Category Archives: Fashion

A Fabulous, Delicious Weekend

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Hi everyone!! Happy Tuesday and I hope you’re having a great week so far :)

I most definitely am – much better than last week – especially since coming off from such a fabulous, delicious weekend! And with that, let me go ahead and recap it for you all…

As I mentioned in Friday’s post – my sis, her boyfriend, Todd, and I had big plans to all get together to go out to our absolute fav place and get into some shenanigans ;) I’m so bummed I didn’t get many good pics from the night (too busy having fun!), but the evening started off at our place with a champagne toast courtesy from our Chandon shipment and some venison Todd cooked up – it was the actual venison that Todd hunted for while we were back in New York for Thanksgiving. Thoughts? This was my first time trying it and I admit, I wasn’t a huge fan. I’m a huge texture person, so while the flavor was good, the texture just wasn’t my cup of tea – a lil too “gamey” for me. I think for now I’ll stick with the cow…and the thought of eating bambi gets to me…sorry!

Oh and first, can’t leave out a pic of my outfit for the evening!

I have to say – knee high boots (my new ones!), a flowy tank, skinny jeans, and a leather jacket is at the top of my list for all time favorite outfits…

So after our champagne and venison tasting, it was off to B Street & Vine for some more fabulous good times and deliciousness.

Again, didn’t snap any pics except for some of the usual shenanigans that ensued…

in the cab…

And our foodie aftermath…

And the delicious wine that was consumed…****

Saturday was filled with more fabulousness in that I got to spend the day with the lovely Shanna. As always, we had great conversations together and I love spending time with her. I especially couldn’t wait to see her baby’s nursery and I am in love – so precious and it’s just absolutely perfect – hop on over to her blog to get a sneak peek of it in picture and video form :)

So, not only has she reignited the baby fever (that was already) in me, but she also sparked quite the baking and doggie bug in me, so much so that I was about to kidnap her fur baby (absolutely precious!) ;) And then we got into baking up quite the deliciousness…pecan pie cookies!!!

Given the fact that there are now only 4 cookies left in that container goes to show just how delicious they are. And the deliciousness and fun continued onto Starbucks where we got our fav Skinny Peppermint Mocha’s and a special treat of Gingerbread Biscotti that we shared – to which Shanna had the great idea of dipping it into our Mocha’s – amazing. I even had to get it again with Todd on Sunday – I’m hooked.

And Shanna and I had some interesting entertainment at Starbucks in the form of some strange men who kept looking over at us – I said to Shanna I felt like I was in the twilight zone, haha. Do you ever have that where everyone around you is just acting…weird? I blame it on the full moon that made it’s appearance that night ;)

And I have a feeling this delicious trend is going right through into this week since the adorable Ashley and I are doing a little barter.

So in exchange of me sending her a jar of this…

and a new jar of this…

That’s my jar that I made overnight oats in – highly recommended!!

…I’ll be getting some homemade cookies from her – can’t wait! They’re her hubby’s fav and I believe that any cookie that’s favored by the husband is a definite winner in my book ;)

Oh, and can’t forget, I found these beauties while in Mollie Stone’s getting the Biscoff…

I had never tried them before and I’m a definite fan – they’re just as delicious as you’d imagine

It was such a great weekend, a fabulous and delicious one indeed ;)

Hope you’re all having a great day and I’ll see you all back here soon! xo

Questions:
How was your weekend a fabulous or delicious one?
What’s your all-time favorite outfit and what pieces does it consist of that makes it your favorite?

How to Enjoy Holiday Eating, Without Fear

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Happy Wednesday everyone! Hope you’re all having a great week so far :)

Anyone else get a short week this week for Veterans Day?! It’s not a paid company holiday for us but my boss is letting me take it off and I have some major fun planned to boot! Details to come later ;)

With the holiday season gearing up – can you believe Thanksgiving will be here in about 2 weeks?! It brings to me a topic I’ve wanted to talk about that I feel effect many women, either with or without a past of disordered eating. You see it splayed all over the magazines “How to not gain weight this holiday season!” “Ways to keep your waistline in check during the holiday’s!” “How to navigate holiday parties the healthy way!” It all boils down to one thing – how do we maintain our healthy lifestyles while enjoying the indulgent foods this holiday season? It’s a struggle I still deal with and wanted to talk about with you all.

