29th Birthdays Are For Eating Kangaroo & Drinking Wine

Aaand we're back! Can someone please do something about this 2-day weekend thing? Can we add an 8th day somewhere to the calendar so we get 3 day weekends every week? I mean, you can't say that's a bad idea...

Anywho...Monday schmonday. We meet again but I want to go back to Friday.

Friday night we celebrated my sweet husband's last year of being in his 20s. Holy crap-he's 29?! How could that BE?! We met when he was 20!

Per usual, we started the night with gifts because who doesn't love gifts?!

Even Oakley was thrilled. "Tissue paper, mah!"

Finally I can get him to wear something other than his old worn out camo jacket to work everyday! I understand The North Face jacket isn't what you'd call "professional" by any means but hey, it looks much nicer than a jacket that's made 50+ trips to the ranch and been covered in deer guts/blood countless times. (Sorry for that visual but it's the truth.)

The biggest Toblerone bar you ever did see, king size packs of Reese's (what yeast-free diet?), Starbucks K-cups and a movie. And for the record, this 29 year old specifically asked for Despicable Me 2. Love him! :)

That evening, I took my birthday boy to dinner at Ray's Gourmet Country in Fulshear for the first time. Seriously-delicious. And is pretty much in our backyard. #winning

We even ate kangaroo. I'm usually not one to feel bad about eating certain animals seeing that I've grown up around a family that hunts, but I'm not gonna lie. I felt a little guilty about eating this. Luckily-I didn't love it so I let Beau devour the rest. R.I.P. kanga....

Not pictured: the most tender bison short ribs you ever did see. We demolished them before I could even get my lens cap off to snap a picture.

After dinner, we met up with a bunch of friends and family at a local winery, Braman Winery, to be exact. Beau and I are not the bar/lounge/club type people at all so when I brought up the idea of the winery, he was all. over. it. Plus-wine? I mean, you don't have to convince me!

Kelsey | Ashley | Casey | Moi | Chelsea | Kristen

Frat guys in a wine bar...classy.

Seeing that we watched the clock strike 2 (a.m.) and Beau didn't roll out of bed 'til about 11am the next morning, I think it's safe to say my birthday boy had a good one! :)

I also decided that 2am and myself are no longer friends. I just can't do it anymore...

+++

P.S.-I did my first "Photo An Hour" challenge on Friday and had so much fun with it! (Also see: I straight up copied Meg O.) I'll be sharing my pics this week but if you've never done a Photo An Hour type of thing, do it! Or maybe I'm just the nosiest person ever and love seeing what other people are up to every hour of their day. Either way-I think you should participate. Should we make this a one time link up?! What do you think?!

A Birthday Letter

Happy 29th birthday to the sweetest, kindest, funniest, happiest, damn-good-looking-est husband in all the land!

Sometimes I still can't believe I get to call you "mine" forever and ever and ever but boy am I glad I do. :)

Your smile lights up the room. Your laugh is incredibly contagious. And your undying love for  your family, Oakley and I is irreplaceable. If the world was full of nothing but Beau Howards, my how we would live in one incredible universe.

Thank you for putting up with me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for making me a better person each and every day. And most of all, thank you for being you. 

I love you and your silly ways. I love your cheesy jokes and your yellow pants. I love listening to you laugh from another room at probably one of the dumbest tv shows to ever exist. I love how hard working you are. I love that you are always striving to do and be more. I love how much you love and care for our Oakie Bear. And I love how much you love people.

Basically I just love you so much and want to wish you the happiest of happy birthdays!

Love always,

Steph

Social Media Lives {Be You. Do You.}

I'm a social media addict. Well, a Facebook-less social media addict.There's no denying any of that.

It's my job, literally. It's my side job, obviously. And besides all of that, I enjoy it. I really do.

