Midweek Randoms

• As it continues to get warmer and warmer all I want to eat is fresh veggies...specifically tomato and cucumber. Throw whatever we have in the fridge on top of some cold quinoa, add feta, and chicken or shrimp and you have my new go to dish.

• I almost forgot the secret ingredient. Add this. It can be a marinade...salad dressing...you name it, it does the job. I bought mine at a fancy schmancy food store, and then realized you can order it on Amazon for less than $5.

• We didn't find out where we are moving next. I knew there was only a slight chance we'd get a solid answer this week, but I figured if anyone would find out it would be us.
• Good news? We have an updated list of locations that we ranked and were able to include a couple that we thought were off the table.
• Bad news? We have a few more weeks to wait.
• My promise to you guys? I'll stop obsessing over it and not talk about it again until we have a firm answer. You're welcome. :)

• Grace's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse love has reached out of this world levels. It is sort of starting to bother me. For instance, for weeks I was really excited because she does this thing where she sings to herself and it's usually, "maaa-ma, maaaa-ma...". I'm like, Man, she really likes me! ;) Then the other day I asked her to say Mickey Mouse. Guess what it sounds like? "Maaaa-ma"

Ignoring Mama for Maaa Ma, obviously.

• My dad gets here this afternoon and I'm taking a half day tomorrow AND bringing him to Crossfit with me. Muahaha...hopefully it doesn't ruin the rest of the weekend. ;) I'm excited to show him what we do.

• While Mollys ACL issue is being dealt with, I've been taking Major on solo lunch time runs. I think we are bonding. ;) But in all truth, it is nice to have him because there are some parts of our 'hood that I feel a little nervy running in alone.

You're okay, buddy.
P.S. How bad do we need something hung above the couch?

• D and I went on a date while my mom was here. We got all dressed up and everything...which made me realize I need some cute summer clothes. I live in workout gear and jeans/basic tops and it's just getting TOO hot for denim. Some recent purchases:

Source

Source

• I should probably look into some casual summer skirts and shorts (boo) as well. I'm so needy...haha.

That is all for now. We have Grace's 18 month check-up next week, so I'll update on her after that. Molly also goes back to see if her ACL tear is healing, so that will be a big appointment, too. On top of that, the in-laws arrive next Friday...so as always, lots in the works. We should have a few weekends of down time after that, which will be definitely necessary.

Hope you all are doing well! :)

xo,
H

Office Art

Why, good morning. :)


It's another beautiful day and as you can see, shorts weather for the little one. We started the day with a giant omelet for two and some avocado...I really should have taken a picture, I was proud of how pretty it turned out. There are only so many mornings where my omelets don't break when I flip them, so I generally like to document my success. ;)

Major and I plan on getting out for a lunch time jog around the neighborhood and then it's off to Crossfit this afternoon. I'm trying to kick things up a notch this month, at least during the week when we aren't busy with guests.

Not too much to report on this morning, so I'll give you a peek at some new wall hangings in the office. I found 12 inch frames at Michaels for $8.99 a pop and the art is from a calendar I got on sale a couple weeks ago from here.

I'm thinking about painting the matting an ivory, since it is kind of stark against the paint, but for now it works...and I have 6 other months worth of art left to use elsewhere!

Just too easy.

xo,
H

Weekend with Nana

Happy Monday! I'm back to feeling like I'm treading water, trying to keep up with everything going on, but in a good way I think. We wrapped up a great weekend with my mom last night and this week is going to be a big one. I don't know if I mentioned it last week, but my dad found out he had a business trip last minute in Florida, so he is coming our way at the end of the week and staying for the weekend. Then D's parents will be here the following weekend for Easter. All that coupled with the big news we should be getting here soon. Things definitely aren't looking like we had planned, but I think there is a small chance they could turn out even better. I'm trying not to stress D out about it all, but it's hard for me not to want to talk about it 24/7. :)

Alright, back to our weekend!

