A tisket, a tasket...

image via wardrobe 911.com

a green and yellow basket!

Don't ask me. I have no idea why but that nursery rhyme just keeps going over and over again in my head and I can't seem to shake it. Lord knows where it came from...go figure.

So all night i have been looking forward to writing a new post - and in all the excitement I have found that I have no idea what direction I want to take this post in. Me indecisive - hard to believe right? If you know me in "real life" you know that I am just about the queen of indecision. I can barely decided what to wear in the mornings.

Speaking of...I was reading my daily blogs today (in between doing work of course) and came across a post about outfit planning and immediately felt at home. Everyday since 3rd grade, the exact time I remember asking my mom if I could start picking out my outfits the night before school...I have in fact laid out my clothes the night before. I tell you I can probably remember on one hand how many nights i have gone to bed without laying out my clothes (and those days are NOT good mornings at all). I have always been a stickler for organization and there is just no way I can wait until the morning of to start deciding my outfits. Call me obsessive compulsive (I can almost hear Mr.President chiming in right about now) but I just can't go to sleep not having my outfit selected. In fact often I will even go as far to pick out more than one (sometimes three or four) options just in case come morning I am not a fan of the night befores decision. It is quite a process and has given me the title of "high maintenance" far too many times...

Do you all do this too? Please tell me I am not alone here!

image via Closet Coture

Speaking of...I just saw this fabulous website the other day and thought it was my lucky day for sure! I subscribe to CityShopGirl - which I am not entirely sure if this is a DC only newsletter, but regardless you should subscribe ASAP! Anyways...the site is called Closet Coture. Essential it allows you to upload clothing items from your own personal closet to share with friends, or via blog etc. I am officially obsessed...I am certain there is much more to come for you lucky readers via Closet Coture. Check it out and let me know what you think!


xoxo

Well hello there 2010...

image via here

I love New Year's Eve for oh so many reasons. I love the feeling knowing that everyone, everywhere is watching the clock eagerly counting down the moments until the clock strikes midnight. I love that there are noisemakers, and silly party hats, and lots and lots of midnight smooching going on...I love it all.

I even love the idea of New Year's Resolutions...although I have to admit I rarely make (or keep for that matter) very many resolutions. I relish the idea that once we are done ushering in the New Year that we have a fresh slate...a new beginning and a whole new year to do what we want with. Even if resolutions are broken a matter of days after they are made, there is still the sweet aftertaste of optimism and the possibility of change in the air (I sound like a hallmark card, I know I know).

This year I made a few resolutions and you bet your bottom dollar I am going to try my best (hopefully with my lovely readers and friends and family's support and helpful nagging) to keep them.

1) Run a Half Marathon - quite the lofty goal considering I am just getting back to running since my injury

2) Save more money - stop buying more clothes and frivolous other odds and ends that i do not need (but still very much want!) and that do not fit in my already overstuffed closet

3) Eat less junk - yea I am talking to you beloved french fries, cookies, donuts, chips, ice cream....you get the drift. Focus on eating HEALTHY

4) Focus on my passion (design and ALL things bridal)

5) Take a new class...preferably salsa dancing (hint, hint Mr.President)

6) Be less judgemental of other. If you know me you know that this might very well be the hardest (and my honest resolution) thing for me to do...but I am going to try my best to bite my tongue

7) Take deep breaths. Sounds easy enough, but I assure you there are far too many moments in my day that I let the little things get me all riled up and start putting on my grumpster pants way too quickly. I need to practice patience, deep breaths.....if there is a dish on the counter, or a throw pillow out of place it will be ok (I am silently repeating this to myself right now to drill home this message)

8) Write a new blog post 3 times a week (you lucky readers you!)

So with that, I hope and pray that I am going to be able to stick to these resolutions and truly work hard at keep them. Half the battle is making them right? (check!) And I think another big chunk must be throwing them out into cyber space (check)

Now I am in my warm bed, glasses on, a box of tissues in hand (I have been feeling a bit under the weather today), teeth brushed, waiting for Mr.President to finally get home.

