Tuesday Happenings

A Bulleted List of Happenings:

1. Thanksgiving was awwwkward, my family sat in a room together for four hours and stared at the wall. Holidays were so much more fun when I was younger but now they're really just boring to me. It's sad that the holidays are a drag but my family isn't really close so our gatherings aren't as meaningful as I'd like them to be. On the other hand, I hope you all had an amazing holiday. I've read some of your recaps and seen pictures- there are some seriously good cooks out there in blog world. 

2.  I'm mailing my "How the Glitz Stole Christmas" gift today! This is my first blogger swap, hosted by Raven & Lindsey...I'm really excited! This feels like a little piece of Christmas before the actual day, and in my opinion, stretching Christmas out can never be a bad thing. My swap partner is Emily at "And I'm the Lucky Mommy"- go check out her blog!

3. I went to The Limited on Saturday to buy ONE DRESS. I ended up walking out of the store with a pair of earrings, a scarf, three shirts, and a dress...all for $30 more than the dress itself. Everything in the store was 40% off, INCLUDING CLEARANCE so how could I resist? I got some Christmas shopping done so it wasn't all for me! 

4. I'm seriously considering selling my tablet/docking station and buying a laptop. At this point, I would almost splurge for a Mac. When I bought my tablet I was told that if I downloaded a couple apps, it would run just like a laptop and everything would be the same. It's not. It takes FOREVER to upload videos, the keyboard is super touchy, it doesn't work like a computer and the version of Office I downloaded isn't true "Office". So, I'm asking for help again! I need computer recommendations or a way to make this tablet work like it should. Is anyone out there techy?Can we do a Skype sesh so I don't lose my mind on technology? 

5. I promise to get back to blog commenting this week...the holidays really throw things out of whack!

XO,

Leigh

I Still Love You

I am so sorry. 
We haven't chatted in a while, no? 


Life is cray.
School is cray.
And I picked up a ton of nannying hours this week. 


Did you all have  good Thanksiving?
Did you go shopping today?
I am working today and shopping tomorrow- finishing up Christmas shopping! 


I will be back tomorrow or Sunday with news, or a joke, or something to chat about. 


XO
Leigh

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time

Hi lovies,

I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but I can't help gearing up for Christmas. I feel like Christmas lasts an entire month, there are so many more festivities and parties to go to and it's just a BLAST. I bought a new ornament for my tree yesterday, some sparkly candles and some ornaments that are going to turn into a DIY craft.

This December I'm...

-getting three and a half weeks off school

-seeing an amazing Christmas play at a local church

-hosting a Christmas party

-hosting a holiday dinner

-seeing my sissy and her new baby!

I'm going to try to find a couple wine tastings to go to and maybe spend a couple nights at the comedy club. It's so hard to find things to do in Michigan in the winter that aren't boring or outdoors. I HATE being cold, and getting soaking wet/snow in my boots, gloves and coat (aka any outdoor activity) is not really my thing. I'm staying indoors thank you!

Here are a couple things I'm wishing for this Christmas...

Kate Spade Twirl This perfume is amazing! It came as a sample in my Birchbox this month and I am in love. Finally something I am not allergic to and something that doesn't smell like pure sugar.

Keurig I already HAVE a Keurig...a single cup one that works perfectly, but I really want this one because you can select the cup size and it holds up to 8 cups of water at once I think. If I find a chunk of change on the ground, maybe I'll spend it on this!

I forgot a link for this one (I think BB&B) but I am dying for a Tempurpedic pillow. My current pillows are actually pretty old and uncomfortable. I totally believe in the power of a good nights sleep and this pillow would help me do such!

UGGs I have some black EMU brand boots but they're two years old and in Michigan that means the bottoms are worn down, they're covered in salt and the leg part is all slouchy. Warm boots are a necessity for every winter!

A Pedi in This Room! This is the most amazing room for pedicres I have ever seen. I would fall asleep in one of those chairs. I don't even know where this spa is, but, every Christmas I ask for a gift card to my salon so I can at least get one free haircut and pedi a year :)

What are you wishing for this Christmas? What are your December plans?