Rather than give a play by play, I'll share a few pics that I took. My mom has some great ones I need to get from her as well. We got pedi's, did a tour of post, scoped out a park, went to Riverwalk, ate well, and even made our way into Atlanta for a little bit before she had to leave on Sunday. It went by too quickly (doesn't it always?) and we are already looking forward to her next visit! Love you, Mom. xo

Hope you all are off to a great week and I'll check ya tomorrow! :)

xo,
H

Copycat

Happy Thursday! I saw this post from Madeline and honestly thought, "thank goodness!"...I am in full on GO mode today and had nothing planned. Plus I love things like this...so if you are interested, you should fill it out too!

My mom is headed our way for the weekend and I'll be driving to Atlanta to pick her up tomorrow morning, so I'll probably be offline until early next week. Hope you all have great weekend's and I'll try to remember to take pictures this time so I have something to share on Monday!

A is for age.  26. It's been my best year yet.

B is for breakfast today.  Oatmeal! My all time favorite recipe includes: 1/2 c. 1 min oats, brown sugar, cranberries, walnuts, ground flax meal, a dash of salt, and vanilla almond milk. Sometimes I add a little vanilla extract, too. Throw it all in the microwave for about 90 seconds and breakfast is served. Delish and filling.

C is for current craving.  Mmm...I could go for a bubbly diet coke in a glass with ice and a couple lemon wedges. 

D is for dinner tonight.  We're running some pre-company errands tonight, so we'll probably drop into Atlanta Bread Company (basically like Panera) and grab something easy for dinner. My favorite is getting half a tuna sammy and a cup of their creamy tomato soup.

E is for favorite type of exercise.  Running. You thought I was going to say Crossfit, didn't you?! No matter what, I always think of running as my ultimate de-stresser and the feeling after getting a great run in beats all other post workout highs for me.

Obvi not me. But how I feel most runs. :)

F is for irrational fear.  I'm not a fan of spiders, not sure if that is irrational or not? I also like to self-diagnose myself whenever I get sick. That's gotta be healthy.

G is for gross food.  I've never really had a love of Chinese Food but every once in awhile I'll get a crazy sponaneous craving for it and have to have it.

H is for hometown.  Ashburn, Virginia.

I is for something important.  That list of people you see to the right side of my blog page. :) Love
'em. Even Major...I admit it.

J is for current jam.  "Not Over You" by Gavin DeGraw

K is for Kids. Grace Evelyn. xo

L is for current location. Columbus/Ft. Benning, GA...only for a few more months though!

M is for the most recent way you spent money.  Bought the second Hunger Games book at lunch yesterday. Already finished it. Should have gotten the third as well.

N is for something you need.  A jellybean intervention. A pedicure...and lucky me, I have one scheduled with the momma for tomorrow!

O is for occupation.  Gov't Employee from 7:00-3:30pm, mommy and wife all other hours...and let's be real, sometimes those workday hours, as well. ;)

P is for pet peeve.  Printed napkins/paper towels. I think they are hideous no matter the pattern. Just keep it plain, people! (Confession- D accidentally bought printed napkins and I make us use them when we don't have company to get rid of them. They are a tacky Christmas pattern and I was SO mad when he brought them home!)

Q is for quote. My all time favorite quote, which I have mentioned several times on here is: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Thanks to my mom and the movie Bambi for that one.

Lately I also find myself repeating this one in my head quite frequently:

R is for random fact about you.  I was in choir all four years of high school and was actually "President" - whatever that means - of my show choir (think Glee...but not as good) Junior or Senior year. I never got slushied (lame Glee joke) and my high school life wasn't anything like that show. :)

S is for favorite healthy snack.  Honeycrisp apples with almond butter.

T is for favorite treat. Starburst Jellybeans all the way, baby! I need for Easter to be here already so I can forget about them for another year. I could house a bag a day.

U is for something that makes you unique.  This is a toughie. I'll get back to you on this one...(or not).

V is for favorite vegetable.  Brussels Sprouts...mmm...love them drizzled with a light olive oil, sprinkled with mixed up salt and roasted to perfection.

W is for today’s workout.  It's an OFF day...wooohoo!

X is for x-rays you’ve had.  I think just teeth.

Y is for yesterday’s highlight.  I got Grace to repeat, "Love Ya!" and it made my entire year.