Happy Belated New Year to you all! I hope 2010 proves to be more wonderful than the last

xoxo

Beware of the Dog

Duke Dog

Ahhh…heaven! This weekend I went with Mr. President and one of my all time favorite people, Lauren and her boy to our Alma Mater – JMU! Until now I have not been back since my first Alumni weekend in 2007, so it has been quite a while and to say I was excastic about going back would be an understatement. I heart all things JMU and to spend the weekend with my favorites was just icing on the purple and gold cake.

the Quad @ JMU

Mr. President and I woke up very early on Saturday morning, packed, and hit the road for 81. The entire ride there I could hardly contain my excitement. There is something about going back to my college town that just fills me with nostalgia. If you have never been to JMU and you just saw it passing by you would probably wonder what all the hub-bub is all about – as to the naked, un-alumni eye JMU, and particularly Harrisonburg just looks like a rural, be it maybe even a country-like campus with a handful of bars and lots of hills…but oh there is so much more to JMU.

JMU stadium

Now that I live in the “big city” I can truly appreciate how great it was to go to a school in the middle of nowhere. It is just such a joy to be able to run a quick errand and actually be able to park there and finish the errand in under an hour. Aside from that JMU is just gorgeous – such a pretty campus. Even as we were watching the football game you could see the mountains in the background – you certainly don’t get that in the city. It turned out to be such a perfect day for a football game – sunny with no clouds in sight and high of upper 50s…such a treat.

After the game we went back to our hotel and relaxed for a bit – mostly talking about how old we are and reminiscing about the old days when we could day drink, take a quick nap, and rally again for the night. All of us were feeling the beers and chik-fil-a platter (an absolute must for all tailgating, and especially JMU tailgating. )

We “rallied” as much as we could and headed out to a local tavern, Dave’s which was a staple in our college nights out. They have hands down the best steak and cheese pita EVER – I was in heaven! I quickly gobbled down the entire pita and fries, and started in on the leftovers from Laur’s plate.

Lauren and I @ the tailgate

Sunday morning we woke up, checked out of the hotel and went on a walking tour of the campus. It is amazing just how much it has changed since we all graduated. There is a brand new library, a new dining hall, new dorms, a new tunnel connecting campus…it was just amazing how different, yet exactly the same everything looked. It was just such a treat to be there and walk down memory lane with my favorite people.

Ahh…to be a college student again (and have my parents pay my rent, utilities, and dining plan…)

One Holiday at a Time

It is hard to believe it is already November and stores are already decking the halls with Christmas trees, twinkling lights and giant bows. Although I LOVE Christmas, I happen to think that retail stores start decorating far too early. Let’s get through Thanksgiving first, THEN start putting up the Santa’s, garlands and lights! Nordstrom's has the right idea...

This morning in DC, it was a chilly 40 degrees with a frost advisory. I had to pull out my pink moccasin slippers this morning while getting ready for work. On my walk to work I could see my breath….definitely a brisk fall day outside.

On days like this I wish to be…..

Sipping a warm Chai Tea

wearing this

courtesy jcrew

While this is baking in the oven

courtesy of mykitchensnippets

Watching this on TV

All while the outside of my little townhouse looks like this

courtesy of Pottery Barn

don't you just swoon at the stuff in their catalogue - one day my house will look like some of these pages...one day!

Hope you are enjoying your brisk fall day....Happy November!

xoxo

Long time no see….

My first inclination would be to apologize to my followers, but seeing as I only have 2, I figure you all aren’t too heart broken over my absence. I am not sure how one goes about getting “followers” to their blog, but I am going to try my darnest to get to the bottom of this. I think once I know people are actually reading what I write I will be more inclined to regularly post.

It has been a while since I’ve posted and I have a lot to catch you lovelies up on….

1) I am now officially a red head – long story short my attempt to get rid of my highlights resulted in a catastrophe of hair proportions (ie…my hair was jet black until I started welling up and insisted the not nice stylist try again).

notice how my hair blends into the trees?? yea, RED!