I'd be lying if I said I don't still get giddy to look at my Instagram feed or to see who's posted what on their blog today. It's my thing. Some people like to bake, others like to read or watch TV...I like to workout, spend time with my husband and my dog (duh) and play on social media. And to me, there's nothing wrong with that, as long as it's not at the dinner table or in the middle of a meeting or a conversation, or every-freaking-second-of-every-freaking-day, etc... I actually encourage doing what you love and I honestly feel incredibly blessed that I get to do it personally and professionally every single day.

I am passionate about taking pictures and documenting every single thing I/we do. I absolutely love having this blog to post 'said' pictures and write about our everyday lives. I originally started this blog because I wanted to have a place for my kids (one day, if the internet and blogging are still around by then) to go back and read about mine and Beau's journey through life. And sometimes, it's even fun for me to go back and see what we were up to 2 years ago on January 16th. Isn't that the point in blogging?! To be a living, breathing journal?

That being said...I am, however, very confused by people who solely live their lives for social media. You know the kind I'm talking about...

The only reason they do this or that or take a certain picture or go on a certain vacation is solely so that they can blog about it or post it on Instagram/Facebook the very next second. Their lives are perfect. And so is their hair, skin and makeup. They want you to know how perfect everything is all the time, and when things aren't so perfect, they never let you know about it. It's almost like they're living a double life if you really think about it. No one's house is that perfect all the time. Nor is it physically possible to have a brand new outfit to post about every single day of the year, that is, unless you're Gal Meets Freaking Glam and Nordstrom and Kate Spade are your top sponsors. Your husband, though he may be an incredible guy, probably pisses you off at times, too. They're men...that's what they do. The pancakes you make every Sunday morning can't possibly turn out that freaking perfect every single time. (Seriously...am I the only one who screws up pancakes 75% of the time?!) And your family can't be 100% functional. Every single family has something dysfunctional about it...try and convince me otherwise.

Am I guilty of posting about the latest gadget I got for Christmas? Sure. Do I love trying to pretend I'm a food blogger whilst taking pictures of my most recent recipe? Of course. Do I love me a good photoshoot? Absolutely. Am I obsessed with my dog and treat her like she's most fabulous thing on the planet? Duh. We all want to post about the good things in life, but you've gotta throw in a little real life action every once in a while, too. Like how awful it was to host Thanksgiving dinner, or how you could learn to treat your husband a little better. Heck, even toss is how you're womanhood was taken from you the day your earlobe ripped all the way through and you can't wear earrings anymore or how you've seriously considered never leaving the crockpot going when you're not home anymore because you're terrified some strange electrical fire will start, your dog won't be able to escape and your house will burn down to the ground.

Be real. Be you. Do you.

Anywho...I could go on for days about this and I don't really know where all this is going. I just know I've run across a lot of "social media lives" lately and I'm not feelin' it. Not one bit.

Sure, enjoy blogging, tweeting, pinning and Instagramming all day long (to an extent...), but don't live your life around what your next blog post will be about or your next picture on Instagram will be of. Live your life the way you want to, and then post about it. Live your life for you.

And don't forget to stay true to yourself. Always, always, always stay true to yourself.

That's all the wisdom I've got for you today. I'll get off my soap box now. (And can someone please explain that term to me? I've never actually understood what it's supposed to mean...)

Pick 6: Top Beauty Products

Like any girl, err-woman, I change up my hair and makeup regimen as often as I change my underwear. #fact Don't you?

I've listed my beauty favorites on several different occasions (such as here and here okay and here, too) but because it's a new year and I feel like I've started using several new (to me) products, I feel it's my duty to share them with the world. (AKA: you).