Z is for your time zone.  Eastern...love being back to "normal". I don't think I ever really got used to Central time when we lived in Louisiana. Here's to hoping things East Coast for our next move.

xo,

H

Midweek Randoms

• I started The Hunger Games last night and finished this morning. It's looking like a 3 cup kinda day. (But SO good!)
• Speaking of the above...am I the only crazy who pictures myself in the situation and thinks about my strategy for the games? Yes? Ok, then.
• After noticing some limping for the past few days, we took Molly in to the Vet's Office yesterday. Homegirl has a partial ACL tear which means goodbye $$$. Right now she is on some meds and on orders to take it easy for 2 weeks. Cross your fingers things look like they are healing on their own. :(

My poor pup on the left.

• I'm taking Friday off to pick up my mom from the airport and bring her back to Casa de M for the weekend! So excited for another few days of company.
• I made these. I used wonton wrappers instead of going by the recipe and they were awesome.

Chicken Pesto Cups

 

• I never ended up getting my Month 2 measurements taken last week. I went to Crossfit at lunchand rushed home afterwards. Thinking about skipping measurements this month alltogether.
• On a Crossfit related note, yesterday's WOD had a lot of sit-ups. Guess whose station that is in the middle with the mat and extra towels? This girl's. I'll claim it. Even though I looked like a total vaj, I don't have rug burn on my booty today (thank God).

 

• I LOVE this little girl to the moon and back...

That is all. :)

xo,
H

 

Ups and downs

Well hello there! I guess I've been a little m.i.a. the past couple of days. We've been busy! I mentioned before that we were gearing up for several weekends of visitors and we got off to a fun start on Friday, hosting our friends Kara, Greg, and their puppy Kairo! This is where I get all apologetic and let you know that we took zero pictures. I really meant to! Somehow my priorities generally end up shifting to chasing around an energetic toddler and I drop the ball. Anyhow, pictures or not, here's a brief recap of our weekend:

Friday night K and G arrived around 6 or so, in time for some guac and dinner prep. I made attempted a Sangria, which D decided to call Jungle Juice, if that gives some insight as to how it turned out. :) We introduced the dogs, ate dinner, and had some hang out time. We were impressed that they had:

a. actually come to visit us
b. made the drive (12+ hours from VA)
c. brought their pup along

Saturday began with breakfast followed by a trip to our favorite dog park on post. Our pups had some energy to burn and Grace had some slides to go down. It was H.O.T. this weekend...Saturday's high was around 84 and we felt every degree of it. After lunch and a sorry excuse for a nap from Miss G, we took a little trip to the National Infantry Museum. It was air conditioned/indoors and made for an obvious choice after being in the heat earlier that morning. We came home, made our way out to dinner, indulged in some green beer as to not totally ignore St. P's Day. We made it home in time for the little ladies bedtime and some s'mores around the firepit in the backyard while the dogs played.

Sunday wrapped up the weekend fun with a late morning excursion with the pups to Columbus Riverwalk and downtown, where we walked along the water and then made our way further in to scope out some of the pretty homes that line the historic district. We headed home for some lunch, Grace's nap time, and then made our way to the Front Porch of the South to check things out. I ended up scoring two little school chairs that I plan on restoring for G and Kar scooped up a fun vase for their bookshelves back home. Not sure the venue can be considered a treasure trove of vintage finds, but it was interesting to see what it was all about. Back at home, D fired up the grill, we made some dinner and relaxed before headed to bed and saying our goodbyes early Monday morning.

We really enjoyed seeing our friends and having company. Hopefully it won't be such a drive to get down to see us next time. :) We will know pretty soon.

Unfortunately, the weekend wrapped up on a pretty low note, when I received some truly devastating news from a friend. I questioned whether or not it was in good taste to write about this, but decided that since it has had such an impact in many of the lives of people I know in the past few days, that I would touch on it, omitting any personal or identifying details.

