Way Back When-nesday

Last week I posted an old photo I found to instagram and it quickly blew up to this mini-sensation (in my own mind, which, lets face it, more than 20 likes and some comments qualifies as a sensation.), so I though it'd be fun to post some more old photos of my lovey-cakes and me. I ran into a goldmine of great old cringe-worthy photos and could probably find more given some time to dig through closets. We were such babies!

Also, I have completely run out of interesting things to say. I wouldn't exactly say that life has been boring around these parts, but I still have nothing to write about. I've got the blogger's block bad.  Say that 5 times fast.

So, enjoy some embarrassingly old photos instead!

This is probably as old as it gets. If I could make a guess, this was probably either late 2001 or 2002. 

Ah, senior prom. The 30lb fully beaded dress. #whatwasIthinking

Our first engagement session, conveniently scheduled just after I chopped my hair. Olan Mills, eat your heart out. #perfectlyposed

The second (much better/longer hair) engagement session. Still can't shake the matchy matchy look.

And the wedding day! 

 Hope y'all have an awesome Wednesday!

Beach to Bay 2014: Bizarre and then some.

This past weekend I ran the Beach to Bay relay marathon for the 4th time in the 5 years we've lived in south Texas. Here in Corpus Christi, it's a pretty big deal. It's supposedly the largest relay marathon in the nation and this year, they sold out at a capped off 2,500 teams. It's always a lot of fun and can be easy-breezy or it can be brutal all based on the weather. Mid-May in coastal Texas hasn't always been kind to runners-kind of like 2 years ago (I ran leg #3 while pregnant) when over 1,000 runners needed medical attention due to the heat. The temps this year were pretty mild, but the wind was ridiculous.  Thankfully I was not running into the wind for the majority of my leg. Unfortunately, I still can't really say that I was all that pleased with my run and finishing time. It was just one of those off days.

This year, I ran leg 2 which goes from the beach at Padre Island to the bridge that connects Padre Island to Flour Bluff, (according to my Nike app that amounted to about 4.75 miles). Being that the traffic on the island is literally at a standstill for HOURS before and after the race, I chose to ride a shuttle bus to the start of my leg. Convenient, right?

Howabout my bus got in a wreck on the bridge.

Post-wreck. Sitting around waiting for police & another bus. 

Like a slam-on-the-brakes-fishtail-then-rear-end-the-car-in-front kind of wreck. Remember how I mentioned just a second ago that traffic is terrible the morning of the race? Apparently, cars were at a standstill, but the bus couldn't stop quite fast enough to avoid bashing in a car ahead of us. Thankfully nobody on the bus was injured, and I don't think the other car had injuries. We were all a little bewildered by the event. Sadly, my breakfast flew out of my lap and landed somewhere else on the bus that I never ended up finding... which really sucks when you've eaten nearly nothing else and need to run a race. I had to give my contact information to a police officer and we all sat around and waited about an hour for a replacement bus to take us the rest of the way. I made it to my leg just after the race started. Thank goodness I wasn't running the first leg.

So if that wasn't strange enough, I nearly got barfed on while I was waiting in the chute for my first leg teammate. Apparently some guy didn't quite train well enough for the 3 mile run along the beach. C'mon Man! Also, not what I wanted to see just prior to takeoff. My mirror neurons were firing off and before too long, I was also feeling some sympathy nausea.

And if you still aren't convinced of my race day's bizarreness, I caught a proposal going into the chute between legs 2 and 3. I'm running around the corner about to hand off to my next teammate and see this large group of people dressed alike, a sign saying "Marry Me," and a guy down on one knee holding a ring out to a female runner. I cheered for them as I thought, there's no way I'd want to be proposed to when I'm sweaty, stinky, and out of breath. I assume she said yes.

Yay! All done!! (you can see leg #3 runners on the bridge behind me.)

I didn't realize that two of my coworkers were also running leg #2 until we spotted each other all standing around after finishing. Luckily, we were able to carpool back to the shuttle point and I didn't have to chance another bus incident.

Needless to say, I was thankful to be back in the comfort of my own car driving home.

Stitch Fix #3

Oh Stitch Fix.

We were really getting to know each other. The longer we've been together, the more fond I've grown of you. And then you go and break my heart.

