Thursday, December 22, 2011

marathon

Why is it that when you have one thing to do, a million other things pop up? The Saturday before last was one of those days for husband and I. We started our marathon of par-tays at Natalopalooza's 10th birthday party. Let me just say that I can not believe that my little sister-in-law is already ten years old! Truly she is growing up to be such a beautiful young lady. Second stop was my work Christmas party, which was tough to leave early from because I have such a lovely group of coworkers that I get the pleasure to see everyday that seeing them socially is an even better treat. However we had to hustle downtown to the Red Wing's game for our third stop, to see them win 7-1 over the Winnepeg Jets. The last stop of the night was at the bar for a good friends 40th birthday party. Live music and 40oz beers was the only way to end a busy night.

Natalie is officially 1 decade old!
Go Wings!
40oz to freedom
40oz Colorado Kool-Aids


Sunday was spent with couch cuddles until hubs had a hockey game (they won). After hockey we made Sunday dinner together. These Bloomingburgs make a mean batch of tacos.

couch cuddle master


This weekend was far more tame.  A single party on Friday night at my bestie's house, just a quick four houses down the way.  Saturday and Sunday were slow going and I didn't even so much as get out of my pajamas.  I plan to spend this coming weekend in a similar fashion.  Husband has a few hockey games on Thursday and Friday which are always followed with drinks and good music at our favorite dive bar, Michnos.  Then my boo and I are heading out of town.  This will likely be our last Christmas that will be shared by just us two and we are going to take full advantage of it.  I can't wait to spend lots of alone time with my lover.  It's the quiet weekends that make me the happiest.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

all juiced up

In my lifetime I have tried just about every fad cleanse or detox under the sun.  Sometimes they make me feel good and other times they make me want to kick DJ (or whoever else gets in my way) in the face. 

Last week while reading The Daily Julie, I was introduced to The 3-Day Cleanse.  I was pretty much sold the minute I saw the word "cleanse".  To boot, it's a juice cleanse, giving me a small orgasm over the fact that I get to use my awesome juicer.

I went out and bought the book and read all weekend to see what the cleanse is all about.  On Wednesday night DJ and I hit the grocery store and came home to juice all night.  Fruits, veggies and nuts covered my kitchen island and Bo hid in the bedroom because he hates loud noises.



Thursday was the first day of all juice and I was so full all day I couldn't even drink all the juice!  Day 1 was ultimately a success.  On Friday, Day 2, I felt a little tingly.  I know that sounds weird, but my body was buzzing all day.  It wasn't  a bad feeling and I still wasn't hungry, but I did feel a little loopy. 

Luckily Day 3, was Saturday and I had the day off.  I didn't have to juice anything the night before so the juice was super duper fresh tasting which made it that much more enjoyable.



Overall, I loved this cleanse.  It actually made me feel clean.  My skin without make up was actually glowing all day yesterday.  I thought I would struggle with no solid foods for 3 days but instead I felt full.  It even continued throughout Sunday.  I woke up and made a banana, vanilla, cinnamon juice (I actually felt like this was more of a smoothie because of it's thicker consistency).  I wasn't feeling so ravenous that I HAD to make a big huge meal or anything, instead I was craving more juice.  I craved it so much that I juiced more to sip on through out the day!  I also have been juicing for this whole week.  If you are what you eat then I am turning into the produce section of Kroger.

Friday, December 9, 2011

hazy shade of winter

While I am fully aware of our luck this year with the amount, or lack thereof, of snow we have received,  I am still feeling entitled to a whine and a cry when I have to take extra care balancing on my heels on my out to the car after a mild snow fall.

Despite my hatred for the cold I have the house decorated to the extremes as usual, annoying my husband one twinkling light at a time.  Happy Holidays everyone!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

waiting

Do you every want something so badly it makes your whole body ache?   Not just a want, an all consuming need for this very something.  I have the ache right now and the wait is unbearable.  Truly unbearable.  Two more days until I will know whether my want will have to wait or not. 

Tonight though I will just have to survive the wait, while I eat dinner prepared by husband.  He's too good to me that wonderful husband of mine.

sweet potato & chicken wrap - oh yum


Fingers crossed and wishes being made...

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

an organized mess

I have a ritual at the start of each spring and fall season.  I literally empty every closet, drawer and container in the house and sort through my clothes.  I toss, donate and organize each piece of clothing.  It's chaotic to say the least and it takes days.  I am mid-chaos and I am swimming in a sea of clothing.  Together my husband and I have too many clothes.  TOO MANY!

a very tiny portion of the stacks and piles 

 The only benefit is to this ritual is finding hidden gems along the way that we both had previously forgotten about.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

turkey bender

I don't know about you but I am fighting some serious hangovers...turkey hangover...sweet potato casserole hangover...stuffing hangover...pecan pie hangover...you get the idea.  The family was over on Turkey day and even though the ham was a little late to the party (sometimes I forget things) dinner was fan-fricken-tastic. 