And it's your job to listen. ;)

So off we go!

one. Boi-ing Concealer by Benefit
I've seen this stuff everywhere. More so than the Naked Pallets, which I refuse to purchase because all it is is a marketing gimmick. Yes-the Naked2, Naked3 and Naked535 are all schemes to get you to buy a pallet of eyeshadows you'll most likely never wear, and therefore, I refuse to spend my dollhairs on them. Plus-I'm not a huge eyeshadow gal anyways so for me, honestly, it would be a complete waste. Sorry to burst your bubble. Anywho...back to the subject at hand...my girlfriend Ashley recommended this as she gets it in a shade lighter and uses it for a highlighter under her eyes. Holy mother of a difference. I don't feel that I have bags or dark circles under my eyes but the second I put this stuff on it was like magic. My eyes automatically felt "lifted" and more open. It's weird. But it's true and I don't know how else to explain it. I'm pretty disappointed I've gone all 27 years of my life without purchasing this product. And only $20 for an amount that seems like it would last me 6 months? Yes and yes.

two. Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Liner
I've been a fan of the cream/gel eyeliners for quite some time now. They don't go on near as messy as a pencil, yet doesn't look as "tattooed" on as liquid. It's like the happy medium of eyeliner. It stays on like like nobody's business and does. not. run. Of course, I use a pencil eyeliner for the inside of my bottom lid (what is that thing called, anyway?). I have large and in charge eyes and therefore, lots of eyeliner is required for me. Oh-and the brush that comes with this is like nothing I've used before. SO soft and SO fine. If you've never tried a gel liner before, I highly HIGHLY recommend this one!

three. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Matte Nude Attitude
I'd like to personally thank Aubrey Kinch for my newest journey in the nude lipstick department for this one. Sister had me scouring the aisles at Target to find the perfect shade of nude lipstick and this one took the cake instantly. I prefer to wear a gloss on top of it, but Mrs. Kinch herself can pull off one heck of a nude lip. I can only dream of rocking nude lipstick like she does one day...le sigh.

four. Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Bellini
This would be the 'said' gloss I like to pair with my nude lipstick. I've never been able to pull off reds, browns or pinks so this combo, I feel, gives me the perfect lip I've been looking for for like, ever. Oh-and it's not all gooey-gummy like some lip glosses I've tried in the past.

five. Large Mac Stipple Brush
You're looking at a game-changer when it comes to applying foundation. Sure-this brush holds a pretty price tag but I'd be lying if I said I haven't had it for more than 3 years. Good brushes are worth the investment...trust me on that one. The stipple brush, or whatever fancy name they call it...I just adore. If you've never used one before, it's mainly used to apply foundation. Because the stipple brush was designed with thicker, sturdier hairs, you don't use this brush to swipe or wipe across your face. You put a little foundation on the end of the hair and dab it onto your face, getting it to penetrate into your pores. (Penetrate. Ha! Hi-I'm 5.) I mean, that's what I do with it anyway. After you've dabbed your entire face, you go back for round two, but this time gently wiping your foundation on top of the first layer of foundation you dabbed on. Hence the term: "layering your foundation". I am obsessed with the look smooth look the stipple brush can do for your foundation application. If you've never tried one before, what on earth have you been doing with your life?

six. Kerawhip Cream Conditioner
I'm not a huge product junkie when it comes to my hair. My hair is super oily and prone to breakage (thanks to highlighting and styling) so I really don't use a lot on my hair. That is, until I was introduced to the Kerawhip. If there is one thing on this planet that can make your hair feel like silk when it's wet and dry, it's this stuff. It comes out like a mousse, you let it soak into the ends of your hair for 10-15 minutes or longer. The longer, the better! (That's what she said...) I swear to you...my hair felt like satin as I was rinsing it out. How can hair feel so soft when it's sopping wet? I don't know but I do know that the Kerawhip made it possible.

And for my all-time "old faithfuls"...

Kabuki Brush // Revlon Colorstay Foundation // Mario Badescu Drying Lotion // MAC Studio Moisture Fix // Avene Gel Cleanser // Avene TriAcneal 

What are your favorite beauty products right now?! Apparently I'm in the market for trying any and everything new so shout 'em out! I NEED to know what I've been missing out on!

What's In Your Pet Box?