XO,

Leigh

Blogger Favorites

I spent a majority of last weekend shopping online, mostly for Christmas gifts. I really wanted to spend my money through stores that are run independently or by bloggers. I think this is a great way to boost our economy a little bit and support people who own their own business. Here are a couple of the shops I ordered from...

Fetch & Co. is run by Ashley over at Adventures of Newlyweds. All the proceeds from your purchases will go to get her sweet dog Bella surgery on her knee. There are some seriously cute mugs and bracelets in her shop!

I ordered this mug- it's on it's way to my house! In case you didn't know, I'm a cat lady...haha!

This bracelet is ADORABLE...if it were the least bit warm/summery/sunny here, I would snatch this up in a heartbeat! I love turquoise so much- one of my favorite colors.

Secondly I ordered some beautiful earrings from Elisabeth Ashlie jewelry. Elisabeth Ashlie is run by Kate and her sister. The earrings I ordered aren't up anymore (obviously), but I'm thinking about ordering this today. The earrings arrived yesterday and they are BEAUTIFUL.

Lastly, Megan over at Style Me Swanky is hosting a giveaway! The prize is a pair of earrings and a pashmina scarf of your choice from Yours Truly. Their dresses are beautiful- and so versatile, visit their website even if you don't enter the giveaway. ;-) The giveaway runs until tomorrow (Sunday) evening.

Have a good weekend, lovies!

XO,

Leigh

How the Glitz Stole Christmas

I'm participating! You have until this Friday to sign up!

http://www.amommasdesiresandpacifiers.com/

http://thebargainblonde.blogspot.com/

Pinterest Love

Here are some of my favorite pins since I'm at work until 11:30 and I don't want to start homework yet :) I don't actually have a Pinterest account but I do spend all my free time a few minutes every day looking through the pages.

I only wish it were warm enough to wear this!

Truth.

Michigan :)

Questions: What are you up to this weekend? What are you up to this November?

While I Was Gone...

• psychology test- nailed it- 84%, not as good as I had hoped, but I have an 86% in the class
• math test- also nailed it- 85%
• interview got rescheduled...nervous, need to rehearse some questions and objectives/goals
• celebrated my little girl's {not actually mine, but...I've been her nanny for forever, so...} birthday 
• spent my life savings at Target {standard}

This Week....

• ahead on math and psychology
• homemade cinnamon rolls
• FINALLY my interview on Friday
• hopefully some serious blogging/pictures
• working 42 hours...

I know bullet points are no substitution for actual sentences and paragraphs. I spent the majority of this weekend working and out of town-ish. It's hard to find a chunk of time to devote to le bloggy.

XO,

Leigh

This Week...

• making pot roast, mashed potatoes and green beans for my daddy
• reviewing lots of information for a psychology test
• interviewing for an internship
• spending some time in the warm sun & breeze
• spending extra time with my little girl- {library or toddler play place date}
• girls night 

this survey from life is a sunset

1.  Nothing says fall like a Starbucks run, lazy weekends at the cider mill, and football <3

2.  My favorite autumnal tradition is: I don't have one! Perhaps it's time to start one?

3.  My favorite fall treat is: anything involving apple or pumpkin

4. Fall makes me think of: winter that's on it's way :(

5.  Autumn free form word association, go! leaves, scarf, boots, skinny jeans, Starbucks PSL, crock pot food

6.  My go-to outfit in the fall is: dark jeans, a v-neck and a scarf

7.  My favorite fall holiday is (Halloween or Thanksgiving): Thanksgiving- I actually don't like Halloween that much...

Least Techy...

About a month ago, I bought an Asus tablet and docking station to replace my laptop. It was old and dying. I couldnt figure out how to work my tablet so I barely used it for almost a month, Last night my Dell finally died...so here I am. No pictures, no files, no music on my new tablet. Starting all over....Im still getting used to my touch screen and figuring out what apps I need so I can do school on this as well.

What tablet do you have? What apps are necessary? I don't play games so Angry Birds probably won't be downloaded....:-)

Also I am trying to figure out new bloggy layouts/designs and how to add buttons/Twitter link/Facebook link. Can anyone help? I am probably the least techy person to ever enter blog world but I'm TRYING.