During my eating disordered days and when I was underweight there were a lot of negatives that came with it – lack of energy, lack of confidence, thinning hair, dry skin, nutrient deficiencies, feelings of deprivation and binge eating, etc. But there was one thing that, dare I say it, I did like about it – I could enjoy indulgences without any guilt since I knew in the back of my mind I needed those calories and could afford them. Crazy how the mind works, huh? I’m embarrassed to say it but I’ll be honest here in saying that’s what I liked about being underweight and why I stayed that way for so long. I feared being at a healthy weight because I feared not being able to indulge and do so in a moderate way – and then once at a healthy weight, I feared whether or not I could trust my body in staying there, or would the weight just keep climbing? But to live in fear with my weight and food is no way to live, neither is being underweight.

Through the years of overcoming my disordered eating and gaining to a healthy weight, I learned to trust my body and feel that right now it’s right where it wants to be. And though I’ve overcome a lot of fears through those years, there’s one I still battle with. How to (guilt free) enjoy holiday eating? I know to some it may seem so simple to answer – just enjoy the darn food, it’s the holiday’s, wheeee! Yeah wish it were that easy – with a mind like mine that’s just not the case. It’s still in the back of my mind of how I’m “mindfully” and “intuitively” going to enjoy these foods without fear all while enjoying what matters most during the holiday’s – being with family. And for these next couple months that’s going to be my main goal – to be present and enjoy every second with those I love so much. In the grand scheme of things does it really matter if I gain a couple (or 5!) pounds because I enjoyed delicious holiday foods with family and friends? I think not. Though I do want to remain healthy and exercise this holiday season because that’s what makes me happy (and trust me, you don’t want to see a cranky Shayla) – I also really want to enjoy eating my way through this holiday season, without fear.

I’ve grown and learned so much through this community – it helped me during my darkest days. So now I’d like even more help from you all…

I’d love to know from all you wonderful ladies how do you enjoy holiday eating, without fear/guilt? Do you struggle with it or does it come easy for you? What are your tips for maintaining your healthy lifestyle during this holiday season? Do you let yourself become more lax during the holiday season and board the healthy train come New Year’s?

****

Today I was especially loving my outfit and wanted to share with you all. I was gifted these adorable polka dot tights a couple years ago from my family and I’m just now wearing them!! What took me so long?

Sweater dress – Forever 21; Tights – Hue (Macy’s); Boots- Via Spiga

Do you like polka dots?! Whether they’re in season or not, I love them! :)

And yesterday was a sad day for my tried and true workout companion, who pushes me through a tough workout and gets those endorphins flowin’…Mr. iPod here is done. Gone to iPod heaven. It’s a sad day.

What kind of iPod do you have? And suggestions on what I should get?!

Well everyone, I hope you all have a wonderful day and I’ll see you all back here tomorrow! :)

Indian Foodie Fun & Pinning Addiction

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Hi everyone and happy hump day! Am I the only one who giggles inside when I say or write that…yes I’m 10 years old ;)

So I had quite an interesting morning today. I was all set ready to go, got in the car, started it, and thought…”Ooo! I need to get a pic of my outfit for the blog!” So I turn off the car, leave the keys in the ignition (you know where this going), close the door, run upstairs, take picture, go back downstairs, and with my luck, car is locked. Yes, I locked myself out of my car. Sweet! And of course my purse and cell phone are in the car too and we don’t have a land line – awesome. Thankfully I noticed my sweet next door neighbor was home so I was able to use her phone to call my mom to bring me my extra set of car keys (no I didn’t have one at home, and yes now I do – thanks mom!), and called work to tell them I’d be late. Phew! That was a way to start off a morning! Have any of you done that before? I have one other time…in high school I locked the keys in the trunk and my parents saved the day for me that time too :)

And here’s the infamous photo that caused me to lock my keys in my car…at least it was worth it ;)