I've never been a huge fan of subscription boxes. You pay a certain amount of money each month to get a mystery box of goods that includes either travel sizes or one-off products, whether it be health foods, nail polish or beauty products, that you can't get much use out of. It's basically a "sample" box and I'm an all or nothing kinda girl. None of this travel size stuff...

Lets just say my entire perspective of subscription boxes changed when our first Pet Box arrived at our doorstep. Oakley's did, too...

Obviously, she's a dog and could smell the goods right through the box so of course she was all over that blue box like white on rice but more so than that, Pet Box is vastly different from any other subscription box...from what I've read and personally experienced, anyway.

First things first...you pick what goes in your box. Yes-none of this mystery stuff. You pack your own box for your own pet, which to me, is HUGE. I don't want to waste my money on food/treats/toys she would never enjoy...which has happened, believe it or not. Plus-your box ships FOR FREE the very next day!

Second...and one of the features that immediately turned me onto Pet Box is the fact that everything is all natural and they only carry superior brands. Everything. Being the health junkie/food label nazi I am, I was SO SO relieved to know that Oakie Bear could enjoy everything that came in the box because they were all made with incredibly clean ingredients. Not to mention...she LOVES the vitamins. I'm talking sits, stays, shakes, high fives galore when I bust out those babies. MAJOR brownie points here.

Finally, what sold me more than anything is the fact that for every Pet Box shipped, they feed a rescue animal. If that doesn't give you the warm fuzzies about a company, I don't know what will.

Fewer trips to the pet store for treats and toys that would have cost me far more than $29 + doing good for a less fortunate pup = one happy fur momma and one happy Oakley. Clearly...

No really...that brown/black burlap looking toy you see in the top right of the box...we bought one before and spent $17 on it alone... 

 Not pictured:

• Oakley running clear out the front door the second I opened it to bring her box inside
• Me trying to fight her off the box to snap these pictures before everything was destroyed
• An incredible amount of whining as I warded her of 'said' box
• Multiple occurrences of counter surfing when I tried to put the box away
• An over abundance of treat sampling

I mean, to me, it's a no-brainer. A personalized pet box with healthy treats/toys delivered right to your doorstep whenever the heck you want it but I'll let you be the judge...

Forget the nail polish/beauty boxes...everything really has gone to the dog these days and I wouldn't have it any other way! ;)

Oh! And because I heart all you crazy dog mommas equally...I have a special discount code for you to save 20% off your order! If I did my math correctly, 20% off of $29 brings it to $23.20. Y'all...I NEVER get out of Petsmart with a month's worth of treats for $23!

Use the code "SOUTHERNMESS20" at checkout to receive your discount.

You. Are. Welcome.

Change Your Life With The Foods You Eat

Every year in January, for the past 4 years, I've gone completely yeast-free for 30 days straight.

No bread.
No sugar.
Nothing that converts to sugar. (Simple carbs: white rice, white potatoes, etc...)
No dairy.
No alcohol.
And for the first two weeks, no fruit.

Well, my friends, it's that time again and I wanted to reach out to you all and see if any of you might be interested in joining me!?

I've talked about yeast-free quite a bit on this blog for the past 4 or so years because when I did it for the first time in 2010, it really did change my life forever. Actually, this post , this post and this post has the absolute most pageviews in the history of my blog so if you have questions, I hope you find it helpful! I talk about it so much so, I even made a specific "Healthy Living" page right there underneath my header that is solely contributed to my yeast-free journey.

It changed the way I ate, the way I thought about eating and most of all, it changed my entire perception of the life I wanted to lead. I also dropped 20 pounds, which was definitely a bonus.

Left: 2007 @ 144 pounds. Right: 2010 @ 124 pounds.

I was sick of being "fluffy" and having love handles hanging over the sides of my jeans. I was tired of having to wear "flowy" tops because I knew a night of eating and/or drinking was ahead of me and I didn't want to be caught dead in a fitted top. I was over feeling "bloated" all the time. And to be quite honest, I wanted my frickin' jaw and collar bones back!