Thursday Things

1. Going to bed at 9pm on Wednesday means you WILL be up at 4am, and unable to go back to sleep. Also, this one night out of the week, your neighbor will be snoring so obnoxiously loud that it keeps you up even longer...which is why I am sitting here at 4:45am...

2. I didn't buy those chairs from IKEA. To be honest the price was a little ridiculous (300 each) to me at this point in my life. I bought two chairs that I LOVE from Target, and they were on discount. I got two side chairs for less than the price of ONE IKEA chair. My living room is painted a cream color (it's actually coconut milk) and my tables/ottoman are espresso, so brown furniture works great. I think they tie the room together and make it look a little happier. 

3. I haven't been working a ridiculous amount any more- bittersweet. I find myself wasting time since I get Mondays, most of Wednesdays, and Saturdays off. On the other hand, I'm finally relaxing and getting things done around my house. This summer, I got ONE day on the boat with my boyfriend (now ex...) and a QUICK weekend to see my best friend get married. I checked the calendar at work and we only have 9 events in November so I'm thinking of making a trip somewhere! Where should I go, ladies? I'm thinking somewhere semi-warm and making it a mini road trip.

4. I'm making homemade stir fry tonight- is it sad that I'm excited about that? Everyone on Food Network makes it look so easy and ordering food is no bueno for my waistline or budget, so, here goes nothing! I'm trying to get more into cooking at home and figuring out some recipes I can make quickly after a long day at work/school.

Dinner!

XOXO

 

Coffee & Oatmeal...

The title of this post has absolutely nothing to do with the content of said post, but I thought you'd like to know what I had for breakfast. At 10:30am, which is technically not breakfast time...whatevs.

Borrowed this from Leigh Ann- do it too!

Favorite smells:

Hot coffee in the AM

Oatmeal when it's cold

Cookies/Brownies/Cupcakes in the oven

Favorite words:

dossier

absolutely

really

Favorite sounds:

silence

the ocean

laughter

Favorite foods:

fruits

Greek salad

sweet treats- never store bought or artificial, REAL, homemade treats

Brah.

Bro Tips

Neither Reese or I are a bro, but, these were too good not to share.

Week:

-Kitten to the vet

-Libby to the vet

-D's volleyball game (I used to BABYSIT her)

-school

-nannying

-being fantastic

-FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY OFF

I am spending half of the day Friday or Saturday doing NOTHING. We are talking pajamas, wine, movie, relaxing. That's all I want to do! I might even go get a pedi at some point.

XO,

Leigh

Tonight!

So I had an entire (well, half) of a post typed up yesterday and my tablet wouldn't let me type anymore on it- so frustrating! It's for the better,, though, because it was all whiny and Debbie-downer of me. I don't want to be like that- even though I know we ALL have days like that!This post is going to be super random because I have a lot of things to tell you guys but I can't formulate a thought right now- ha!

In other news...the reason Reese and I were gone last week is BECAUSE a) I was sick as death, b) I was behind on school, c) we had an event to cater, d) Reese went out of town. Last week was NUTS. 

The SURPRISE that I told you about two or three times is that Reese and I are opening up our own business! We have been talking about it for some time now- almost a year, and with the end of school fast approaching, we figured there's no better thing to do. We're going to be making cupcakes and cookies for student organizations on campus and also small local events- birthday parties, girls nights, etc. We made up some business cards and have been handing them out. We did our first event last week- 60 cupcakes! We are in the process of making up a menu and price list- hopefully by the end of October this will be all done. I'm thinking our next step needs to be making up a portfolio and doing some more marketing. 

I found the bed and side chairs I want at IKEA yesterday! There is one about 30 minutes from me so in a couple weeks I am going to buy my bed! The chairs are $600 so those are going to have to wait for another month or so- sigh. I never realized how much money it costs just to be a grown up and have things like REAL furniture in your house. The chairs are a chocolate brown which will go nicely with my couch and all the espresso colored furniture in my house...

Alright ladies that's really all I have for you ladies- but we are still here and checking blogs often!

Questions: What's your favorite flavor cupcake? Have you ever bought furniture from IKEA- thoughts?

XO,

Leigh

I promise....