Sweater Dress – Express; Boots – MK; Tights – H&M; Belt – Express

So I’m super excited for tonight…I get to meet up with the fabulous, sweet, gorgeous Shanna again! I had mentioned to her the last time we were together that I love trying different ethnic foods, but never have experienced Indian food, so Shanna knew to make that happen for me and in her words “is taking me to the dark side” tonight ;) We’re going to All Spice (click here for the menu) and I can already tell you how excited I am since the food sounds simply amazing and delicious and I’ll be in great company…and to top it off we have big plans to end it with fro yo…sounds like a perfect delicious night to me! :)

So have any of you experienced yet the amazingness of Pinterest? Well if you haven’t, you must now. I have been seeing recently all over the blog world and Facebook many people raving all that is Pinterest and I have to admit at first I was a bit skeptical and thought “is it really all it’s hyped up to be?” But let me tell you, it definitely owns up to all the hype. My lovely friend/coworker got me to sign up and showed me the ropes of how to “pin” and after 15 minutes of pinning, I was instantly addicted. There’s so much great inspiration throughout and it’s like a vortex that sucks you right in…so if you haven’t signed up yet, I highly recommend that you do. And if you want to follow me or check out my boards, click on the red widget on the right sidebar that says “Follow Me On Pinterest” and it’ll take you to my page. Happy Pinning! :)

Questions:
Have you ever locked yourself out of your car? How did get bailed out?
Have you ever tried Indian food before? What’s your favorite dish to order?
Are you on Pinterest? If so, let me know so I can start following you!

Friday Lovin’

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Happy TGIF everyone! Hope you’re all having a great start to your Friday :)

I loved hearing all your seasonal cravings from Wednesday’s post…seems like we’re all in the same boat of having cravings for certain foods during each season. Right now, the majority of everyone’s cravings during the fall/winter seasons are warm comforting foods such as oatmeal, chili, soup, and stews…and seasonal fruits and vegetables such as squashes, apples, and the one and only, pumpkin!!! :)

First and foremost, I have to give a big, warm, heartfelt birthday wish to give to my lovely and amazing mother-in-law…HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHEILA!! <3

So there are a couple of things I’m loving today…last night I made another epic cheese and egg sandwich for the hubby and I…

With a lil of this action going on in the background…

I <3 Jorge…

Sadly they lost, boooo. And I think Todd woke up with a sore throat this morning with all the yelling he was doing at the T.V. ;)

I’m also lovin’ this new cereal I picked up recently from Safeway…

Along with this new milk I spotted there too…I love getting any chance I can to get in more Omega 3′s and DHA in my diet…

It’s a bit on the pricey side but I recommend getting it not only for the nutrients, but the flavor has a slight sweetness to it that is really delicious :)

I incorporated both those new items in this mornings first breakfast…at the ungodly hour of 4:30am…at least having this breakfast to look forward to makes it all worth it…

After the gym this morning (30 min. elliptical, 30 min. strength training session), I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few essentials and right when I walked in these beauties caught my eye…

I love buying flowers for myself…just looking at them makes me happy :)

And I had to pick up this lil guy too…ain’t he cute?!

This morning as I was getting ready for the gym I really started craving overnight oats to have for after my workout, and with these cooler temps, I knew I would feel like something more heartier than my usual smoothie…so with me realizing this at 5am and knowing my second breakfast would be at 9am, I gave the “overnight oats” a try with only 3.5 hours in the fridge…

And you know what…it worked!

1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup 2% milk, 1/3 cup 2% Fage Greek Yogurt, 1 tsp. Chia Seeds, 1 tbsp. Sunflower Butter, 1 sliced banana, and handful Peanut Butter Puffins

They were just as perfect as the real deal…so if you ever get a hankering for overnight oats the day of, know you can still create them with only 3 (maybe even less?) hours in the fridge :)

I’m also still lovin’ that it’s finally boot season and my fall pieces are back in my weekly rotation – leggings, boots, and oversize sweaters…other days I’ll do sweater dresses :)

Sweater – Forever 21; Leggings – H&M; Slouchy Boots – Via Spiga

And last but certainly not least…I am absolutely lovin’ and excited for tomorrow…it’s Part 2 of our Anniversary celebration in which we’ll be on the Hornblower Cruise hosted by Chandon, all while viewing the Fleet Week Blue Angels show…

And here’s a fun clip of the show from last year’s event…be sure to watch at 1:27 and onward – amazing!!