So it was January 2010 that I began my yeast-free journey and I'm so happy to say I've never been the same since. Rather than processed and packaged foods in my pantry, there's now hardly anything in in my pantry because majority of it is all fresh meat and produce in my refrigerator. No really...my pantry is empty 80% of the time. I've also learned to bake and cook things I never in a million years thought I would be making. I've come across ingredients I used to never be able to pronounce or never know what they were used for, but now they've become household staples.

Here's an example of foods you can typically find me eating when I do the yeast-free diet.

Yeast-free has become a lifestyle for me about 75% of the time, (not include the holidays...) and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Is it easy? No.
Is it worth it? Heck. Yes.
Is it maintainable? Once you've hit your goal weight, yes. For the most part, I follow an 80/20 rule... 80% yeast-free, 20% non yeast-free but still healthy.

Anyways...enough jibber jabber. Let me bring it on home...

Starting next Monday, January 13, my company is hosting our 4th annual Yeast-Free With Me challenge, where we encourage everyone from around the city, state, country and globe to join us in going 30 days of following a yeast-free diet. Literally...thousands of people every year participate so you are not alone!

If you've ever considered a yeast-free die, or even just wanted to learn more about what a yeast-free diet/lifestyle looks like, I encourage you to join me! If shedding a few pounds or getting back down to your goal weight is one of your New Year's resolutions, I definitely encourage you to join me because it WILL happen. If you need to fit into that bikini by March...hello? Yeast-free. Or, if you're just looking for a maintainable healthy eating program that fuels your body with the nutrition it needs, rather than the processed crap you find in the stores these days, join us!

And when I say "join", all I mean is you're signing up for a month-long email series providing you with yeast-free hints, tips, tricks, recipes and exclusive content that is not available to the general public.

Come on...you're not going to make me go this alone...are you?! I didn't think so. ;)

Sign up here and if you have any questions whatsoever, email me!

Like I've said before, I'm not a nutritionist or a dietitian but I've worked with several in the past who have taught me everything I could possibly need/want to know about the yeast-free diet. I've worked for an alternative healthcare company for a little over 4 years now, have read a ton of books, worked face to face with our doctors, and have even written a ton of blog posts (personally and professionally) on this topic so while I wouldn't call myself a "yeast-free expert" by any means, I definitely like to think I know the diet like the back of my hand. I also know from first hand experience that you can change your life if you simply change the way you think about food.

Once you join Yeast-Free With Me, you'll receive everything you need to get started: guidelines, food lists, grocery lists, recipes, meal plans, etc...literally...everything you need. Oh-and don't forget to hashtag it up once you register >> #YFWM <<!

May The (FitBit) Force Be With You

(This is not paid or sponsored by any of the brands represented. All opinions are my own.)

Just like everyone else and their mother, I've been wanting an activity monitor for quite some time now. I've worked out 3-4 times/week for quite some time now (not counting the past 2 months) and I've always wondered what exactly am I doing for myself. How far am I running? How fast do I get there? How many calories do I burn? Etc...

Plus, I wanted to feel like the rest of the cool kids and be able to post pics of my workouts on Instagram.

Since I never felt like forking up the money on myself, I decided Christmas was the perfect time to ask for it and lets just say Beau came through in the clutch.

At first, I wanted the Nike Fuelband A) because I love anything Nike and B) for the simple fact that it synced to my iPhone. There are also quite a few color options, which is always nice. It tracks steps, the intensity of your workout and time. Fair enough.What more could you want? Right?

Then I noticed a few of my girlfriends had the Polar Monitor, as does everyone else on Instagram these days, so then, I thought that was the one I wanted. I liked that it tracked heart rate, distance and calories burned. Ahhh...calories! Yes! But...you have to wear this weird strap thing around your torso for it to track everything and I wanted something that was comfortable enough for me to wear all day long, not just when I was working out.

I just felt like I needed something more.

