August Moments

This month has been a whirlwind of travels, sunshine, and family time. A week in Vermont with my family and a week in New York with Weston's family, both beautiful houses along lakes. Many pictures were taken. Many memories were made. I will be the first to admit I find myself so blown away by the beauty and gift that life is over and over again to the point where I wish there was a way I could bottle up all the details, moments, scents, sights. Anyone else guilty of documenting to a fault? I get so obsessed with how much I love moments of life and never want to forget them that I feel the need to photograph, video, journal every little moment to feel like I truly appreciated it. Ironically, just the opposite happens. My nature loving, constant, old fashioned husband (I swear he's an old man in a 24yr olds body sometimes and I love him for it) contines to teach me the value of just LIVING life and enjoying every moment with those you're with. No pressure, no camera angle or impressive adjective needed. It's challenging to us overdocumenters, but it's also freeing and refreshing. There is an intimacy in making memories that only you and those you're with know about. So join me in seizing the day with all six senses and that wonderful thing our brains do called making memories. 

  

xoxo,

Mrs. Moment lover

Staycation

Today, my sister and I went to a local community pool. Lucky for us they are such overachievers. We were pretty much on a Caribbean island. My favorite thing to do this summer has been making a conscious effort to open my eyes to the places around me that are worth exploring and enjoying!

Guest admission:$8

Slushy:$2.50

Gas: more money than it should be, but much less than plane ticket

A day getaway with my sister and nephew to a tropical faux resort: priceless 

xoxo,

Mrs. Backyard Adventures

Story Time

Once upon a time, a husband nicely reminded his wife she may not want to wear heels to walk around town. She wore them anyway, thinking she knew best and before long had horrible blisters. When the rain took their date night to a new destination , instead of saying "I told you so" the husband went into Old Navy to buy his wife flat shoes so she would be comfortable. She was hoping for a simple rubber pair of flip-flops, but instead he returned with a beautiful pair of leather sandals that he thoughtfully picked out just for her. That's when she realized she had, in fact, found the Prince Charming she always dreamed of but was once told she would never find. 

June Birchbox

This month was such a winner! Here's what I got...

1. The Half Up hair tool by Sarah Potempa
2. Laqa & Co Lip Lube in purple
3. Coola BB Cream with SPF 30
4. evologie "Stay Clear" cleanser
5. English Laundry perfume by Christopher Wicks

Whether or not I muster up the guts to wear purple lipstick in public....the bottom line is, it's so fun to try 'out of my ordinary' products every month! 

xoxo,
Mrs. Birchbox fan

Unplugged Thoughts

"I reserved a site without electricity, but there's a bathhouse closeby" my husband said with excitement. 

"But how are we going to charge our phones?!" I blurted out, cringing at how I sounded as it came out. 

It was going to be a weekend of camping adventure at a local state park. A few days of roughing it in the wilderness, sleeping in a tent (a wedding gift waiting to be used two years later) and cooking all of our meals over a campfire. 

Why was my first concern my connection to the world? My dependence on technology and more so, my addiction to feeling "connected" has become more apparent than ever. Apparetly this weekend was just what I needed. 

I did use my phone to take a few pictures, but we made a "rule" to not be on social media or check work emails. I'm won't pretend like it was easy, but wow, it was refreshing. 

We made unplugged memories that were just our own, surrounded by God's beautiful creation. It was just what I needed I more ways than I knew. 

It's a convenient thing to have a constant connection to friends and family through technology, to share exciting things in life, but I challenge you to set some time aside, even an hour or two, to 'unplug' yourself and enjoy silence & nature. Simplicity is an energizingly beautiful thing. 

Memorial Day weekend

Retail Bargain Shopping: it's possible!

Ann Taylor LOFT is my retail weakness. All my thrifting instincts seem to go out the window when I walk into that store. I want everything. I fell in love with this cream eyelet blazer the first time I laid eyes on it in the store window, only problem is, the pricetag read $138.00. Yikes. So I waited, and waited, and impatiently waited,almost giving up on the possibility of it being mine when it was only marked down to $129.99. 

Yesterday, I was told by a friend who knew about my obsession with it (yes that's how much I talked about it) that it was marked down to $79.99 and they were running a 40% off sale! So naturally I rushed to the mall after work and found the perfect fit. At the checkout I got suckered into opening their rewards card which earned me an additional 15% off, then an extra 10% for it being the first Tuesday of the month! (a rewards card perk). 