Questions:
Any fun plans for today or this weekend?!
Have you ever been on a Hornblower Cruise before?
Do you like to buy flowers for yourself to brighten your day?
Does your S.O. ever yell at the television like they’re able to hear? ;)

Job Satisfaction

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Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! Today I’ve been full of reflections since today marks my one year anniversary of my position here as an Office Manager. I still can’t believe it’s been a year already and I’m, how should I put it, relieved to say I’m still happy at my job and it really has been a pleasure working here. Completely stress-free (which is ideal for me), my co-workers are genuinely nice and enjoyable to work with, and I only have a 10 minute commute. And it’s a nice commute at that, I get to drive along the bay and there’s barely any traffic, which also enables me to drive home for my lunch break to do laundry and eat lunch…so I’m definitely very lucky with that set up ;)

However, my one year anniversary of employment here got me thinking, is this where I see myself in 5, 10 years? I honestly have no clue, and I wish I could say I have these huge career ambitions and aspirations, but to be honest my true passion in life is to be a mother and to help other people. I don’t aspire to make 6 figures, I don’t want to be the SVP of a multi-million dollar corporation, and I don’t want to be the one who calls the shots for the company. And I’m not discounting any of these things, if you’re that type I fully commend you and give you major props, but that’s just not who I am. I thrive off of a stress free environment, I look for a career and company that promotes a work-life balance, and I simply want to be happy.

To me, being happy is taking care of my family, our future children, and to help other people, that’s what truly fulfills me in life. And I think that’s just what I found here in this lil hobby of mine…this blog. At first I wanted to work in the fashion industry, and when I did for 5+ years, I realized it was too stressful, I wasn’t happy, and I just couldn’t survive in that type of environment. Then I wanted to become a nutritionist to help those with eating disorders, and then I wanted to be a personal trainer (though I was a group instructor!) to help those achieve their fitness goals and reach out to women who may be struggling with overexercising. But after 5+ years of college I just didn’t have the fire in me to go back to school, and at 28 years old I was ready to find a job that paid the bills, was stress free, and gave me a work-life balance, which I’m happy to say I’ve found here.

But one thing is missing in this job, passion. So 6 months ago, I nervously yet excitedly, started this lil blog of mine. And what I did find through this blog, is that I can reach out to those women who currently or have had those particular issues. And though I can’t give certified nutritional or exercise advice, I can at least let women out there know they’re not alone in those struggles. And in sharing my experiences, I could perhaps help but just one person, as bloggers did for me. And when I started my blog I didn’t know at the time I had HA, but a month later when I was diagnosed with it, I realized that this may be something many other women are dealing with and are feeling alone in…I know I have at times. And though frustrating and difficult it has been to deal with, it’s given this blog another meaning in my hopes to help other women know they’re not alone in this and that any type of fertility issue, or eating and exercise struggles, can be overcome.

So though my career may not be my “dream” job, it at least checks off my top priorities in job satisfaction of it having a work-life balance, stress free, and having awesome co-workers, not to mention it pays the bills and provides great health insurance. But to keep that fire in me at the end of the day, I at least have this blog to fulfill my passion of helping others and giving me something that no other job could give, an amazing community of all you inspiring women who I’ve loved meeting and getting to know since the day I started this blog. And though it doesn’t pay me a dime, it at least checks off that one last priority on my list for job satisfaction – passion :)

****

This morning as I was eating my first breakfast of Kashi Go Lean Cereal, I had remembered that I wanted to prep overnight oats last night to enjoy for my second breakfast at work…but of course, I forgot! So after the gym I made the next best thing, smoothie! Only this time I added this special lil fall inspired treat to it…

Final product…

1 cup 2% Milk, 2 tbsp. Pumpkin Cream Cheese, 1 frozen banana, 1 tsp. xanthan gum, 1 packet NuNaturals Stevia

And today’s outfit was entirely inspired but the lovely Shanna and I owe my first boot outfit of the season to her. Before I got ready this morning I read her post about her first boot outfit of the season and that inspired me right away to break out my boots and sweater dress, thanks girl!

Sweater dress – French Connection; Boots – Via Spiga…seriously, nothing is more comfortable than that outfit, yay for fall fashion! :)

Questions:
What is your current job right now?
What means job satisfaction for you?
Where do you see yourself in 5, 10 years?