Thennnn I really started to do some research...why do I need distance? I'm not a runner. Sure...I run. But I would never in a million years consider myself to be a runner. I don't care how far I run. Or how fast I get there. I simply run because I know I need to get my heart rate up before I do strength training. It's not that I hate running, I just don't enjoy it. Give me a set of free weights, a yoga mat and a bench and I'm happier than a bird with a french fry.

To give you an example of my routine workouts...I do 10-15 minutes of high intensity cardio (usually running from my house to my gym) followed by circuit strength training and an ab workout. I usually do arms/abs one day followed by legs/butt/abs the next and then repeat, working in some dual exercises that workout my core, back and shoulders, too. I try to fit in anywhere from 6-8 different workouts for arms/legs, and do anywhere from 300-600 different ab exercises.

An example legs/butt day looks like: leg press, calf raises, leg extension, leg curls, lunges (forward and backward), squats, bench step ups. Repeat 3 times, doing 100-150 different crunches in between each round. Sometimes I throw in parts of the Brazilian Booty Lift for good measure and because it hurts. so. good.

Once I realized I didn't really care about how far I was running before each workout, though it was kind of nice "to know", I knew the main thing I was looking for in an activity monitor was calories burned.

It was then that I found the FitBit Force: a small black band that tracks all your activity all day long...without being an awkward band you wear under your bra...or wherever that thing goes.

Let's make this simple. The FitBit Force tracks:

• Calories burned 
• Steps 
• Distance
• Active minutes
• Flights of stairs climbed
• Time

And with the corresponding iPhone app, it tracks:

• Calories consumption (food log)
• Sleep (time awake, time restless)
• Pounds to go to meet your goal weight (that you set)
• Water consumption

Yep. There's all my business. Right up there.

Oh! And since it has a display screen, unlike the FitBit Flex (though the Flex is awesome, too), it's also a watch. I've needed a workout watch for quite some time now so there's that, too.

But wait! There's more.

There's an entire FitBit website, the tracks everything for you also, emails you a weekly update of your progress and lets you connect with friends who have FitBits, too!

Ok and if you're not sold yet...it even has a silent alarm. Yes. You set the alarm on your phone, and when it's time for it to go off, rather than annoying the crap out of your significant other at 5am every morning (#guilty), it vibrates on your arm without making a noise.

Ok fine. One more thing. There's this scale. And it recognizes your feet from the first time you step foot on it (pun intended) and automatically logs your current weight and body fat percentage to your FitBit profile. So it's a weight loss (or gain?) tracker. Perhaps I'm easily amazed but I've never been so in love with a stinkin' scale.

Or activity tracker.

Don't get me wrong...I have absolutely nothing against the Fuelband or the Polar monitors, they just don't track what I need them to track and I honestly feel like the FitBit Force is a combination of all the activity monitors combined. It tracks everything. And then some...

Do you wear an activity monitor? Which one do you have?!

Nothing About This Is Healthy

Remember that time I easily gained 5 pounds over the Christmas break? Well...I completely and totally blame it on delicious goodness that just kept magically appearing on my plate everywhere I went. Funny how that happens?! All yeast-free, gluten-free, dairy-free was out the window...like 50 miles back. I've been a very, very bad girl. And that's putting it nicely...

So bad that I went so far as to be the one to MAKE what I blame caused at least 2 of the 5 pounds that are all of a sudden attached to my thighs...a No-Bake Caramel Apple Snickers Pie.

This recipe had me at "no-bake". And also "Snickers". Ok...and "graham cracker pie crust", too.

Hey-at least you get a full serving of fruit if you eat a big enough slice?