So my grand total was..... $36.71!!! In a way that is a splurge for me when I think about how much that would get me at a thrift shop, but over $100 of savings from the original price made it bearable. If there's anything I'll make an exception for when it comes to bargain shopping, it's wardrobe staples. I may wear this blazer every day this spring .

So there it is ladies! It is possible to bargain shop in classy, high quality retail stores! The secret...PATIENCE! It's the hardest thing, but as seasons change and new merchandise comes in, the new becomes old and prices are cut! Also, layering promotions and sales as much as possible whittles the price down. Happy shopping! 

xoxo, 

Mrs. Patient for a bargain

Friday Favorites

I can't stop listening to this song. I have always been a Coldplay fan, but since preordering their new album Ghost Stories, every time I get an email that a new song is available it's like Christmas morning! the whole album will be here May 18th! In the meantime, enjoy this piece of heaven.

Coldplay-Midnight 

In the fashion world, my latest and bravest purchase was high top Converses. my Dad has been wearing them for decades (and still does at the age of 54) and I'm just now realizing how cool he is and how much I love the look!

Self Magazine- I started getting this in the mail (I don't remember subscribing) and am loving the mix of health & fitness, celebrity features, and fashion. This months cover was the gorgeous Kate Hudson and featured adorable [and modest!] wetsuit inspired bathing suits! 

Chia Kombucha by Synergy. I've been a fan of Kombucha for awhile but Chia seeds add extra goodness! Track them down at your local health food store or grocery store. 

VRSLY app! I've been loving this $0.99 purchase for Instagram lately. It is basically turns any picture into an inspirational masterpiece! I highly reccommend it. 

Happy Friday friends and enjoy the weekend! 

xoxo,

Mrs. Favorites

Wednesday Wishlist

1. Flowy white blazer

2. Statement studs 

3. The Naked palate 

4. Neutral cross-body bag

5. Pointed flats with an ankle strap

Spring is in the air to stay! [hopefully] Ill be on the lookout for the bargain version of these items [except #3, that's just a matter of splurging or not] and will post updates of my finds!

xoxo,

Mrs. Wishing

My Go-To Glasses Makeup

{The Look}

{The Products}

1. Bare minerals bronzer in 'warmth' under cheekbones

2. Bare minerals blush in 'glee' on apples of cheeks 

3. Mary Kay at Play baked eye trio in 'on the horizon' on lids 

4. Kat Von D tattoo liner in 'trooper' for outer eye wing tip 

5. Make Up Forever mascara in 'smoky extravagant' on lashes 

Finally the superstar of the look and most inexpensive, underrated product out there...

6. Wet & Wild lipstick in 905D 

There's something about bold lips that just work with glasses. I'm not always brave with bright lipstick otherwise. Give it a try! 

xoxo, 

Mrs. Studiously Stylish 

China Cabinet Makeover

About two months ago, we found an china cabinet with amazing potential for just $180 at a used furniture shop. It was solid wood with beautiful details and storage. Taking on the task to refurbish this large piece was a little daunting, but it's finally done and we couldn't be happier! 

Weston stripped the polyurethane and sanded down the whole thing then we worked on painting together. We permanently removed the top doors to have an open display. 

There's something about a little teamwork and elbow grease that makes the end result so rewarding!! We added some "vintage" details with the hardware and floral drawer liner on the interior. 

It's been fun to fill up our home little by little with unique pieces. Who says you can't furnish a house with pieces you love while on a budget? We sure don't. The total cost for this project was around $220, while most new pieces I liked even on overstock.com and amazon were close to $1,000! Here is the finished product, now all that's left to do is grow my collection of glassware and china to fill it up! 

xoxo,

Mrs. Handywoman

Chia Iced "Coffee"

This recipie was totally an experiment that ended well, so proceed as you wish. As a coffee addict, I was surprised I could enjoy a drink so much that had no coffee or caffiene in it at all.

Almond milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 T chia seeds

dash of cinnamon

1 packet Dandelion "coffee" 

Mix to taste [I didn't measure things out] then chill overnight to thicken.

*fun fact: Parmesan lids fit perfectly on mason jars for a home made to-go cup! [pinterest credit]

Enjoy! 

xoxo, 

Mrs. Caffiene wean

It's a Baby "Sprinkle"!

