-round. (Sorry PETA people) But now that suede is finally seasonally appropriate, I can't wait to incorporate it into some of my favorite looks. 

(I'm lookin at you, MacAlister Wedges!)

Iced Lattes for Chai Lattes: I've never been much of a Chai girl (I swear espresso runs through my veins,) but the spicy aroma is hard to resist this time of year. 

So tell me, how do you plan on embracing autumn?

she get it from her mama...

I ran a race Saturday. I was planning on volunteering, but at the last minute my mom and her friend (who put the event together) talked me into running instead. It was just a 5k, and I've been running a lot lately, but all summer I've savored the solace of the air conditioning, logging miles on the treadmill as opposed to pounding the pavement. 

Truth be told, I just wanted to finish. But as soon as the race started I realized my fitnemesis* was hot on my tracks. With her marine husband. I don't know what it was, but something in me decided that girl was not going to pass me. 

I ran my butt off. I picked a boy and followed him. Not creepy, stalker followed, but I kept up with him. My official time was 21:47 and I was the 1st female to cross the finish line. 

Maybe I'm bragging. Ok, I'm bragging just a little. But there are 2 things I really want to say.

1. As I rounded the last turn I could see my mom at the finish line. Jumping up and down, screaming my name. Motivation. 

2. Of course she was proud of me, but as I stood there after finishing, I watched her continue to jump and cheer for every woman who takes her boot camp class at the gym. Inspiration. 

These women all have different, remarkable stories (the young woman with Rheumatoid Arthritis, the single mother of two who lost her husband in a car accident, the 70 year old whose grandchildren can't keep up with her.) They are an inspiration. But they are inspired, too, by my mom's encouragement, her determination, her competitive drive... she has opened herself up to them and they are motivated to run faster, to be stronger, and to go harder because of her. 

I guess what I'm really trying to say is be inspired, but be an inspiration. Your story, your life, your relationships... the way you react when someone cuts you off in traffic, the way you aren't afraid to be the butt of your own jokes. The way you live you life, how you train, how you work, how you talk to your children when you're angry...

We have opportunities to inspire the people around us, whether we realize it or not. It's really pretty crazy if you think about it. 

Be an inspiration.

*Fitness Nemesis. The person you try to squat lower than in boot camp, kick higher than in kickboxing, outlast on the treadmill... "Oh your dumbbells weigh 10 pounds? Pass me the 12s." 

you're toxic, i'm slippin under...

I never really bought into the whole "detox" thing. Truth is, most of the people I know who would regularly detox were just practicing a glorified version of an eating disorder. Eliminating entire food groups from their diets, living off of juice... that can't be healthy. But after our trip to Kentucky, I felt sick and sluggish. The combination of no exercise and too much junk food had left me feeling lethargic and weighed down. 

After one day of overly-ambitious self deprivation (no carbs, no sugar, no dairy) I reevaluated my goals and made some adjustments. Also, the caffeine withdrawals were enough to make me want to bash my head into a wall. I wouldn't call it a detox, but I really focused on being more mindful of my food choices.

Eating intentionally isn't easy. It takes time and effort. But it leaves you feeling satisfied. A handful of crackers might be a "quick fix" when I'm feeling ravenously hungry, but a banana with peanut butter will give me more enduring energy. 

And if you just have to detox, there are three forms I can get behind.

1. Yogi DeTox Tea. I'm not gonna lie, it's not my favorite flavor. I'd much rather sip on Tazo's Joy tea (or a glass of wine, if we're being really honest.) But knowing that it promotes liver and kidney function makes it a little more palatable. 

2. Detox Bath. I'm not exactly sure how soaking in Epsom salt, baking soda, and ground ginger will help remove toxins from your body, but evidently it does. It soothed my aching muscles after a particularly hard workout, and a bath always helps me clear my mind of mental clutter. 

3. Face masks. I'm still a 7 year old at a sleepover when it comes to face masks. Wei's Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask came in my last Birchbox and I loved it, but I find that most drugstore options work just as well. 

I do believe the practice of each of these is really more effective in detoxifying than the product itself. Sitting down and enjoying a cup of tea, blocking out 15 minutes to slather mud all over your face and not interact with the outside world, and turning the lights down, the music up and soaking can do wonders for your psyche. 

Shameless Saturday

Hi friends... I have a confession. I've been a little bit of a slacker these past few days. I finished all my blog work last Friday, Sunday was my birthday, and since Monday I honestly can't tell you one productive thing I've done all week. Well, there were mornings at the gym and evenings spent working at the restaurant which is moderately productive, but there was also an entire afternoon snuggled up in bed watching Audrey Hepburn movies. There were face masks and bubble baths, and a whole day on the beach in happy solitude. 

Sometimes you need a break. And it might sound selfish and lazy (and hey, maybe it is) but today I feel refreshed. Well-rested and eager to take on new challenges and do big things. There will come a day (sooner than later) when I can't just unplug for 5 days. I know this is a luxury, and I am so thankful. Enjoy it while you can, friends. The days are long, but the years are short.

Hey! It's ok...

... if your interseasonal shopping habits are as bipolar as the weather. Bikinis and boots... shorts, sandals and scarves... So conflicted.

... if you're still fighting desperately for your "summer tan."

... to get a head start on your Christmas wishlist. 

... to not skip "Winter Wonderland" when Pandora slips it in on your Frank Sinatra station. And hey, might as well sing along, baby. 

... to use your birthday to justify your behavior for an entire month. Another piece of cake? Well is it my birthdaymonth...