No-Bake Caramel Apple Snickers Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 graham cracker pie crust
• 5 Snickers bars, chopped
• 3 Granny Smith apples, diced
• 2 1/2 Cool Whip, softened
• 2 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 C sweetened condensed milk
• Caramel ice cream topping

Instructions:

1. Scatter Snickers along bottom of pie crust. Leave a few Snickers pieces off for your topping.
2. Next, layer 2 1/2 of your chopped apples on top of the Snickers. The other half of your apple will be used for the topping so do not chop it yet, as they will brown. Drizzle caramel on top of apples.
3. Combine Cool Whip, cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl. Mix well and pour into pie crust.
4. Drizzle caramel on top and add a few Snickers pieces to topping. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
5. Right before serving, chop the remaining apple and sprinkle chipped apples on top.
6. For best taste, and to avoid apples becoming brown and soggy, serve the same day.
7. Enjoy!

I should really be disappointed in myself for posting this because one time I vowed to never post a recipe like this but....I'm not. It's all about balance, right?!

P.S.-I'll be going 100% yeast-free for 30 days starting January 13. More on that next week but if you know what I'm talking about and want to join me, you can do so here!

13 Things From 2013

Well...here we are. Thanksgiving has come and gone. Christmas is done and over with (tear). And it's a brand new start to a fresh calendar year. Basically this means no more half days at work, no more excuses to eat like Honey Boo Boo and no more presents. Damn.

But this also means, a fresh start and a blank canvas to totally rock a new year.

It's inevitable that I'll write 2013 on everything for the next 3 months. I mean, this has been the tradition every year since I've been able to write. I vote we begin starting the new year in April for this reason alone. Who's in?

Anywho-2013, you were good to me. From puppies and  babies to vacations and a big lesson learned in my professional career, I liked you. I liked you a lot.

Here are 13 things I learned from 2013:

1. Honking the horn from the passenger seat will land you a one way ticket to the ER.
2. Raising a puppy is probably the most rewarding, yet frustrating, thing I've ever done in my life.
3. Take chances in life but follow your heart and stay true to your passions.
4. Never host Thanksgiving for more then 20 people.
5. Treat your spouse like you would treat your best friend.
6. When your earring hole begins to stretch, you should probably lay off the heavy studs.
7. The Bahamas IS heaven on Earth & I WILL be going back there.
8. The Keurig is the most incredible kitchen appliance to ever exist in the history of all time.
9. Every women deserves their very own set of triplet nieces.
10. QuestBars will change your life. Especially the ones of the chocolate chip cookie dough variety.
11. I am oblivious to the world 99% of the time and am easily surprised.
12. Eating a raw diet can and will make you feel incredible.
13. The years are starting to go by faster and faster and I don't like it one bit.

I'm sure I learned a lot more from 2013 but these were obviously the most profound. ;)

Thanks, 2013, for totally rocking my freaking socks off. Lets have a repeat of that, mmkay?

***

P.S. - who's tuning in tonight for the season premiere of TONED UP??!!

Seriously...I want to be them. Or one of them, at least. Or just have their body. And their workout wardrobe. Oh-and their hair.

Ok ya. I want to be them.

Christmas 2013: A Few Of My Favorite Things

I know it's really cliche to say this but honestly, the best part of Christmas truly is being around allllll of your family. Whether they're completely normal, or not. ;)

We don't get to spend a lot of time with my dad's brother and sister and their families but we do every Christmas eve and I really cherish that time with them. Christmas morning is always spent in our pjs with my mom, brother, sister-in-law, aunt & uncle. Mimosas are flyin' at 9am, along with eggs and bacon and gifts. Christmas morning always has been and always will be my most favoritist day of the year. 

Later on Christmas day, we always venture over to Beau's parents' house to eat dinner and open gifts with his parents, sister, and brother-in-law and of course, the triplets. Now that the triplets are involved, it's already so much more fun! 

Me & Sam

Whew! Got all that?! I can't imagine what Christmas will begin to look like once we have our own kiddos to throw into the mix!

Anywho...all that to be said...while quality time with the family and a mimosa-infused breakfast is the absolute best part of Christmas, the presents given on Christmas day also make it pretty freakin' sweet, too. I mean, I'm not gonna lie. I still wake up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning because I want to know what's in all those packages!

I don't know if I really was a good girl this year or my family just tried to be extra nice to me but I'd like to think I made it to the "nice" list. I was truly spoiled this year.