..to tell you guys some stuff tonight. Last week was crazy and school is consuming Reeses' ('s?) and my life. I had a post all made up for yesterday and my new tablet wouldn't let me type on it anymore- I will start over tonight :)

XO
Leigh

Sunday Morning

Unfortunately I'm spending my Sunday working, but, there's quite a bit of downtime on the weekends, so I take it easy. I'm making a crock pot full of chili tonight- fall is officially here!

This is obviously my mug of coffee because I spend time perfecting my latte art.  

Browsing...I wish I were as crafty as some of these people!

Reading secrets- I absolutely love Post Secret.
Link Link Link

This week for Reese and I:-working out! Reese hurt her neck this week so we skipped Thursday of this week
-lots of class and schleping across campus

-nannying

-student government/meetings/official things :)

-decorating for fall and baking delicious things

Our surprise is coming later this week! We are just dying to tell you but need to be together to post it!

Questions for you:

What's your favorite part of fall? What do you usually do on Sundays?

 

Sunday Updates!

I'm so happy Reese is back- on the blog and in Michigan! Now our blog can have a little more focus and we can start tag-teaming posts again. School is officially in full swing, football season has started, and we are having a blast! Reese and I have a surprise but we can't tell you for another week- so check back then!

Reese and I are both bound and determined to get healthy this year. It's neither of our goals to drop serious weight or become vegan- nothing extreme, but we are both making small changes and I can speak for us both when I say we feel better already. I just wanted to tell the few things I'm doing that have made a BIG change. I started back in August doing one new healthy thing a week. I knew I would get overwhelmed if I started doing everything at once and this way I had a full week to adjust to my new habit before adding in something new.

1. Take a multivitamin every morning. I take a prenatal vitamin but that's just my personal pick. Mine are Meijer brand so it doesn't need to be anything expensive. I'm all for getting all my nutrients through "real" food but that's near impossible and since I don't really eat dairy, I'm lacking in Vitamin D and Calcium anyways. 

2. Drink a glass of water every morning (I take mine with my vitamin). Our bodies are mostly water- so it makes sense for us to stay hydrated! Drinking a glass of water every morning makes me feel more awake. There are days where this ends up being the only water I drink- so at least I know I had that ONE glass. I'm trying to carry a water bottle with me more but I forget a lot...

3. Go semi-vegetarian. I know I could never be a vegan or even a 100% vegetarian so I'm just cutting back on all my animal products. My morning smoothies are now made with coconut milk and soy yogurt. I only eat meat at one meal a day and I haven't had red meat in weeks. Do I miss eating meat? No. Do I feel healthier? Yes. Have I eliminated that 'after meal coma'? Yes. Are my jeans looser? Yes.

4. Make a smoothie every morning and eat fruit for a morning snack. This is an EASY way to get some fruits and veggies in! My smoothies are 1 cup of fruits (whatever you want), 1 cup of spinach, coconut milk, soy yogurt, and a scoop of protein powder. I usually bring applesauce to school because it's easy to eat but this way I know I've gotten at LEAST 2.5 cups of fruits a day.

5. MOVE. Reese and I just started working out together and we're really pushing ourselves and staying motivated. We typically walk/jog a mile, do weights, a mat workout, and 20 minutes on the elliptical. I actually really like jogging so sometimes when Reese does mat I'll go jog a couple more laps. LET ME TELL YOU...I do NOT move fast, I do not end up dripping in sweat, I do not kill myself- but I DO push myself, I DO work up a sweat, I DO feel sore the next day! That's what matters!

So tell us- what do you do to make yourself a little healthier? What are your favorite things to do for a workout? 

XO,

Leigh

Feel the Burn!

Hello all!  I apologize for leaving you for so long.  As Leigh said, I was home for the summer and working a TON of hours at a resort and on top of that I have a lot to do for my school organization BUT enough about me.  All you need to know is I'M BACK! :) And I promise you that Leigh and I will be writing more together because we have some VERY, I repeat, VERY exciting news for you in the upcoming weeks!

