Bipolar weather

Don't you hate when you wake up in the morning and you get dressed for the morning's weather, only to find  that when you leave work at the end of the day the weather is completely different?

Happens to me all the time.  I think the problem is exacerbated by the fact that I take mass transit and have a ten minute walk to work and therefore I dress to face the worst of the weather.  While it doesn't seem like that far to walk outside, trust me, in bad weather those ten minutes play out like an hour. I'm not going to lie, I have an inverse relationship to the temperature. When it's cold out I walk fast as heck, but when it's hot out I'm as slow as molasses.

It also cracks me up because if it's raining at all in the morning, then there is a 99.9% chance I'm going to wear my rain boots. I don't know, I just don't like having wet feet and if I can avoid the problem I do at all costs.  So more often than not I'm still rocking my rain boots on my commute home.  There are days like yesterday when it was super bright, hot, and sunny outside in the afternoon that I wanted to wear a sign that said, "it was raining this morning!" When I got to work in the morning it was chilly, foggy, and rainy!

To add an additional level of complexity to my issues, the AC unit broke over the weekend in my office building.  It was ridiculously hot in my office on Tuesday, so I knew on Wednesday I had to be prepared for the heat.  I keep an Alpaca wool poncho in my desk just for days when it gets too cold.  Always be prepared!!!

Yes, I am that person who wears sunglasses AND wellies at the same time, but only if I'm still in my rainboots and the sun comes out to say hello.  However, I totally judge people who wear mini skirts and Uggs! 

The above photo is my proof that it was super sunny out when I got home. 

Sunnies - Cole Haan

Shirt - H&M

Skirt - J.Crew (buy here!)

Belt - Target

Wellies - Hunters Original High Gloss

Trying to give my inner-fashionita a moment and I almost fell over. Must keep both feet on the ground at all times!  Thank goodness the hubs wasn't present and I was using the self-timer because he would have dropped the camera from laughing so hard. 

 Totally difficult to take a decent shot of a shiny necklace with two dogs giving you serious side-eye, but here's my NY/NJ necklace from Catbird.  I'm heading up to NY and NJ this weekend and I'll probably wear this necklace all weekend long.


Anyone else have problems dressing for the day's weather?  Any stories to share about how the weather does a 180 on you?

Where's the shade?

It appears we've reached that point in the season where if one is going to venture outside one must either stay in the shade or keep a cool beverage in hand at all times.  It's only fitting that it's the end of May and we're having another heat streak of days in the upper 80s and lower 90s. 

Someone is still obsessed with his new phone.  Angry birds anyone? 

The hubs and I are super excited because grass is starting to take shape in the yard.  It's kind of awesome.   I should show the before pictures, but I honestly don't know if I took one to document just how bad it was out there in the yard.  It was an absolute sand pit. 

Although playing corn hole might not be the best idea for baby grass.  

The only one who's not a fan of hanging out in the shade?

Jewels isn't a fan of shade.  Turning to a thermal nuclear powered dog is much more her style. 

Memorial Day Weekend

All those happy moments that I absolutely treasure on the weekends I get to enjoy because of the sacrifices of our military brothers and sisters.  To those family members who memorialized their fallen blood for giving this country the ultimate sacrifice - I salute you. 

I thank you for your service. I live in a country where I have freedoms many in the world could not fathom. I have rights and responsibilities that are envied by others. 

People die for this country. People die trying to get here and people die protecting this great nation.  That says something about this country. I am proud to be an American. 

The pink elephant in the room

Confession: I hate the color pink.  When I was a kid I felt like it was shoved down the throats of all little girls.  "Want to be girly and feminine?" Then you need to wear pink and lots of it!

It also didn't help things that my older sister freaking loves pink.  So I guess in order to distance myself from her as much as humanly possible I avoided pink like it was the black plague.

If I want to be girly and feminine I'm going to do it with sparkles, ruffles, and purple!

Which is why it was completely odd that I wore this to work the other day. Meaghan told me to "throw my a hand on hip or something!"  Fashion blogger I am not!

(I swear to goodness this dress was pressed at the start of the day!)

Cardigan: J. Crew Jackie

Dress: J. Crew (purchased in 2006)

Belt - Target

Shoes - Target Pearce Pumps

Necklace: Bauble Bar (click here for an invite)

Necklace was scored during Bauble Bar's weekly $10 Friday Bauble Find!  It's Friday, so sign up now for an account and get the clue for what today's bauble will be! 

I have a love/hate relationship with this dress. It's the only piece of pink clothing I've ever purchased for myself.  The hatred stems from that it is pink! However, it was purchased with nothing but love.  My best friend had a destination wedding in 2006 and asked me if I wouldn't mind wearing a pink dress for her beach ceremony.  Since I was the Maid of Honor and the ONLY bridal party participant that meant I got to pick whatever pink dress I wanted.  Of course I went to my favorite store, J. Crew, and picked up a gorgeous dress. 