We all ate, drank and laughed all afternoon, watched the Detroit Lions lose, and planned our attack on Black Friday sales amongst the ads.  It was the exact way I like to spend my very favorite holiday of the year.

{apron: anthropologie}


A few friends stopped by after dinner time and we watched "Home Alone" while we swapped holiday stories and prepared to embark on our shopping excursion.  The shopping plan did not exactly pan out accordingly (people are wacky), but we did walk away with some steals and deals and were home from shopping by 2am.  We went home and slipped into a food coma.  The perfect end to a very relaxing holiday.

The remainder of the weekend was just as relaxing and yummy.  I do believe I ate my way from one day to the next and that would be the reason we are headed to get a new treadmill last Monday.  It was ended on Sunday with my baby Bella Rue's 3rd birthday.  Her and Bo got some sweet treats.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

fancy nancy

I'm thankful today for my incredible mama.  She is the sweetest, most incredible woman you could ever meet and by far the most selfless.  She puts everyone's wants and needs far before her own.  I could not be luckier and I am reminded everyday just how special she is.  I'm thankful that when I'm sick or sad she has a very specific remedy to cure my ailments...soup and socks.  With out fail it cheers me up and I start to feel better.  (she will bring them to you too to make you feel better) Also, I'm so proud of her for going back to school and working so hard to get her degree.  You are amazing mama bear, I love you.
favorite picture of mama and baby me
 
Happy Turkey Day Eve! 

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

the better half



Today I'm thankful for the brightest star in my life, my husband.  I literally am amazed at how awesome he is everyday.  Despite his toe tingling fear of getting up on the roof and putting up Christmas lights, he marched up the wobbly ladder and hopped up there and practically hung upside down over the edge to hang the lights exactly where I wanted them this weekend.  (and they look so good!)  Thanks husband, for being so rad.  I love you.

Monday, November 21, 2011

hallelujah

I'm going to tell you all the things I am thankful for this week in honor of the best holiday of the year.  Thanksgiving!!  And today I am thankful for all of my good karma.  I put out a lot of good and I am always grateful when I get even a little bit back.

image via


Remember when I told you last Monday that I had lost my brand new lip stain the very day after I purchased it??  Well, I came into work last Thursday morning in a rush.  I am perpetually running two minutes late.  I could leave five minutes earlier than normal or even five minutes later than normal and I will still be two minutes late.  Anyway, I arrived in my usual hurry, parked, locked my car, pulled out my work keys and ran to the door.  About four hours later I got ready to head out to lunch.  I grabbed my purse and didn't see my keys.  I had a twinge of nervousness because I am famous for locking my keys in my car.  I definetly remembered locking my car though with the button.  I searched through all the same pockets again and still nothing.  I grabbed my coat and checked the pockets, opened my desk drawers and then spiraled into full blown panic.  I started sweating, my face and chest got red and blochy.  Ok, one more double check in my purse pockets...and I discover a HOLE!  A relatively small hole in the lining where all my belongings have been falling and disapearing into.  Low and behold I had lost all sorts of things and I had no idea.  More importantly though I found my brand new lip stain and I could officially stop cursing the waitress at the bar that I had previously been certain had stolen my dropped lip fancy.

Monday, November 14, 2011

monday morsels: places to go - people to see

I just hate Mondays.  Period.  They are no (zero - zilch) fun and it would be better if I could just skip past this day all together.  End rant.


Despite my case of the Mondays, I did have another good weekend.  Hockey, music and bars with friends.  (only a few hours were spent raking up the remaining leaves that last weeks wind and s**w set free on my lawn)  I also was asked to do something really fun on my blog that I absolutely can't wait to share with you.  It's so exciting.  Stay tuned...

HIGHS
* DJ won his hockey game on Friday and tied on Sunday.  No losses!!
* Michnos juke box.  I spent 3 nights in a row at the best dive bar, listening to the best music.
* The Hounds Below at PJ's Lager House in downtown Detroit.
* Having Friday off of work for Veteran's Day.  Yay!
* Circuit Training on Hines Drive and stopping in to Nankin Mills to visit the beasts from the Rouge River.
* Veteran's Day sales makes for good shopping.
* Fixing the washing machine.
Aww

Shopping scores

The beginning of a long night, but I am wearing vintage Chanel :)

PJ's Lager House mosh pit divider


LOWS
* Hangovers
* Snow flurries and wind.
* Losing a brand new lip stain that I had just purchased the night before.
* Cleaning my house on Wednesday, just for it to be dirty again by Sunday night.
* Missing a thin strip of hair on your legs when you shave in a hurry (or when you're supremely hungover)
My hangover helper


Goodbye Monday.  I hate you.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

guilty

I had the day off today!! Yay!  I slept in, cleaned the house, worked out on Hines Drive with my bff and painted my nails.  While painting my nails I found this video and both laughed and felt a little bit of shame at the same time.  Happy Hump Day! Enjoy!