After stripping the color from my hair and re-dying it 3 times (I am lucky I still have hair) my hair is red. Now this seems all well in good if I ever actually had red hair before, but nope, brunette (with a few hints of red highlights). Overall it was a tragic experienc, but the auburn color is slowly growing on me


2) I have not one, but TWO stress fractures in my left foot. L So no running or physical activity (no elliptical, bike, etc) for six weeks! Ugh..I can’t even put into words how disheartening the last three weeks have been for me. I just do not know what to do with myself without running. I feel restless and grumpy all too often and am going stir-crazy. Thank goodness I already have 3 weeks down, 3 more to go God willing. Oh and I forgot to mention the lovely BOOT I have been sporting.

photo from http://rickshawdiaries.wordpress.com/
not my feet, but my boot looks just like this - check out this blog - I couldn't have said it better about this ugly, square toed bootie


3) Happy Belated Halloweenie! My Halloween was complete with a visit to a pumpkin patch, a trip to the Night of the Living Zoo here in DC, oh and cheering on the beloved Phillies (mostly my new crush Chase Utley) through way too many baseball games.

Mine & Mr.President's pumpkins

the carved little guys

my Audrey Hepburn impersonation

my crush

That about wraps up what is new with me...I am going to try my darnest to post more often and get some of the lovelies who's blogs I read to maybe check mine out as well.

xoxo

“The boat was actually Plan C. The church was Plan B. And Plan A was marrying her a long, long time ago. Pretty much the day I met her.”

Happy Friday!

Since starting this blog of mine I haven’t been very good at posting daily (although my 3 followers probably don’t mind much)! I need to get into a rhythm and post more regularly…that and steal the laptop back from Mr. President for a bit at night to post!

I woke up this morning full of energy and practically skipping to work – no really I was. I had my iPod on the whole metro ride and was tapping my foot and singing along (probably to the unhappiness of my fellow riders). I couldn’t help it…every song that came on made me want to get up and boogie. I even found myself happy to be alone in the elevator so I could do a few dance moves. Really, I stood in the elevator getting jiggy with it…who does that?

I attribute my good mood to.....

1) The weather is gorgeous in DC…have to love a high of 83 in October!

High: 83 Low: 67 Mostly Sunny

2) TGIF! (which for me means I get to leave work an hour early and the office is quiet)

3) The Office Wedding last night!

Now if you know me you know I am not a big Office fan, or well really I have only watched a handful of episodes ever, but when I do watch I am usually laughing my hiney off…that and it has always conflicted with Grey’s. However, last night I have to say I committed the cardinal sin of jumping on the bandwagon and watching the Wedding episode (when Grey’s had a commercial of course)…and I was laughing out loud, when of course I wasn’t tearing up. Yes of course I only really wanted to watch because it was the wedding episode (obsessed much, right?), but I was pleasantly surprised. I LOVED the episode! I loved Jim’s rehearsal dinner speech – so precious!

But my favorite part had to be the dance down the aisle! Oh, I swoon!! Now I know Chris Brown is not our favorite person these days for obvious reasons, but I still like the song and I LOVED the precious couple’s YouTube video dancing down the aisle. Seriously, I could watch that on repeat all day and not get tired of it. I LOVE it! The Office version was just as good! So cute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0 (clearly I am not yet up on technology and how you upload the youtube video to a post, bare with me!)

I think it is so cute when a couple makes a wedding their own and adds personal touches – whether it be with sweet table centerpieces of places they’ve traveled, or pictures of them etc…or with a great first dance song! I think it makes a wedding to have those little or big touches that show the couples personalities. I just loved the show on TLC, which I think is no longer, Rock the Reception…I am sad it is no more.

Anyways, that is enough gushing for the morning! Here’s hoping the weather is lovely where you are and that you have a wonderful weekend ahead of you!

TGIF!

I hate running

Mr.President's attempt at getting a pic of me crossing the finish line, note I am nowhere in this photo

Seems like a tad bit of a negative way to start this post – but bear with me.