However, since I bought this dress I've worn it three times. Once for my best friend's wedding, once at my sister's bridal shower (threw the pink loving girl a bone that day), and then this week for work.  I think I need to give this dress to someone who will enjoy it a bit more frequently than me because it's a gorgeous dress.  I do own a closet full of J.Crew dresses, so it's not like I'm not a fan of their stuff.  It's just the pink part I need to get over. 

I do have to say, it was a funny experience at the metro station on my way to work.  A wall of black suits was coming at me and I busted through them in my little pink dress. It was somewhat comically.  I know the trendy thing would have been to wear some orange with this dress, but let's take baby steps here people! One thing at a time! 

Summertime Staple: Jack and Coke Slushies

While perusing on Pinterest a few weeks ago I came across this image:

Source: Sweet Peach

To say that this image has haunted me is a bit of an understatement.  The author happened to come across these amazing Jack and Coke Slushies at a bar in Atlanta.  Insert jealous here.  

I happen to be blissfully married to a Jack and Coke addict. He happens to think Pinterest is overrated, but he's slowly coming around since I showed him the above image. 

I don't have a slushie machine, but I do own a crappy blender.  With the above image in mind I ventured out on my mission to make amazing Jack and Coke Slushies.  After a bit of trial and error, well is there really error involved when it comes to JD, I've come up with a pretty standard recipe.  

Anyway, here's the recipe.

Ingredients: Yields 2 drinks

• Jack Daniel's (aka Jack)
• Coca Cola (aka Coke)
• Ice cube tray
• Blender
• Ice Cubes

Directions:

1. Freeze Coke in ice cube tray.  I now keep a tray of frozen soda in the freezer just in case anyone in the house is in the mood for a slushie!
2. Take an entire ice cube tray of frozen Coke and place in blender.  Add in 1 cup of regular ice cubs.  This is a rough estimate. I just filled the cup I planned on drinking my slushie out of with ice from our fridge and called it a day.  This isn't rocket science people! If you want your drink to be more liquidity add in more chilled Coke. 

 3. Add Jack to taste.  This is where the hubs laughed at me.  I actually measured out 4 shots of Jack and dumped it into the blender. I figured two shots per drink was pretty decent.  If you want them stronger, make them stronger.  The hubs was flabergasted that I actually measured out the Jack rather than just flipping the bottle over the blender and calling it a day. Dude forgets sometimes I'm 130lbs and a lightweight and he's 200lbs and not a lightweight.

4. Blend until ingredients are combined and smooth! 

5. Pour into a glass and enjoy! I threw in a bendy kiddie straw because that's what we had on hand.  In hindsight I completely realize that throwing a kiddie straw into an alcoholic beverage probably isn't the best idea, but it's not like I was drinking this in front of a kid!

These slushies have quickly become a weekend staple in our house.  I know it isn't technically summer yet, but this weekend is the unofficial start to summer around here and I'm stocking up on Coke ice cubes for the summer.  

I'm also hoping to finally break my crappy $15 CVS blender and upgrade to an adult blender.  My thought process is that if the blender breaks while making Jack and Coke Slushies the hubs won't care what I buy just as longer as the slushie production doesn't slow down.  I've got my eye on a shiny silver KitchenAid blender :)

Any other frozen drinks I need to add to my repertoire?  Doesn't have to include alcohol because I have it in my mind to freeze some coffee this weekend and have a yummy coffee slushie one morning. 

Preakness: I'll Have Another!

Saturday morning the hubs and I lathered on the sunscreeen and headed up to Pimlico with a few friends.  It was a pretty low-key day, well with the record attendance of 121,309 people showing up to watch the second leg of the Triple Crown with us.

Since our plans included mass transportation and massive amounts of people I made the decision to leave my beloved Canon at home.  I'm not really keen on taking my precious baby out when I know I'm going to be around people potentially consuming too much alcohol.  All photos were taken with the hubs's new Samsung Galaxy phone and I've got to say, I have a tiny bit of phone envy at the moment.

Now, if you're not a horse racing person and you have no idea what I'm talking about let me break it down for you.  The Kentucky Derby is where people go to get dressed up to watch horse racing.  Think pearls, sundresses, and really fancy hats.  It's like an English wedding, but sunnier.

Preakness, on the other hand, tries to be fancy, but the vast majority of people that are at the race are in the Infield.  I lost count of how many women I saw trying to keep their designer stilettos out of the grass on Saturday.  I think only the Under Armor VIP Tent had a hardwood floor, everything else is all green grass and lots of walking is involved so the smarter women wore platform shoes. Yeah, I went with flip flops, but I wasn't trying to be fancy. With temperatures in the low 80s I was going for comfort.  Well, J.Crew and Banana Republic comfort!

Don't get me wrong. People still dressed up for Preakness! I have no idea how that guy was surviving in his three piece suit. Her sundress was adorable and completely event and weather appropriate.

Up until a few years ago it was BYOB at Preakness. Like, "Bring your own beer." I'm not sure if BYOB could stand for anything else, but I didn't want to take a chance on that one. Yeah, it got OUT OF CONTROL! There was a "running of the urinals" event.  You Tube it.