One of my sweet sorority sisters lost her husband in a car accident on Sunday afternoon, leaving behind her and their two beautiful children, one just a few months older than Grace, the other only 6 weeks old. My heart breaks for them all and though I haven't seen her or kept in touch since college, I just ache for her loss. She is simply one of those people that bad things should not be allowed to happen to. I have been overwhelmed at the impressive response from my sisters, who have all banded together to support her and her children in the wake of this tragedy. It makes me proud to be a part of such an amazing group of women and I think most of us have had a reality check in some sense over the past couple of days. Life is both so fragile and precious. In summary- hold your babies a little longer, tell your loved ones how you feel, and be thankful for every moment you have here on Earth with the people you love.

xo,
H

Crossfit Update

As my second month of Crossfit comes to a close, I found myself a little discouraged. The first month I was so excited about all of the new things I was able to do and shocked when, although the scale didn't move, I saw a 10 inch difference in my measurements. Holler.

Month 2, I really doubt I will see a change like that. I don't feel any smaller, the scale still hovers right above 140, and my eating habits have really cut back from the paleo/protein regimen that I tried out last month. Don't get me wrong, I still work out the same amount and eat well...I'm just not being a stickler about no carbs, sugar, dairy, and legumes. Sometimes a girl needs a sandwich with bread or some starburst jellybeans! ;)

After being a Debbie Downer for 5 minutes, I started to think about all of the things I have been able to do this month:

• I can do handstand push-ups (using the wall for support)
• I can do an elevated handstand
• I got my double unders! (Jump roping- you jump once, the rope spins twice. This took me forever.)
• I'm improving on toes-to-bar and using kipping to pull-up
• Mama has visable abs (Ok, upper abs, but this is HUGE for me.)
• My endurance and amount of weight I am able to lift, squat, press, clean, swing...have all gone up

So for those things, I am proud. Whether or not I see a difference in body fat or inches come Friday really don't seem as important when I focus on the positives. It also is a nice push to set some goals for next month.

Next session goals:

• Get into the 130's. Even if it is 139.9. I know that muscle weighs more than fat and blah blah blah, but I have a couple pounds to lose - umm, lower belly and thigh region much?!
• Work those new abs so that the lower part of my stomach starts to resemble the upper half
• Do WOD's with push-ups without dropping to knees (Crossfit push-ups go all the way to the floor, but you can still modify them)
• Continue to work handstands...get off the wall :)
• Continue to progress on double unders...try to do more back-to-back without single jumps in between
• Figure out why repetitive sit-ups give me butt rug burn and fix the problem. I'm serious! It happened again!

So that's where I am with Crossfit. Things are great, I'm still super obsessed with the workouts and our class has gotten increasingly difficult. I'm proud of what I have been able to accomplish and look forward to pushing myself harder in the next 4 weeks! :)

Updated stats to come Friday/Monday.

xo,
H

2 Weeks

2 weeks, 14 days, --- hours (let's be real, I'm not looking up the number of hours)...but that's how long we have until we find out where we will be stationed next.

• Where we will live for *hopefully* at least 3 years

• Where we will potentially purchase our first home

• Where I will transfer (once again) with my job

• Where Grace will grow old enough to eventually start pee wee soccer, and pre-school, and maybe even Kindergarten depending on the time frame

In 14 days we will also have a better idea of other important life issues...

• It could be known if/when D will deploy

...which indirectly affects...

• The timing of Baby 2

Which ALL depends on where we end up. So that's where my head is these days. Trying to stay calm, busy, and stress free. Weighing different options, but purposely not letting myself get too set on any of them. Because you never know. A lot is riding on someone else's decision...and that doesn't sit well with me, but it is the nature of being a part of the military.

Luckily we have a lot going on to distract us for the next two weeks and wherever we end up, we'll make the best of it together. :)

xo,
H

P.S. I promise to not talk about moving in every post for the next 4 months (again, hah!), it's just been on my mind lately.

Weekend in Photos

Ever have one of those days that leaves you thinking, "How did I get this lucky?"

Saturday was definitely one of those days.

xo,
H

Friday!

Ok, so you guys enjoy seeing my tree trunks stuffed into green jeans, but are not so much into sharing your workout music. Noted. :)

Happy Friday, friends. Today is a quickie for me. I'm taking the afternoon off to play! The stadium on post is reopening and has a West Point scrimmage scheduled for 2pm. D has to go, so I figured I'd get in Crossfit early today and tag along for some "mandatory family fun". D and I joke about how in the future, when our kids are older, we will plan "mandatory family fun" activities that they will probably think are stupid, but we will love it . You have to enjoy yourself though- it's  mandatory! There may or may not be a made up song that can be sung in the car en route to the fun event. God, our kids are going to hate us.