Here's a look at my top contenders:

 

Under Armour Micro G Pulse Running Shoes : I've had all kinds of running shoes and Under Armour continues to be my favorite. I'm no marathoner or anything like that, so I really don't even know what to look for in a good running shoe but I like that these are super light, make my size 10 feet like smaller than most tennis shoes and Under Armour always has to cutest color combos. Always an added bonus!

The Fit Bit Force: I swear angels sang when Beau gifted this to me on Christmas morning! I've wanted an activity monitor for a long time now and after doing a lot of research on the one that was right for me and my workouts, the Fit Bit Force could not be any more perfect. I will be doing a full review of it very soon (hopefully this week) but you should know I was sold on the following features: watch function, silent alarm clock (vibrates on your wrist), tracks calories burned, steps, distance, active minutes, flights of stairs climbed, and...the best part...it automatically syncs to your smart phone. At any point in time, I can look at the Fit Bit on my wrist or the app on my iPhone and they will always be accurate with one another. It's magical. I swear.

Kate Spade Bright Spot Darla Wallet: I snagged this beauty in our annual girl's gift exchange and let's just say it's been the perfect addition to my purse. I love that it's nice and small (smaller than my iPhone), but fits credit cards, cash and coins. Plus-it's hot pink. #winning

You might be a redneck if....Si-Cology 101 by: Si Robertson (and all the rest of the Duck Dynasty books) is at the top of your Christmas list. I really don't think this one needs much explanation so lets just say I can't wait to put my nose in this baby.

You might also be a redneck if the "Sweet Tea" necklace is on your Christmas list, right underneath 'said' Duck Dynasty books. It is what it is and I LOVE it! Thanks, mom! :)

There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it...if you get the Uncle Si book, a sweet tea necklace and a "Hey Y'all" pillow for Christmas...consider yourself to be president of the Redneck Association. Kidding. I love being from Texas...I just find it hysterical that most girls ask for heels, purses and clothes for Christmas and I'm all over here like "I just want the Duck Dynasty books!" The adorable "Hey Y'all" pillow is a gift from my "Midwestern" (as she calls herself) bestie, Katie. I know it's from Hobby Lobby but I couldn't find it online to link to it. Just know they have them there and it makes the perfect addition to any living room.

Ahhh...The North Face Shell Jacket: I've had my eye on one of these for a while now but never wanted to bite the bullet and buy it for myself. I love that fact that it's so versatile...you can wear it with a t-shirt, or even with a cute top and it doesn't look tacky. Not to mention, it's the perfect weight for the Texas "winter" weather we are currently having. Now if only they would go on sale I could grow my collection...

This baby.....THIS BABY....I swear is God's gift to every woman in America. With tile floors and a dog that sheds like cray, vacuuming 2+ times per week got real old real fast. The Roomba 780 has been and will be quite possibly my favorite gift of all time. Here's a quick video of the first time we played with it so it doesn't show much but just know this baby is too legit. Too legit to quit, actually. It cleans any room you choose, you can block rooms off with these little tower things and you can set it to run every day at a certain time. Y'all...it even leaves the vacuum lines on the carpet! Perhaps I'm easily amused but I am already obsessed with the fact that I have clean floors every day at noon.

Eeep! Navy blue Fiestaware!! Never in my life did I think I would ever ask for Fiestaware for Christmas...that's so 1990...let alone dishes in general...until I laid eyes on these pretties. I can't wait to mix them with other colors in the collection and brighten up my kitchen!

And finally...the Canon 50 mm lens!! My heart exploded when I saw this! Though I still need a little practice (judging by all these photos taken with it), I can't wait to see all the possibilities I can create with this puppy! Do you have a 50 mm lens?! Tell me your secrets!!

My cup runneth over this Christmas. Quality time with friends and family and pretty sweet gifts...I cannot complain one bit.

How was your Christmas?! Did you get everything you asked for?