This weekend was a whirlwind and went by in a blink. I had Friday off from work (my work does Flex time so we get every other Friday off – fabulous perk of my job) and spent the day running errands and praying my foot started feeling better. I went for a long run on Wednesday around work (to make a last ditch effort to “train” for the Army 10 Miler) and in the course of the run I felt my foot twist and land a bit funny but didn’t think anything of it until….Thursday morning when it hurt to put pressure on my foot. By Friday morning it was still hurting and I was beginning to seriously doubt my ability to run 10 miles on my bum foot…but I decided I mine as well pick up my race packet just in case…at this point I was hating running.

Saturday morning I woke up and my foot was still aching. I tried stretching, taking some aspirin, putting ice on it (and by ice I mean the bag of frozen strawberries meant for my smoothies!)…but nothing was helping. I consulted with Mr. President (the avid runner) on whether or not I should run even though I already knew the answer….he would say “You will regret it if you don’t run. You never know if you can do it if you don’t at least try. There are going to be people running the race with only one leg”…etc. I decided that after my “pep” talk from Mr. President I would think it over and decide later that day.

So off we went to the Shirlington Oktoberfest to meet up with a bunch of friends. It was an absolutely gorgeous day here – not a cloud in the sky and it was a high of about 76 – perfect day for outdoor drinking. By the time we got there I had convinced myself I was not going to run in the race and would instead indulge in some yummy pumpkin ale instead. We bought our wrist bands and hopped in line. By my third pumpkin ale, which was 9% alcohol I was feeling tipsy, or well tipsy with guilt. I immediately started to feel my guilt and regret bubbling up and decided to hand over my glass and start chugging water. We left the Oktoberfest and headed to dinner where I continued my chugging water and carb loading (giant soft pretzels and pasta please!).

Girls at the Oktoberfest

When we finally got home around 9:30 on Saturday night I was still not sure I was going to be able to run the full 10 miles…but I knew I would be sick with regret if I didn’t at least try.

My alarm went off and I jumped out of bed – feel energized and ready to go. Mr. President did not sign up in time to do the race, so luckily one of my girlfriends was going to run with me. We got up to the start line and immediately I had butterflies in my stomach. I honestly didn’t know if I was going to make it past the first mile – not only did I have a bum foot, but I didn’t adequately train for the race, and on top of all of that I drank the day before. I was so grateful to have my girlfriend next to me because if she wasn’t there, I might’ve tried to run back the other way and give up.

The thing about the Army Ten Miler is that from the moment you step onto the course you are surrounded by inspiration whether it be the announcer yelling HOOAH! every five minutes, or the t-shirts with sweet pictures of those we lost, or the brave runners battling with one leg…you know that there is no way you could quit.

Once the start gun went off, I was feeling good – my foot hurt a bit, but I was easily distracted by worrying about how fast I was going and making sure I didn’t run into the person in front of me. By mile 5 I was feeling really good and knew I was going to able to finish. At mile 8 is when I started thinking to myself – I don’t hate running…not at all actually. I loved every moment of that race. I loved the adrenaline rush and seeing all the spectators out there so early in the morning cheering us on…and that is when it hit me. I don’t hate running at all, I love running. Hearing all the spectators yell “Go Runners! You got in Runners! Only 2 more miles to go!” was when it finally clicked for me. The reason I have “hated” running so much is that I never really thought of myself as a runner. I was always just struggling to get through the run and be done…I have never thought of myself as a runner until that moment hearing the word runners being yelled. I am a runner and I am enjoying this run!

After crossing the finish line the first thought that popped into my head (aside from where in the world are those bagels and bananas everyone keeps talking about) was I am going to need to go find that boy of mine and give him a big hug and thank him for pushing me to do this race. When I was doubting myself he was there to encourage me and push me. I am so thankful I had him to push me and remind me why I signed up for the race in the first place. I end up finishing the 10 miles in an 1:23 with an 8:23 mile pace.

Moral of the story – I don’t hate running, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all!