"This is how we do it, it's Friday night..."

Well, I dropped the ball on this week, huh? Truth be told, it was another one of those "I really just don't have the patience to sit and type" kind of times. I'm not an ideal blogger. It is cool to have an outlet to talk and to get to share cute pictures of my daughter, but I don't like the pressure to produce if I don't have anything exciting to talk about, ya know? I do however have a lot of randomness going on in my head right now...and since I know you all don't have high expectations for a written masterpiece, here it all goes:

- I just realized I have approximately two weeks until my in-laws come to visit. I also just realized I haven't posted about the trip D and I are going on. I'll expand on this soon, but in a nut shell, the in-laws are coming to visit AND stay to watch Grace for a few days while D and I take a mini-vacay. To say I have mixed feelings about this is an understatement. I can't wait for a few days of freedom with the hubs, really, it is needed...but I am 95% sure I'm going to have a nervous breakdown about leaving my kiddo at home.

- We got a new couch this week. She's really pretty and I spend most of my free time shoo-ing the dogs off of her. The couch is a dog-free zone. Our old couch was one of my first big purchases after college...it was used and abused, had gross stains from baby puke that had been steam cleaned off over and over...smelled like dog...it was time for change. When D finally said he agreed we literally went online and ordered a couch that same day. Thank goodness I love it, because it wasn't going back after being delivered! No, it's not my dream L-shaped sectional, but that can wait until we get settled at our next duty station in another couple years.

- Grace plays peek-a-boo using her blankie to cover her face. It is the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. She generally pulls it down and shows off her big, toothy grin before you can even finish saying "Where's Grace?". I love it.

- I went to the pool on my lunch break (yayyy working at home!) and planned on swimming a 1600 aka a mile. On my first lap it became pretty obvious that this was not going to happen. I made it to 1100. Guess I have a new goal? I'm going to try to get in lunchtime swims 2-3x a week in addition to running and spinning. Mixing things up should really help me to get less bored during my workouts. For now? It literally hurts to hold my arms in typing position. *Ouchies*

- Speaking of working out, I am a pound away from being back in the 130's. I have been for 2 weeks and it's making me feel like a crazy person. I know weight is just a number on the scale, I really get that...but I think everyone's goal is really just to look good naked, and naked I look like I still have 5 pounds to lose. So you're welcome for that mental image.

- Piggy backing off the last random blurb, I have a new bathing suit being delivered today. Here's to hoping the top doesn't look like "it was made for Oprah" (thanks D) like the last one I tried.

- Grace and I have a skype date with Nana (my mom) this evening...I'm already excited about it. We also have a pretty free weekend with D out in the field both days. He conveniently will get in around 8 each night- you know, right after Grace gets put to bed. Is this a coincidence or is he an evil genius? Either way, I decided I'll be nice and attempt dinner one night and pretend I have my sh*t together while he's working all day. Doesn't that recipe look amazing?! I'm actually semi-confident about this one...looks hard to screw up!

- D gets promoted next Tuesday. He is really excited. Like, more excited then he is letting on, but I know he is freaking out on the inside. He is ready to move up in rank and I am pretty proud of him. Wanna know the best part about his new title?? Hehehe...

Censored, of course. ;)

Have fab weekends, ladies!

xo,
H

Workiversary

This week marked my first year anniversary at the new job. When I received my "Happy Anniversary" email from the boss, I immediately replied to say that a great anniversary gift would be helping me with the paperwork required to telework- aka- work from home 4 days a week. Rules are that you have to be in your position for a year before you can take advantage of this perk, so you better believe I've been counting down the days like a kid waiting on their birthday (or an adult that still might do that...).

Here I am a few days later sitting in the home office/guest room and adjusting to the new work environment. I can't even tell you how happy I am to get 8+ hours of my week back that used to be spent sitting in the car. I also can't tell you how happy my Visa is that I don't have an excuse to go shopping on my lunch break anymore. My buddies at Marshall's and Starbucks are probably going to get concerned, but I'll break the news gently next week. ;)

One huge perk to not having to be in the office is that I can wear yoga pants and other various workout gear around all day. I can also sit Indian-style in my desk chair at home and burp out loud. I no longer have to share a single bathroom with the rest of the females in the office and if I need to take 5 to make a personal call without putting my business on display for everyone else, I can do that too. Awkward "water cooler" talk is down to a minimum...except for when I have to let my new "co-workers" (Molly and Major) out to the potty. ;) Life is good.