Monday, November 7, 2011

monday morsels



Blah blah , it's the start of another work week so let me tell you about our peaks and valleys over the past few weeks.

HIGHS
* Meeting Casey from Alpha Rev! A few Saturdays back, David James and I hit up Goodnight Gracie's in Royal Oak for an Austin, Texas based band on the recommendation of my favorite Austin couple, the Worlow's. Check out their website and listen to some GOOD music!
* Cider slush. Need I say more?
* My husband knows me too well and when I asked him to get me some Nutella, he didn't bring me back the whimpy, small container and got me the big daddy size. Awww.
* The Drive Soundtrack rocking my workouts right now.
* Halloween candy.
* Getting to see my lovely life long friends Megan and Rachel for Megan's baby shower.  
* Instagram. Words With Friends.  Hanging With Friends. I'm obsessed.  Really any app that I was jealous   of pre-IPad.
* Starbucks salted caramel mocha
* Having an awesome woman come over and give the ladies and I facials on a Sunday afternoon.
* The new show Once Upon a Time! Eeek, I love a good fairy tale.
* Boots and tights weather.
* It being perfectly acceptable to start putting up Christmas decorations now that it's November!
{Sunglasses: Marc Jacobs // Sweater: Vintage // Dress: Pitaya // Tights: Vera Wang // Belt: Express // Purse: Express // Boots: Vintage}
{ Shirt: Vintage Levis // Jeans: Levis // Shoes:  Vans }


LOWS
* Working the first half of a few Saturdays in a row. Boo hoo!
* Halloween candy ruining my diet.
* DJ and I coming down with the sickness.  Cough, cough, whine, whine.
* Our washing machine breaking.  This was clearly my karma for letting the laundry get out of control.
* Telling DJ that I have never watched Star Wars and now being forced to watch all six.
* Working on the lawn and raking never ending amounts of leaves.

Raking leaves all day makes me thirsty.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

sometimes you feel like a blog, sometimes you don't

I'm coming to terms with the fact that I am not the best a keeping up with this here blog.  I don't know why it seems like such a chore some days to come home after work and tell you about my day or weekend, but damn sometimes I'd rather play with my babes and kiss my hubby.

Monday was Halloween!  Sunday night DJ and I hurried out before his hockey game to get our grocery shop on and made sure to get 3 bags of delicious snack size candy for all of our trick or treaters.  I got out of work around 5 and hurried home to prepare for all the children and their cuteness.  I changed into my jammies, put dinner in the oven and waited...and waited...and waited.  NOTHING! Not a single trick or treater.  I mean I know our neighborhood is small, but there are a lot of kiddos.  We've been in the same neighborhood for about three years now,  (yes we bought a house in the same neighborhood we were already living in because we loved in that much) and we've literally seen these kids grow.  How could they hose us on the joy of passing out candy?  Not to mention, now I'm stuck with a bowl full of awesome candy that taunts me.  I swear I could actually hear it whisper, "Laura" from the kitchen, while I was watching tv in the bedroom.

this once had a much larger variety

Saturday, October 22, 2011

a lifetime of cozy

Saturday night is getting real wild over here.  A total of four Lifetime movies and some diet mountain dew.


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

coolest chickadee

I have watched this and giggled so many times this week, it's ridiculous.  Also maybe I'm a bit jealous of this little cutie patootie's rap skills, yo.

it's only rock and roll but i like it

I have been trying to put this post together over the past few weeks so anyways let me get down to biz-nass.  A few weekends back, the mister and I went to MI Fest in Brooklyn, MI out at Michigan International Speedway.  This was the first year they put it on and although there were some things that I hope they do differently come next year, (crossing my fingers there will be a next year) it was super rad.  There were two stages total and the music was a mix of rock, rap and country.  The small stage held lesser known (by no means less talented) acts like The Black Belles and Black Milk and the main stage held the big dogs like Sheryl Crow and The Raconteurs.

Jack White - Black Milk - Sheryl Crow

Besides music, MI Fest included vendors and artists hawking their merchandise and work and if you were smart enough to purchase VIP tickets (like ourselves) you got to enjoy 3 free drinks from a stocked bar (although the line was awful) and really yummy food that they rotated all day long. 