Call this one the big fail.

You can check out my first two fixes here and here. They were pretty awesome and I've worn my items multiple times and gotten After starting strong and gaining speed, I was fully anticipating my third box to be a total home run. I'd even budgeted to keep all 5 items if they were as awesome as I was anticipating. I think I skipped to the door when fed ex came knocking (because of course I followed the package tracker from the moment I got an email saying my fix had shipped), ripped open the box, and was utterly crestfallen.

Check out what I got:

Top: NY&Co

1. Zena Crystal Palm Collar Necklace
So this necklace was probably the best thing in the whole box... and it was just okay. It wasn't a style that I'd typically be drawn to and I've said before that I just can't justify jewelry at the prices that Stitch Fix offers. Being a former Stella & Dot consultant (and still having S&D friends in high places), I've already got a pretty substantial collection of jewelry. Besides that, it's too easy to find costumey jewelry for less than $15, so I wasn't willing to spend $40+ on this necklace. Returned!

Top: Loft. Necklace: Stella & Dot

2. Charlie Mixed Stripe Maxi Skirt
This maxi skirt was just strange. It fit strangely and had a bizarre slit in it that went up to my thigh (you can kinda sorta see it in the pic). It wasn't particularly comfortable to wear, and I totally believe that a jersey-material maxi dress should be about as comfortable as it gets... outside of straight up pajamas. And I promise y'all, had I turned sideways and lifted my tshirt, it would look like I was 18 weeks pregnant.... and I'm not pregnant. Something about the way the waistband fit and the alternating cuts of striped material-- it just wasn't a look I wanted to sport. Returned!

Cami: Banana Republic. Jeans: 7 for all Mankind. Necklace: Stella & Dot

3. Natasha Front Pocket Sleeveless Blouse
Apparently maternity wear was a minor theme of this box, because this shirt would've been perfect if I were 7 months pregnant and had a baby tummy to flaunt. Instead, the floaty material and front pleat just hung off of me like a tent. It was HUGE. I don't typically gravitate towards the more unstructured, shapeless tops. I've got some major real estate between my belly button and collarbone, which makes these types of tops totally unflattering. Not only this, but the shirt was reeeeally low cut; a feature I'd specifically asked to avoid. The color was beautiful, but that was not enough redemption. Returned!

Pants: Gap

4. Tucker Printed Split-Back Tank
This top was just ugly. There's no getting around it. In fact, this picture was snapped as Jordan was telling me, "Yeah, that shirt is really ugly." It made me laugh out loud. I should mention how thankful I am that my husband puts up with the post Stitch Fix photo shoots and my pickiness. Thanks hubby! So, this top was just terrible. Not pictured is a slit up the back which opened around my rear end, making it look 3x wider than it actually is. Also, I didn't find the sleeves/neckline were flattering. What a vast difference between this top's high neckline and the green top's super low neckline. Returned!

Cami: Loft. Shorts: Gap. Necklace: Stella & Dot

5. Cheryl Chevron Stripe V-Neck Tank
This was the last top in the box and my favorite on a hanger... and probably my least favorite on. It was absolutely completely unflattering and super low cut. The pattern was terrible, the cut of the material was terrible, it was just a hot mess. As I was changing between outfit 4 and 5, Jordan asked if this was supposed to be a workout top. He said it looked like I was wearing one of those sports bra/athletic top combos. Definitely not what I was going for. Returned!

So WHAT HAPPENED?! I went for the styling guide that comes with each fix to see what they've paired everything with, which also includes a little note from my stylist. I was looking for some sort of explanation as to why everything seemed so off. Low and behold, I found out that my stylist had changed!!! I was so frustrated! It seemed like we were starting off at square one again when I was anticipating this box to be even more phenomenal than the last. I sent off an email to Stitch Fix customer service and was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the whole situation. I was able to email back & forth with a customer service person who explained that they do move their stylists around occasionally (Any other Stitch Fix users have this happen to them???), but that she would make a note that I would like my old stylist back. She also offered to reimburse the stylist fee and send out another fix within a week to replace the epic fail box. I declined getting another box next week, but I think I'll give it a shot again in June. I also declined having the stylist fee reimbursed, although I think it'd already been credited to me before I replied to her email. Either way, I was really impressed with their customer service, which really influenced my decision to give it another try next month.