Aside from that, we have a pretty laid back weekend. There is a 5k tomorrow morning that we are thinking about running together with G in the jogging stroller. They have raceday registration, so we will make a game time decision tomorrow. We also have some errands and plan on getting things in order for our first set of visitors next weekend! Hey guys! I hope to have the same energy to tackle the guest room this weekend as I did with Grace's room last week. Our new duvet cover and shams came in from Pottery Barn last night and while they are a step outside of my usual comfort zone, decor wise, I'm very excited to have something different to play around with. I'll take some pics once there is something to show off...right now, the room needs some serious help.

Speaking of pics, let me leave you with my cutie "working for me" earlier this week. She looks good in my office, right!? Not sure how she would handle those pesky conference calls, but she's trying to work the phone in picture 2. Gotta love flip phones...yes, apparently they are still being made.

xo,
H

Playlist Exchange

Hey lady loves! Happy Thursday. It is gorgeous here...sunny, supposed to be almost 80 degrees, and it's an off day from CrossFit, which means I'll be running outside and enjoying the weather. D also has his weekly Ultimate Football game today, so Grace and I will get some extra outdoor time this afternoon as well. Love it.

This morning I was thinking about running and upcoming races in the next couple of months, and what motivates me to keep moving. I used to love running without music so that I was left with just my thoughts and sounds of being outdoors. I also used to have almost daily running dates with my bff and we just chatted the whole time, so again, no tuneage required. These days I need a little extra "umph" to make my legs work- especially if I'm inside on a treadmill. I'm always looking for new songs to add to my workout playlist and thought you all might like some as well!

Here are a four of my recent faves:

1. Lil Wayne (feat. Drake) - She Will

This song is actually really slow...but it has heavy bass and I use it to get moving when I start my runs or in a race while you are dealing with that first half mile of weaving in and out of people to find your stride. It's nice for lifting too. If you're not a fan of bad language, skip this one. It's a little offensive, but I sort of love offensive while I'm working out. Sorry 'bout it.

2. Rihanna (feat. Jay-Z) - Talk that Talk

Once I find my stride I go for up tempo songs like this one by Ri-Ri. I can call her that because I like to consider us close friends. (Don't go back to Chris Brown, girl. You're better than that!)

3. B.o.B (feat. Lil Wayne) - Strange Clouds

This song picks up the pace a little bit and is another mid-run choice for me.

4. Beyonce - Countdown

This is my current "power song". If I need to pick up the pace or feel like I'm not going to be able to make it through the last part of my run, this is what I turn on. It is super fast paced and you can't help but move.

Confession- If I'm dragging at work during the day, I'll play this to wake myself up by having a dance party in my desk chair- another perk to working at home. Dare you to try it.




Leave a comment with your go-to tunes and we can all score some new workout music inspiration! :)

xo,
H

Colored Demin...Hit or Miss?

I am never one to jump on board a new trend. I wait until it's been around so long that it is just accepted as normal before I get into it. I didn't even own a pair of skinny jeans until last Winter...and I'm still not sure how they make me feel some days. When colored denim came out, I thought it was ridiculous, until I saw them in mini version and died at the cuteness.

Source

Everything is better in mini version, though. Then I went into Gap on my lunch break one day and literally every employee was rocking them and looked awesome. They were all different sizes too...which gave me hope, because I have what I like to refer to as "tree trunk legs". There is really nothing skinny about them.

I ended up getting green. Not sure why I went for that color...it feels a little leprechaun-ish right now though. I also got a top another employee was wearing, but it looks see through and like a potato sack on me, so it's going back.

Another really flattering picture by D. Gross.

With Navy and flats

Button down and wedges. Yes, that is a tag.

I'm still undecided. What do you all think?

Do you own colored denim?

Is this look going to be out of style before I muster up the confidence to wear them outside of the house?

Are you so relieved that I didn't share another "craft" with you?!