I've already gotten a couple of quick morning runs in after dropping the Miss off at daycare and I've spent the extra hour of my evening trying to get back into actually cooking us real food for dinner and playing outside! Want photographic proof? Too bad! Here it is:




So there ya have it. Not quite work at home mom status yet, but we're getting closer. In the future, as Grace gets older, I may have the ability to do more with her at home, but for now the extra time is a great start and I think she appreciates it as well!

Hope you all have awesome weekends. We're going to love on our daddy and play-play-play! I'll work on Sale Part 2 for Monday...and maybe even have a little post on home decor coming soon. Ohhh fun! ;)

xo,
H

My Favorite Things - June Edition

Here's another edition of things I'm currently loving...half of it is food or drink, not a shocker! Once again, I am not being compensated for my review of any of the following (although I would LOVE to be)! Enjoy.

Decaf Chai Tea

Love me some warm tea in the evening and a cup of this with a splash of milk and a packet of splenda helps me wind down after a long day. Apparently it is really easy to make iced chai too, so if I give that a go I'll report back.

Essie - Ballet Slippers

I have been on a search for the perfect, creamy, light pink for-ev-er. I'm pretty sure I found it with Essie's Ballet Slippers. It is light enough for a manicure, but has enough color to look good as a pedi color too. Crisp, clean and best of all- goes with any outfit color. Another mini shout out- Thank you Target for carrying Essie nail polish! The nail salons around here have pretty sub-par polish selections, so I love bringing in my own- plus then I have it at the house if I need to fix a chipped nail. Speaking of which, I need a date with a pedicure like yesterday...

Michelob Ultra - Raspberry Pomegranate

Oh.em.gee. These beers are seriously so good that I crave them. Literally, I think about them as I am running after work and generally always have them in the fridge. They are light, have a little flavor, but are not the kind of girly drink that you get sick of after having more than one. In fact, you will want more than one. Not because you're jonesing for a mid-week buzz (okay, maybe sometimes you are), but because they taste AMAZING! Even D will admit these are good. And best of all? Michelob Ultra's aren't too bad calorie-wise. If you like Purple Haze, these are going to be your summer beer. Try it and fall in lurrrveee.

Spinning

The above picture is not an accurate portrayal of how I look while attending spin class. I look like a winning football coach after a Gatorade shower and my legs are twice the size of hers. But aside from the fact that I look like a sweaty hoss while spinning, I really, really enjoy going to classes. I just started earlier this month and was floored at how quickly the hour went by and just how much I did sweat. It was a nice break from the pavement and when you are in a class, it's not like you can stop for a quick breather- you wanna give it your all! My gym has free classes and I am trying to spin twice during the week and once over the weekend. I will caution you. After your first class you WILL feel like you got kicked in the vaj with a steel toed boot. I also have bruises on my inner thighs. Great for bathing suit season. Anyways, despite these deterrents, I still am amped for my next class. Give it a try.

Stuffed Peppers

Once again, this picture is not an accurate portrayal of the stuffed peppers that I made...but they were delish. Mine were very similar to the Meditteranean style recipe you can find here. (Hey K!) I literally just made couscous, browned turkey, and mixed them together with scallions and feta. Then I threw them in the oven for about 35-40 minutes on 375 and that was it. The recipe through the link looks even tastier and the Mexican version? To die for. That is next on my list to try. This is a quick and easy one ladies...and if your hubby complains that it is too "peppery" for his taste *ahem, D*, I think the Mediterranean version could be awesome in a pita with some greek yogurt sauce and sauteed peppers. Just a thought!

That's it for this month's edition. Hope you all are inspired to try some new things! :)

xo,
H

Blog Sale - Take 1

Alrighty folks, let's get this thing underway. Here's the deal:

1. View the items below. Each will be marked with an item number, price, and additional information.

2. Like something? Have questions? Wanna make it your very own? Email me (hmmorgan1@gmail.com) with the item number.

3. Items will be sold in the order I receive emails. Once I have an email saying you would like to purchase an item, I will send you a reply that will include a Pay Pal invoice. When you make your payment, I will either take the item down or mark it as sold and mail you your loot!

Shipping costs are $2 an item and will be added to your total. Everything has been kept in a smoke free home and is in good condition. I will ship ground, however if you would like expedited shipping that can be discussed. Most of these things have been worn less than a handful of times- even the shoes.