New to the Stitch Fix concept? Here are the basics: Become a member and fill out a style profile questionnaire. Schedule your Fix and a personal stylist will put together a box of 5 items (clothing & accessories) based on your style profile. This box comes straight to your doorstep along with styling cards and a message from your stylist explaining her choices for you. Keep what you love, send back whatever you don't love in the envelope provided. If you're interested, you can use my referral link here. It'll get me a credit towards my next fix!

Little Moments

When I took a look at the last few posts on the blog, it consisted mostly of product reviews. While I've gotten my hands on a lot of great (or not so great) stuff recently, I'm sure reading nothing but product reviews gets old, doesn't it? Plus, so much of this blog is just a journal to remember little moments in our life. So here are a few moments from our last week!

This past week, I tested out a Pinterest idea and it actually worked!!!! Have you seen the pin about rubbing deodorant on a mosquito bite? Well, summer is officially on our doorstep here in rockport, and although I expect the temperature to soar at least 10 more degrees in the next few weeks, the humidity and the mosquitos are already out in full force. I got my first 2 bites of the season while outside in the backyard with Isaac and after rubbing some deodorant on the fresh bites.... they stopped itching. Like nearly immediately stopped itching. By the next day, they were nearly unnoticeable and still no itching. It was a miracle I tell you, and as a mosquito magnet, I am definitely keeping a stick of deodorant (has to be stick, not gel) on hand through the summer. But then again, anyone who knows me, knows that I am a sweaty girl, so I'm never short on deodorant. Pinterest for the win!

Isaac had his 18m appointment and was a total charmer around the pediatrician's office. He's also still sticking around on the high end of the growth charts. 34.75" tall puts him in the 96th percentile for height and 28lb 14oz put him in the 84th percentile for weight. His head circumference is also around 95th percentile making him a melon head. That poor noggin gets so much beating. It was a great appointment and he did so well with his vaccine. But then again, he has just been a great kid lately. We went through a fussy period a few weeks ago, but he shook it off and is so much fun these days. I'm really looking forward to getting out to the beach and pool here very soon, because I think Isaac will LOVE playing in the water this summer.

I hope all the moms out there had a wonderful mother's day! I'm so very thankful for my mom, who taught me how to love sacrificially. Unfortunately, being that we're separated by Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, she had to manage with a virtual hug and a beautiful orchid. My second mother's day was wonderful!  My little munchkin surprised me with a weekend getaway! I guess technically my little munchkin's daddy surprised me, but still-- a vacation! Jordan knows my heart so well and instead of getting the purse I asked for, booked a vacation that I needed. It'll be our FIRST kid-free getaway, which I am so so SO SO excited for. We'll be going back to the incredible riverfront hotel in San Antonio that we stayed at before Isaac was born and already have plans for a couple's massage and dinner at our favorite italian restaurant. June 12 can't get here quickly enough!

Coming up this weekend, I'll be running the Beach to Bay Relay Marathon 2014. It's the 4th time I've run this race and as of today, I'm not sure which leg I'll be running. There's something about running as a part of a team (I'm running with 3 other nurses, a sonographer, and an ob-gyn) that makes me so much more anxious than running for myself. Either way, I've been running fairly often both with and without the jogging stroller and I feel like I'm relatively ready for the race. Hopefully the weather will cooperate, sometimes running along the water in May can be stifling hot. I'm hoping to upgrade my running shoes after this race and have had my eye on a pair of Brooks. We also have a night out with our college students and are getting some company in the form of Jordan's parents this weekend.

Lastly, I've been watching too much HGTV here lately and am ready to repaint and redecorate my entire house. And paint our deck. And put up a backsplash. And do some landscaping. Eek!

Have a wonderful Monday!

Julep #4

I received my fourth Julep Maven box on Monday and have been enjoying and experimenting with new polish colors and the brand new Plie Wand. To be honest, I was a little on the fence with this month and I thought long & hard about canceling my subscription altogether. Not because I'm unhappy, just because I'm a girl on a budget who wants to keep getting my Stitch Fix. Plus, I didn't really see the draw to the wand and I am getting a little full on nail polish. But, the great thing about Julep is that they run specials and promotions ALL the time. So I was won over on a double points promotion that ensures my next box will be free. And you just can't argue with free. 

