WIAW: The Olden Days

Your comments on yesterday’s post seriously blew me away! And my mom too – I read some aloud to her and she was pleasantly surprised by the fact that some of you called her inspiring. Thank you so much for your support and for sharing your own struggles with feeling inadequate about doing “enough” cardio. Together we can learn to love and congratulate ourselves for WHATEVER workout we do, be it HIIT or a gorgeous afternoon walk!

And after that workout, it’s perfectly acceptable to drink wine in our workout clothes.

Now it’s time for a BLAST FROM THE PAST edition of What I Ate Wednesday. Thanks Jen for hosting the WIAW party each week!

Continue reading

Outside Our (Workout) Comfort Zones

Please sing the title of this blog post to the tune of Brad Paisley’s “Southern Comfort Zone” – it’s a wonderful country song and a fabulous play on words. Country haters, please give it a chance. Plus Brad is a sexy man. Right Kelly?

Wow, my mom is seriously DYING over your positive reactions to her Mexican casserole recipe that I shared yesterday! Susan even made the recipe that very night, and I sent my mom her blog post with rave reviews from both her and her hubby.

Continue reading

Marvelous Dinners at Home (MIMM)

Today I’m partaking in the beautiful mama-to-be Katie‘s Marvelous In My Monday linkup, and sharing more daily-life stuff!

I had a couple of great dinners out this weekend (which you may have seen on Instagram) with friends and family, but on most weeknights you will find me at home enjoying my mother’s wonderful cooking and my father’s excellent grilling skills. Here’s a look at five of my favorite types of meals to have for dinner at home in front of the DVR, cozy on the couch! NOTE: Wine is included with all, even if not pictured 😉

Continue reading

Fashion Friday: Back to Basics

So I’m REALLY glad you guys enjoyed yesterday’s little random Three Things Thursday post, because I REALLY enjoyed writing it and I hope that more posts about my daily life/musings will be popping up! Sometimes I “take on” so many opportunities that have come to me because of my blog – tastings, reviews, giveaways, events, what have you. I’m so very grateful and love doing it all! But it also fills up my blogging “schedule” and leaves less time to just ramble. And believe me, it feels good to ramble. Anyone who has a blog I have commented on knows I love doing that. 😉

Can I get a WHAT WHAT for FASHION FRIDAY?! Lately I’ve been going with reviews/giveaways or themes, but today I want to take us back to basics (hence the Christina Aguilera reference) and just do five outfits I haven’t shared yet. Some for work, some for play – not much difference between the two categories though, since I’m lucky enough to work in an office where engineers make the dress code. Every day is Casual Friday – I get funny looks when I “dress up”.

Continue reading

Three Things Thursday: Seuss Style

Thanks to all who entered my Tone It Up Beach Babe DVD giveaway! I enjoyed reading your comments about which workout you’d most want to try. Seems all of them are of interest! Out of 134 total entries, the lucky winner is…

toneitupwinner1

…Loli! Congrats and I will contact you for shipping info!

toneitupwinner2

Continue reading

WIAW: Florida Vaca Eats!

Today is the last day to enter my giveaway for a copy of the Tone It Up Beach Babe DVD! Check out my thoughts on the post and enter if you are interested!

It’s time to do another notdailyeats take on Jen‘s What I Ate Wednesday (WIAW). I’ve already done that, and if I shared typical workday eats each WIAW, this blog would be Snoozeville, Population: ALL OF YOU.

After all, you’d much rather read/see a recap of the food & drink I enjoyed during my Christmas vacation to Florida, right? I thought so. I already shared my raw/vegan lunch experience at Christopher’s Kitchen with Brittany, and my apricot beer and TooJay’s takeout on Christmas Day, so start there if you haven’t seen those posts!

Continue reading

Mohegan Sun Restaurant Week: Tuscany Take Two!

Did you catch the Tone It Up Beach Babe DVD giveaway I posted yesterday? You have until tomorrow (Wednesday 1/9) night to enter!

My younger sister Hannah is headed back to school at the University of Tennessee today, and I’m so glad we got to do something special together on Sunday night – hit up Mohegan Sun for Restaurant Week! You may recall that a reader Megan won a $50 gift card to Mohegan Sun in a recent giveaway I did, and the casino was kind enough to offer me the same to help fund a trip to one of their restaurants during the current Restaurant Week (Sunday 1/6-Friday 1/11). It’s easiest for me to make the 45 minute drive on a day I don’t have work, so Sunday was the obvious choice of time to visit.

1-6-13-mohegan1

Continue reading

Tone It Up Beach Babe DVD Review and Giveaway!

Before this post gets going, please read this hilarious Gawker article my friend Rachel sent me about the food menu at this year’s Golden Globes. I hope it brightens your Monday!

I was first introduced to the Tone It Up trainers, Karena and Katrina, through Heather. She’s a huge fan of their workouts, boho style, and general real-ness. I have to agree! I even had the chance to meet the lovely ladies themselves at the Oakley Store in Times Square.

Beautiful women, they were such sweethearts!

Continue reading

Fashion-from-Florida Friday

4 F’s?! FOUR?! I am on FIRE today baby. Wait, there’s a fifth F! Alliteration celebration!

It is flipping cold in Connecticut right now. I said a big fuck-it to the weather yesterday and wore a Lauren Conrad skirt (Black Friday buy) and Nononsense tights despite the fact that when I woke up it was 11 degrees, because a positive mindset is half the battle.

The work bathroom shot, an instant classic.

Continue reading