This is the first of what will probably be 3 posts of blog sale items. If the response is good I will continue to do this every so often, maybe seasonally! Happy shopping. :)

Item 1 - White Coach Purse - $40
This has slight discoloration...cause it is white. You could probably take it to a Coach store to be cleaned?

Item 2 - Brown Suede Coach Purse - $50

Item 3 - Banana Republic Wool Gray Pinstripe Blazer, Size 6 - $40
Both this and the blazer below were bought at full price and worn maybe 2 or 3 times a piece.

Item 4- Banana Republic Wool Khaki and White Blazer, Size 6 - $40

Item 5 - Zinc Brown Blazer, Size M - $15

Item 6 - Ann Taylor Loft Blue Patterned Dress w/ Pockets and Removable Straps, size 4, new with tags - $40
SOLD

Item 7 - Ann Taylor Loft Silk Floral Dress, size 6 - $30

Item 8 (a,b,c) - J. Crew Ribbon Belts, Size S/M - $5 each

Item 9 - BCBG Girls Peep-toe Pump, Size 8 - $20

Item 10 - Nine West Red Peep-toe Pumps, Size 8 - $15
Has some fraying on the side of the shoe, right at the seem. Can be seen in first picture, shoe on right.

Item 11 - Nine West Strappy Wedges, size 8 - $20

Item 12 - Ralph Lauren Pink Dress Shoes, size 8 - $35

Item 13- Express Silk Cami, Size S - $10

Item 14 - Minc Lace over plum stretchy dress, size M - $20

Item 15 - Banana Republic Tie-Back Black Embroidered Top, Size 4 - $20
SOLD

Item 16 - Banana Republic Black Pleat Front Maxi Dress, size S- $40
No tags, but never worn.

Item 17 - Seychelles Peep-toe Pumps, Size 8.5 - $20

I'm going to try to post Part 2 tomorrow afternoon, possibly Monday. Will let you all know! Thanks for stopping by this little bloggies sale! :)

xo,
H

Santa Baby

One Christmas morning, roughly 20+ years ago, I awoke to find an amazing gift waiting for me in my stocking. I pulled it out and marveled at it's beauty...there it was...a large, chocolate Santa. Much like the chocolate bunnies you find in Easter baskets, but a lot more jolly and beard-ier.

My Santa was absolutely not this large. There's always next year though.

Oh, I was delighted. I couldn't wait to get my 5 year old sausage fingers all over that delectable goodness. But not of course before being warned by the parentals, "Don't eat the whole thing, Heather. You'll spoil your appetite...", or something to that effect. Who really remembers things from that long ago?

Anyways, I was cautioned and raring to go. So at o' dark thirty on Christmas morning I ate that chocolate Santa...and instead of eating a little and saving the rest of him in the freezer for later, I ate all of him.

And then I promptly threw up my gift.

Why am I telling you all about me blowing chunks at age 5, you ask? Well first off, its a little hilarious, but secondly, because it really speaks to how I've been all my life. Moderation? What's that?

When it's come to the whole baby weight loss process the hardest part for me has been the diet factor. I hate diets, I can't stick to them. But eating a certain way and having consistency has really worked for me. Not limiting myself to portion size has had it benefits as well...aka...I wouldn't be able to stick to a plan if it involved portion control.

Here's a snapshot of my eating habits the last few months:

Breakfast- Cereal or Oatmeal and a coffee the size of my face

Morning snack- Banana

Lunch- Lean Cuisine and a side of raw veggies, how ever much I want.

Afternoon snack- Luna or Zone Protein Bar, sometimes another coffee...not so face-sized

Dinner- Normal dinner, cooked at home, with a protein and a side or two.

Dessert- Jello 60 calorie mousse. Every night. They are the bomb.com

This varies from day to day, but the meal times are the same. I mix up lean cuisines and dinner options. I try to chug water through out the day. It's easy and I don't have much time to over think it. When we go out I get whatever I want. When I want to unwind at the end of the day, sometimes I have a glass or two of wine or maybe even a couple beers if we're feeling festive around these parts.

The point is, limiting yourself, or hearing someone tell you not to do something generally makes us tempted to do the exact opposite. My advice would be to just make smart choices and then fill up on them!