So. Let's chat.  Leigh has been voicing her desires to lead a more vegetarian lifestyle.  I, myself, have been working towards eating more healthy.  Not really because I feel like I need to lose weight or because I want to look better in my skinny jeans because I like where I am and it has taken me a long time to get to this place with myself.  I want to be an all around healthier person.  I've realized it is truly the little things that make a difference.  This can be from stopping myself from buying those delicious cheesy puffs, to taking the stairs to class rather than the elevator.  Anything that I can do to feel better, I am setting out to do!  I just really enjoy the feeling of being healthy.  It's like you breathe better, look better ...even your hair has an added bounce!

Now, today.  In our joint quest to find healthiness, Leigh and I hit the gym!  A couple of years ago we started going almost everyday and it was great!  But then summer set in and the ice cream rolled out and, well, you know the rest... But not this year!  We are back to being motivated and have set up a schedule.  As I said before, it starts with the little things.  So I'm going to share our workouts on here from time to time to get some feedback maybe and anything else you would like to discuss with us because we LOVE hearing from you! 

To start, we warmed up with a looong(ish) walk from my apartment to the gym and then did some stretches like any true athlete ;) We then hit the track to walk three laps and jog two.  After that we did some standard weight equipment exercises with enough weight to ensure that I probably will have a hard time walking tomorrow.  Then it was off to the mats for some glute workouts along with every sort of crunch/ab sculpting exercise there is.  We then went down the 4 flights of stairs to do about 15 minutes of intense cardio on the elliptical.  And when I say intense I mean my heart was pounding and I was sweating like a pig!  Finally, we headed back up to the track and finished the mile we started earlier.  It took us about an hour and we were both surprisingly pleased with our performance!

There you have it.  A little glimpse into the healthier life of Leigh and Reese.  I'm off to bed- pray I can walk in the morning!! 

Stay Beautiful

I Made a Vlog!

Omg. I made a vlog to tell you all about my day. I made it, and saved it, and uploaded it all on my own- I am seriously proud of myself since I have NO IDEA how to do any of this computer stuff. It is theworstvlogevver. I apologize, really, but, I wanted to talk to all of you. I promise better in the future. See you soon, lovies!

Nine Loves!

In no particular order...

(one)

My kittens...I got two kittens back in May- they were 5 weeks old but their mom abandoned them so I took them home early. I basically fed them out of the palm of my hand and spent almost $100 on formula to make sure they stayed healthy.

(two)

Coffee- it is my fuel! I actually prefer to brew my coffee at home rather than buy it in the morning but I HAVE to get it somehow.

(three)

My Keurig brewer for coffee. I just bought my Keurig this week and I LOVE it. I got it for $68 because I returned some stuff to the store- cheap for a Keurig!

(four)

I seriously cannot get enough of office supplies. I love going back to school shopping because I know there will be new Sharpies, folders, binders in the store. I love buying Post-its and office stationary as well.

(five)

Summer- my absolute, hands down, no questions favorite season. I love seeing sun all the time, laying at the pool, staying up late, going out with friends. In Michigan the falls are really cold and winter is the worst EVER- think slush EVERYWHERE, snowing 24/7 and temps so low your car won't start.

(six)

Decorating- I'm constantly thinking of new ways to re-do my house. I'm slowly getting all of the stuff I want done, but it's a process! 

(seven) 

Jewelry- I can never leave the house without at least earrings and a necklace. Sometimes I feel naked without my rings on, too.

(eight)

Lazy mornings. I consider today a lazy morning because I didn't have to be up till 9:15, I don't have to work, and I get to blog and enjoy coffee! During football season I get up every Saturday at 6 to babysit and I used to wake up at 7 every Saturday to give tours at work. I LOVE having them off.

(nine) 

Manicures- the instant pick me up in my opinion. I actually don't like FULL manicures because I don't like people holding/massaging/rubbing lotion on my hands, so I always just go in and ask them to file my nails and polish them. What's your favorite nail polish color?

(ten) 

Candles and good smelling things. I had a convo with one of my bosses once how annoying it is when someones house smells GROSS and they cover it up with candles...I hate that. ANYWAYS my house is clean clean clean but I always sprinkle carpet refresher into the carpets, I have an air freshener ON each litter box, and a Glade plug in for the main room. I love burning candles that smell like caramel, vanilla, leaves (B&BW has a leaves scent- LOVE), maple....pretty much anything. I will say that fall has the best candle scents as far as season goes.  

Relax today, lovies!

XO