This month's box included 2 polishes and the Plie Wand. I added on a third polish that I was particularly smitten with. Paulette is a light mauve color with a gold shimmer. I was really surprised to love this color, which goes on smoothly and is opaque in 1 coat. I currently have it on my nails! Jeanne is a bright sky blue that is pretty close to the wall color in Isaac's room. I really love this color (it's on my toes right now!), but it was a pain to apply. It was opaque in 2 coats, however, the polish seems thicker and gloopy and difficult to get smooth. Thank goodness for Seche Vite topcoat. Iona is a hydrangea-esque purplish blue; in some light it looks more purple and in others more blue (but it's not a duochrome). This is opaque in 2 good coats. Iona was the polish I added, because I really loved the color and don't have anything similar in my bag already.

Jeanne, Iona, Paulette

Iona (on my pinky & birdy finger), Jeanne, Paulette

So I've been reading about this amazing wand since March and wasn't really all that jazzed about it at first. Basically, it allows you to hold your nail polish like you would a pen, which is supposed to give you much more control and less paint where it doesn't belong. Personally, I couldn't see how it would really improve the way I polish my left hand (I'm right dominant and with some patience, can do a pretty fantastic job painting my left hand), nor did I see how it would make a huge difference in the terribly haphazard painting of my right hand....

And when I finally got the wand in my hand... I was pretty disappointed. Which is hard to do when my expectations are already low. I did feel like it might have been a little easier to paint my nails, but not by much. The attachment brushes that were sent with the wand (it comes in 2 pieces that can come apart and be swapped out for other brushes or attachments) are SO cheap they are literally worthless. Because the wand can attach to the Julep polishes, I assume the attachment brushes that were included are for non-Julep polishes... but what do you do then with the brush already in your non-Julep polish? And then you've got to clean the attachment brush? Nail polish everywhere! Such a mess. No thank you.

Julep brush and unpainted fingers

Julep brush (it bends & twists to fit your hand better) and Paulette on the nails

As always, if you'd like to join Julep, you're welcome to use my referral link here. Use the code FREEBOX to get your first box for free!

Let the sun shine

It's no secret that I am a superpale fair skinned kinda gal. And pretty much no matter hard I try, I just don't tan well. I sunburn easily, which mostly turns into more freckles instead of a golden bronze. Plus, we all know how damaging excessive sun can be, so it just isn't worth it for me to lay out and attempt to get a little color.

Enter sunless tanner!

I don't know what kind of experience any of y'all have had with sunless tanners in the past, but mine have not been good. Adding fake tan to fair skin is typically a recipe for disaster. Always splotchy, streaky, smelly, oompa-loompa orange, and COMPLETELY obvious (and not in a good way). I've never been able to pinpoint a sunless tanner that added some subtle, even color.

Enter Rodan + Fields!

I have a great friend named Cyndea who is a Rodan + Fields consultant and she encouraged me to give their tanner a try. Their company has an awesome 100% satisfaction guarantee, so I took the plunge and ordered a bottle! After a good exfoliation, I applied a few pumps to each leg with a little moisturizer on top.

source

So what's the verdict???

I love it! The foam is super easy to apply and dries really really fast, so you aren't doing the awkward spread eagle, arms out, don't touch anything dance that comes along with so many other tanners. It didn't rub off on my clothes or furniture. It smells lovely, although I will say I noticed a very faint tanner smell a few hours after applying. The color is so natural looking, I could hardly tell a difference myself. Before you think that it was maybe a little too subtle, I actually got a random compliment yesterday on how great my legs looked! After hearing that, I was totally sold!!! I actually took before & after photos of my legs, but after I edited it all together into a fun collage, I felt a little uncomfortable with the idea of posting a photo of my bare legs on the interwebs. So even though that would've been a great testimonial to the product, you'll just have to trust me on this one. The only thing I'm not certain of yet is how long the tan will last, but it claims to have d-cell technology which extends the life of the product. All in all, I'm really pleased with it and would wholeheartedly recommend it!!!

For full disclosure, I did not receive this in exchange for a review, I paid for every cent of it. So this is all my own opinion. If you're interested in Rodan + Fields, visit Cyndea's business site here.