This has been another thought provoking post, provided by yours truly. You're welcome.

xo,
H

G's Toddler Room

After 3 months of living in Georgia, I finally feel like Grace's room is finished for now. There are still some small updates I'd like to make...a lamp for her dresser and possibly book storage, but in such a small space and with only 4(ish) months left to go in this house, I think they might be things that wait until we are in a more permanent living situation.

If you recall my last G Room post, the main issue was the lack of wall decor. I think a toddler's room is supposed to be a fun, happy place, and her room was lacking everything other than basic furniture.

Before

After

You know what's funny? Not only do I feel good about the additions to the room, Grace likes them even more! She points to the bird decals and says "teet" (tweet), loves to look at the other wall hangings and you'll find her newest obsession in the far corner. More details below. :)

Before

After 

 

ABC print from MadebyGirl
Pottery Barn Decal

Project 2: DIY Picture Board

After finishing up the Bunting Flag project, I had an extra canvas left over and was feeling inspired by my DIY success. ;) I remembered the fabric that I didn't use on the kitchen chair make over and thought - DUH! - it would coordinate with Grace's room perfectly. A hot glue gun and roll of ribbon later, I had this little pretty made!

I will promptly be opening my own Etsy shop and taking orders. KIDDING. But I am sorta proud. :)

Before

After

Project 3: DIY Magnet Board



I got the idea for this project from AP at one of my favorite mom blogs, I Love You More Than Carrots. It was ridiculously easy.

1. Get an oil drip pan. I found mine at Walmart for $9. It is large and in charge and magnetic.
2. Hot glue fabric around back of pan. There is an edge you can run your glue and fabric along.
3. Find cute wooden animals, shapes, letters, really anything works- and glue a magnet to the back. I found packs of 8 circle magnets and all of the wooden critters at JoAnns.
4. Let your toddler go to town!!

I literally made this while Grace sat on top of the pan and I glued the edges. Obviously very carefully! It took 5 minutes and then we played for almost an hour...which in toddlertown, is like a century.

Some nights she wants to bring one of her magnet buddies to bed with her and each morning since I made it this weekend, she pops up and points to the board first thing! Crazy easy and crazy entertaining. My kinda project!

Alright, I know that was picture overload, but I wanted to get it all in (that's what she said), so I didn't put it off any longer.

Hope you all are having a great week. Tomorrow you get to see pictures of me in green jeans and we can discuss whether this is a good or bad look and if we think 80's track suits are next on the fashion comeback list. God, I hope so. Imagine the comfort. ;)

xo,

H

 

Bunting Flag Craft

The (p)inspiration:

Source

Supplies:
Canvas (I got 2 packs of 16x20 inch canvases from Hobby Lobby for $7.99)
Scrapbook paper or card stock
Foam brushes
Mod Podge
Scrapbook tape roller
Wine*

*This is optional (but encouraged...duh)

1. Create a stencil to use. I downloaded this free printable, but I wanted to use my own card stock, so I printed one and used it to cut my triangles.

2. One change from the pinterest inspiration I made, was that I didn't like the sharpie line that was used, so I just "freehand" positioned my flags. I thought the layout in the inspiration was cute, so I copied it almost exactly.

3. Once I had everything lined up, I went one by one and used the tape roller to stick the back of each flag to the board. I could still adjust positioning as I went.

4. After I had the layout complete and all of the flags in place, I went to town with Mod Podge and a foam brush. I used a mod podge with a glossy finish and did two coats, just waiting about 15-20 minutes in between. (This is a good time to refill your wine glass if you are partaking. Just FYI, of course.)

5. Admire your work! I let mine dry over night and hung them up first thing the next morning.

Behold my finished product. Ignore that it may or may not be evenly spaced. I hung it myself...and because I'm lazy, I just eyeballed it. Ask me how many nail holes are behind the one on the right.

How many nail holes, you ask? Four. (Don't tell D!)

Grace's room is turning into a fun little playspace for her! It is definitely the most "complete" room in our house. Not sure why it has taken me 3 months to get it together, but it only took the weekend to get all of the finishing touches in place. You got a little sneak peek above...I'll be back later with the rest of it! :)

xo,
H