{side note - If they do put this on again next year, seriously splurge for the VIP tickets, you get closer access to the main stage, free food and free drinks.  In the long run you save money and get a much closer view of your favorite band or performer.}






{Jacket: Bitten // Maxi Dress: Gap// Necklace: Express// Sunglasses: Marc Jacobs}
{Jacket: H&M // Shirt: Urban Outfitters // Jeans: Levis // Cowboy Boots: Custom}


All in all, I had the best time.  The atmosphere was fun and the weather was perfect.

Monday, October 10, 2011

monday morsels

I can't say enough good things about this weekend.  It was lovely.  If you haven't been following, then let me catch you up to speed.  It was our one year anniversary yesterday and my husband is the best.  I've been whining lately about his lack of romantic skills and boy did he kill it this weekend.  Sweets, treats and surprises reminded me how lucky I am.  Friday and Saturday were just for husband and I, but Sunday was shared with friends.  The weather was incredible.  I told my un-wed girlfriends to take note that this weekend seems to be the most gorgeous weekend for weather in the fall. 

1 down 100 to go
 I'm thrilled to be happily married still after one year.  I think it is such an accomplishment with how short people's marriages are these days.  I definitely believe that the first year is the toughest and with all the changes that my hubby and I had I think that we can say with out a shadow of a doubt that we had a tough first year.  However, we went through it and came out stronger, happier and more in love than ever before.  Yesterday DJ said to me, "I can honestly say that I love you more today than I did one year ago, and last year I didn't even think that would be possible."  (I melted)  The thing is that I know exactly what he means.  I feel the same way.  He has never failed me.  In seven years he continues to make my life better on a daily basis.  I'm not saying we have a perfect marriage, but I am saying that it's pretty great.

Penn Bar with friends before the Chili Cookoff

loves 

Sunday, October 9, 2011

time for a love story

SHE was a hopeless romantic, waiting for her prince charming to sweep her off her feet.  HE was a wild card that had no plans of settling down...until he met her.  They were the definition of opposites, but in the best of ways.  She kept him grounded and he helped her let loose.  And over the course of many years she and he grew in many ways, but the most important way was from boyfriend and girlfriend to husband and wife. 



Today, October 9, 2011, marks she and he's one year anniversary of marriage.  A small but significant mile marker in a long and blissful life together.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

gunning for ya

I'm sick this week.  Like real sick.  Went to the hospital kind of sick.  So all I have to say is, since it's Thursday, my favorite tv show day...
 

 
I love me some Project Runway.  Happy Friday Eve!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

dally in the alley

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This past Saturday DJ and I went to Dally in the Alley which is a street fair in downtown Detroit that features local vendors and music.  It's a great way to open your ears to new up and coming bands and musicians, uncover lots of vintage treasures and find some rad custom "Detroit" paraphernalia.

snake wrangler
LPs $1
we came to see The Hounds Below
we came...we saw...we conquered

Until next year Dally.

"When I saw you I fell in love and you smiled because you knew." William Shakespeare

Monday, September 12, 2011

that's amore

We reflected on our first eleven months of marriage on Friday night at dinner at our favorite little Italian place in downtown Plymouth, Nico and Vali.  At this point we visit them so regularly they know us by name.  We ran through the rain drops and sat at our favorite high top table and talked about how much can change in one year, how much we've been through and best yet, how much we've accomplished.  I've said from the beginning that marriage is team work and I swear I found the best team mate possible. 



THE BEST MEATBALLS OF YOUR LIFE!  
more rain...


It was just the start to a busy weekend and today marks the start of a busy week.  Happy Monday suckas!

"Let your past make you better not bitter."

Saturday, September 10, 2011

eleven

It's been eleven months since David James and I tied the knot.  Holy moly.  I can't believe how quickly the first year is going by.  I have been married to my best friend for almost one year and I still feel just as lucky as I did last year on that beautiful day.  I'm forever grateful for him.


"I'll be there for you to wish, to want, to wander, to find the sun through rain and thunder. - Jasmin (Aladdin)

Thursday, September 8, 2011

under my umbrella

It's raining, it's pouring and this old man is snoring.

 Hehe!

The rain has a way of washing all my motivation away.  Everything is gray and it makes me feel blue, but not a pretty blue, more like a washed out faded blue. 



Boogie and I fell asleep last night around 9pm.  No one feels like playing.  So, we called it a night early but not  before making a little comfort food. 



I made delicious chocolate chip cookies while DJ made dinner.  Sometimes I feel guilty when leaving my house messy including dishes in the sink, eating "bad" food, not taking the dogs for a walk and getting into bed before 8pm, but this was not one of those times.  Rain, rain, go away and come back never.

"Everybody wants happiness, nobody wants pain, but you can't have a rainbow without a little rain."