What are your tips for sticking to a good eating plan when trying to lose weight? We've talked about the exercising part of things before, but let's mix it up! I love hearing other people's advice, so bring it on!

Now that I've bored you with a post all about what I eat I'm sure you'll never come back to this site again, but if you do, possibly later this afternoon, you might see Part 1 of my Blog Sale!

Just sayin'.

xo,
H

We made it!

Happy Friday! Another week down, right?! So excited for another lazy weekend with my favorite people. I promise I'll take some pics since I've been horrible at it lately. I actually have some fun videos to share, but blogger isn't being too helpful at letting me load them, so I'll have to play with that this weekend too.

A couple things to leave you with at the end of this week:

1. One of my best girlfriends has a pretty stinkin' cute blog you all should check out. K and her hubs are newlyweds, starting to expand their family...by getting their first furbaby!!! Meet the little guy and follow along as they go through the trials and tribulations of being first time pup parents. :)

2. I'm going to start the blog-sale next week! I may break it into several days of posts since they will be pretty picture heavy, but look out for that soon. Thanks for the positive responses through email, texts, and even a lone comment. ;) Also- when I do get things up and running, feel free to pass along the link to friends or others that might be interested...help a sista out!

Alright, that's it. Off to have a big mug of decaf chai and call it a night. I feel an updated "Favorite Things- June Edition" post coming on too...

Have a great weekend everyone!

xo,
H

Hoo-dy Hoo!

The other day Confessions of a Shopaholic came on TV, and ya'll...I identified with it. Not the whole, "let's use an ice-pick to break our emergency credit card out of the freezer" deal, but just the concept of impulsive purchases.

I don't know if I've mentioned this before (yes I do...), but we live in a pretty small town where Walmart is about as good as it gets in terms of shopping. If you wanna really jazz things up you can go one town over. They have a Walmart too.

Seriously.

Lucky for me, I work about 70 minutes away in an area that has a little more to offer in terms of places to go and things to do. It's not much better, but when you come from a town that only sports a Walmart, it does the job. That's where the impulsiveness comes in. I don't wanna sit at a desk all day, but I always pack a lunch, so I eat at my desk and then generally get out at some point in the afternoon to move around. It's about 100 degrees here right now, so I can't just walk outside, I need to be indoors somewhere...like Target, or Old Navy, or...I don't know...maybe Marshalls...

and then once I get there I can't just close my eyes or wear blinders (that would be awkward), so I peruse the store...

Oh my gosh, I've totally been needing a bathmat for our master bath for-ev-er, or you know, since the dog ate the last one:


And while we're in the bathroom section, I could really use a new towel hanger. The ones on the back of the door are on their last leg. (Price tag still on...$7.99...that's nothing.)


Then I take a peek at the dresses and see this little number. Excuse the bad lighting and iPhone pic, she really is cute, I swear. I'll absolutely wear this belted with heels and a cardi to work, or just with flats for a date night...


Have I mentioned I have a soft spot for home decor? That's when I saw it people...it was almost glowing and hooting at me to give it a home. Yes, the owl. Chic, right? Aren't I just so Young House Love ? I really think Sherry would approve. But you know who wouldn't? D. And that's why I hid this sucker on one of our living room shelves and waited for the reaction...



D via text: "Holy shit that owl is creepy."

He just doesn't get style. I tried to explain how contemporary it was. He didn't buy that either:

"Just cuz it's white doesn't mean it matches, that is terrifying."

Again I tried to plead my case...he's friendly! He'll scare away bugs!

"The last word I would use to describe that thing is friendly."

I have a problem. But since there are no shopaholic meetings anywhere close I'm just going to have to battle through this one. You'd never guess it by the sound of this post, but I am trying to go through my things and simplify and that's where YOU come in! I'm thinking about putting together a blog-sale. I'll post pictures and prices and if you like what you see, we can make some magic happen! I'm still in the process of getting things ready and figuring out Pay Pal or whatever the easiest process will be, but I think this might be a mutually beneficial deal folks.

So far I have a couple Coach bags, several J.Crew dresses, and things sporting tags from Banana Republic and Ann Taylor loft. Interested? Let me know! Again, this is in the early stages of production, so you might have to give me till next week to get it up and running, but if you're really enthusiastic about it, maybe I'll get my a$s in gear and try to get moving!

Till then I'll be off gazing at my new owl friend. The only animal in our house who doesn't make me crazy. :)

xo,
H