Now, the organizers have implemented a mug club.  For the whopping price of $20 you get to drink all the beer you can handle (they reserve the right to cut you off at any time if they deem you are unfit for alcohol consumption) out of a brightly colored mug.

 The hubs and I with our very green mugs. There's corporate tents, beach volleyball, a bikini contest, and a whole host of other activities to keep everyone preoccupied while the horses aren't running.  Which, if you've never been to a day at the track is actually a lot of time.  I think before the actual Preakness race, which was race 12 of 13, there was close to an hour in between races.

A little cornhole set up by the Pepsi tent. 

Oh you mean we're here to actually watch horses? 

The hubs and his brother checking out the races. 

Mmmm, we've switched to Jack n Cokes. I guess the beer line was too long! 

The hubs making one of his bets.  

I consider myself a fairly intelligent person, but the race program could have been written in Greek for all I know.  I bet twice and each time to win because I have no idea what box, show, and place mean! 

There was a really cool tribute to our Military brothers and sisters that included paratroopers and a B17 flyover. 

Magazines + blankets + sunshine + alcohol = good times

The main stage that had Wiz Khalifa and Maroon 5 grace its presence.  Maroon 5, above, played a really good set and I was thrilled when there wasn't a surprise appearance by Christina Aguilera!

 The hubs worse sunscreen! His brother ... didn't apply until later in the day :(

I don't even know what a Box 7 + 9 means, but the hubs was stoked and won $25!  He won two of the races he bet on, which I believe "gave him enough betting money to break even."  I don't know how true that statement is, but it's all good.  

I was psyched to spend the hours between 10:30am till dark out in the sun and came home with a good buzz and zero sunburn.  I totally used Preakness as an excuse to buy seersucker shorts from J.Crew!  The striped envelope clutch was an absolute steal at $34.50 at the J.Crew Factory Store and it would have been a crime if I didn't buy it! Mission Accomplished! 

This stuff is worth it's weight in GOLD! It's my go-to sunscreen and all of my friends refer to it as "SPF Ginger."  It takes a lot of work to be this pale! 

TGIF!

It's Friday!!!! 

Look, I'd rather be hanging out in a state park on a gorgeous afternoon with an adorable child and his Radio Flyer, but sometimes that just isn't an option. 

Yeah, I'd hang out with the kid even when he's in the midst of a full on meltdown.  Let's be honest, he's amazing and his meltdowns last for all of 30 seconds.  

Here's hoping your Friday is full of laughter.

~Heidi 

What happens in Kentucky

is good for the soul.

After running the Flying Pig Marathon my bestie, Bee, and I retreated south to her dad's horse farm in Kentucky.  The two and a half-days we spent there were probably some of the more relaxing moments I've had since starting my first adult job!

Marathon recovery time at a winery?!?! Don't mind if I do! 

Nuzzling the velvet on a horses nose. Done! 

Checking out the cutest lawnmower of all time. Done! 

Hanging out with a real shoe maker. Done! 

Finding a picturesque little spot.  Done!

Noticing a horse has something stuff in their teeth. Done! 

Watching a horse successfully untie himself from a post. Done! 

Watching said horse when you come up to him and realize he's saying to himself, "I'm so busted."  Done! 

Witness someone get on a horse for the first time. Done! 

Lounging around for synchronized back scratch time. Done! 

Root on a friend who's not successful at figure 8s in a round pen. Done! 

Having said friend's one-eyed horse call you out on your laughter. Done! 

Scaring the daylights out of the farm's cats. Done!

Horseback rides through the woods. Well, not done for me, but done for others! 

 Letting your best friend enjoy some father-daughter-bonding time. Done!

Taking a walk along the road with my dear friend Canon and two dogs. Done! 

 Enjoying a quick summer storm. Done!  Seriously, it POURED for five minutes and then went back to sunshine.

Laughing at how someone can go fishing and talk on a cell phone at the same time. Done! 

Realizing your best friend is secretly a master catfisher. Done! Seriously I caught a single catfish worth eating and Bee caught four! That doesn't include how many she caught that were deemed too small. 

Enjoying the freshiest catfish I've had in years. Done! 

Leaving a book outside in a downpour.  Well, Bee did!  I brought my book back inside pre-storm.

Just enjoying watching the rain come down. Done! 

Enjoying fresh picked strawberries from the patch in the backyard. Done! 

 Making strawberry scones in the must functional kitchen of all time. Done!

 Quality hammock time. Done! Done! and more DONE!

Seeing horses from almost every window in the house. Done!

Being absolutely inspired by all the marathon posters hanging in the house, including the hallway of Boston. Done!

Kentucky was so green. So gorgeous.  So calm. So peaceful.  Bee's dad and stepmom completely spoiled us and it was so nice to not have to do anything at all.  No alarm clocks, no bed times, and a whole lot of wine made for an amazing time.  The beautiful horses grazing around the yard certainly didn't harm things either.