Happy March! 1. where is the year going!? 2. When is this snow going to melt? I prefer my Springs to be colorful. The arrival of March means the arrival of another little man is just around the corner for my family! We totally surprised my cousin with a baby "sprinkle". I heard of the idea a few months ago (probably on Pinterest) to throw a mini shower for a second child, especially if it's a different gender. It was a perfect afternoon of celebrating and anticipating baby boy Lapp! 

xoxo,

Mrs. Spring (&baby) fever

Grow Where You are Planted

I am a change junkie. Maybe it was 4 different schools in 4 years from 6th to 9th grade, studying abroad in a foreign country for 3 months, or getting engaged, graduating nursing school, getting married, and landing a job in the span of a year that did it to me, but sometime during this whole "growing up" thing...it happened. I love my hometown and will probably always live right here where I was born and raised. I love my family close in relation and distance. Yet I am constantly craving an adventure, a new challenge, a new goal to reach. It can be a slippery slope. As healthy as experiencing new things and the strive to improve oneself is, when does it become discontentment? On the other hand, when does lack of it become complacency? After over a year of married life and my job living in our home, I'm in a daily tug of war with finding a balance between these two extremes.

"Can't settle into a routine and become stagnant" I say one day. "Look how blessed you are, never forget to be thankful for all that you have. You don't need anything else to be happy" I remind myself the next day. 

To this struggle I say: I know I'm not alone. I have no doubt this is the classic 20-something thought process. Married or not, employed of not, if employed using our degree or not (or even have a degree or not) living with your parents or around the world. We're trying to make our mark, find our niche in this big opportunity packed world. 

I'm starting to itch for change. I can feel it bubbling to the surface of my day to day thought process. So inevitably {trips are planned, half marathon signed up for, Insanity started, health food fads explored, girlie foodie exploration days planned} 

But then I heard a whisper in my heart, so faint I almost didn't acknowledge it until it slapped my in the face via a Pinterest quote. [profound, I know] Grow where you are planted. Yes. Grow where you are planted. Change, explore, adventure, experience, reach for new heights but don't run away from what you've started. Fresh starts only last a short while. Instead invest in making your exhisting endeavors fresh again. 

Thank you Jesus for this reminder. 

xoxo, 

Mrs. Antsy 

5 February Fit Tips

Just like everyone else, I made New Years resolutions to eat healthier & get in shape. I've owned the Insanity DVDs for over a year and attempted multiple times to complete the 60 day challenge never doing it consistently and never getting past the second week. I ran cross country for 6 years, but long gone are the days of being held accountable by a team and burning so many calories in a day I didn't have to think twice about what I ate.  

Basically, I find the discipline it takes to make all these healthy changes VERY difficult to stick with on my own willpower. BUT this year I am fighting that urge to quit with all I have thanks to a few new tools.....

1. The encouragement and accountability of my husband. I told him January first, I want to do this. Don't let me stop. His praise and challenges have kept me going, plus we're working out together so I'm not alone!

2. My basement is my gym. We originally canceled our gym membership to save money, but all I need is a rubber mat and a tv so our unfinished basement is the perfect and most convenient setting to blast some Pitbull Pandora and work it out! 

3. Technology! I started using a Polar heart rate monitor which has increased the effort I put into my workouts now that I know my Target zone and actual calories burned. I use the FT4 model which I found for around $60 on Amazon. Also, I use the 'Fitness Pal' app to coin calories and 'Run Keeper' app to track distance and pace of runs.

4. Rewards. Let's be honest, what girl isn't motivated by gifts? Even when they're from yourself, I've found it's a great incentive to stay motivated! I decided that each milestone I reach I will reward myself with a cute workout outfit, pair of sneakers, pampering or something specific I've been wanting. 

5. Strategic grocery shopping. Never shop hungry. Start in the fresh produce section. Skip the packaged snack aisles completely. Read labels! Watch sugar, saturated fat, cholesterol, etc. the reality is, if it's not in the house it's a lot harder to get access to. (not to say an occasional drive thru frappe & fries binge won't happen :)) 

January is coming to an end and I'm one month in. I honestly couldn't feel better. I never thought I would make it this far without cheating or giving up, but now that I'm halfway I don't want to! I am excited to continue to challenge myself and hopefully see even more results. 

Keep at it friends, 2014 can be your healthiest year yet! I'm hoping mine will be. One day, Shaun T. will be my friend, not my enemy :) 

xoxo,

Mrs. Digging Deep