Color Block

I apologize for being missing in action over the past few weeks.  I assure you it's for a very good reason but it's too soon to share (I know, it's not fair).  In the meantime, I'll share with you an outfit I wore over the weekend.  I'm loving this color block trend.  I often color block (even before it was "trendy") but I decided to try a different combination of pieces and colors.

I'm still in the learning process with my camera and tripod so please be patient with my amateur photos.  I'm going to get better...I promise!!

Jacket - thrifted

Tank - Marshall's (Anne Klein)

Stretch Jeans - Express

Sandals - Baker's

Jewelry - misc

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April Shopping

Over the past month or so, I have been working on building a new wardrobe.  I've dropped two dress sizes with my recent weight loss and my closet is bare.  I've been trying to work with the few pieces I had but the repeats were just a little too frequent for my preference (even with my remixes) and wearing super baggy clothes is not sexy.  During a recent shopping adventure, I picked up a few new pieces:

• 3 blazers
• 2 jackets 
• 2 pair of pants
• 2 tops 
• 1 jumpsuit 
• 1 pair of sandals 

Yes, I even bought white pants!!  Now that I have a tripod (that's what we single girls have to do) and clothes that fit, I'll be posting more photos of my outfits.

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Mega Millions

As I'm sure you know, the Mega Millions Jackpot hit a historical high of $656 million last week.  I've only gambled three times my whole life -- twice with someone else's money (lol seriously, I'm THAT cheap) but I put my $2 into the pot this time around.  The immediate cash payout for a single winner would come to $474 million. WOW!! That's a lot of scratch.  

Of course with so much money up for grabs, the conversation among my family, friends, and coworkers (before the winning numbers were picked and we all discovered that we didn't win) was, "What would you do with a half a billion dollars??"  No, no, not the obvious, "ordinary" stuff like paying off bills, buy a cool house, drive your dream car, get a maid, make sure your family and closest friends were taken care of, blah, blah...who cares.  I mean the one crazy, insane I'm-rich-and-I-know-it thing you would do with your money.  That answer is nothing I had to dwell over for any period of time.  I would go Mariah Carey on my closet.  Yeah, super crazy.  I know you've seen and drooled over it before but I honestly can't get enough of it.  Would I have an associate working there full time?  YES.  Her job would be to put together outfits for me each day and rotate my clothing so I don't accidentally wear the same thing twice...ewww!!  That's what poor people do! My "used" clothing items would go towards a charitable cause.  I would resell the items at a crazy discounted price (for "less fortunate" fashionistas) and the proceeds would go towards Dress for Success, an organization I currently volunteer for.  What would you do?

For your viewing pleasure, I've added a few photos of my...errr Mariah's closet.

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Open-Toe Shoe Pledge

The time has come.  The leaves have returned to the trees, flowers are blooming and the weather is warm.  It's the perfect opportunity to step out with those cute peep-toe or open-toe shoes that have been buried deep in your closet for the past several months.  It seems that every year there are serious violators who give this time of year a bad name.  I took this pledge from Yoli Loves in a effort to stop "winter feet" from appearing in spring and summer.  I urge all of you to take the pledge too!!

I pledge to follow the Rules when wearing sandals and other open-toe shoes: 

I promise to always wear sandals that fit. My toes will not hang over and touch the ground, nor will my heels spill over the backs. The sides and tops of my feet will not pudge out between the straps. 

I will go polish-free or vow to keep the polish fresh, intact and chip-free. 
I will not cheat and just touch up my big toe.  

I will sand down any mounds of skin before they turn hard and yellow. 

I will shave the hairs off my big toe. 

I won't wear pantyhose even if my misinformed girlfriend, coworker, mother, sister tells me the toe seam really will stay under my toes if I tuck it there. 

If a strap breaks, I won't duct-tape, pin, glue or tuck it back into place hoping it will stay put. I will get my shoe fixed or toss it. 

I will not live in corn denial; rather I will lean on my good friend Dr. Scholl's if my feet need him. 

I will resist the urge to buy jelly shoes at Payless for the low, low price of $4.99 even if my feet are small enough to fit into the kids' sizes. This is out of concern for my safety and the safety of others. No one can walk properly when standing in a pool of sweat and I would hate to take someone down with me as I fall and break my ankle. 

I will take my toe ring off toward the end of the day if my toes swell and begin to look like Vienna sausages. 

I will be brutally honest with my girlfriend/sister/coworker when she asks me if her feet are too ugly to wear sandals. Someone has to tell her that her toes are as long as my fingers and no sandal makes creepy feet look good. 

I will promise if I wear flip flops that I will ensure that they are actually flip and flop, making the correct noise while walking. I will swear NOT to slide or drag my feet while wearing them. 

I will promise to go to my local nail salon at least once per season and have a real pedicure (they are about $35 and worth EVERY penny). 

I will promise to throw away any white/off-white sandals that show signs of wear... nothing is tackier than dirty white sandals. 

Don't keep this to yourself - pass it on to other sisters. 

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How to Care for Introverts

If asked, my friends would describe me as bubbly, friendly, outgoing, a social butterfly, and the life of the party.  I enjoy meeting new people, having new experiences, and at times I'm okay with being the center of attention (not for an extended time but short bursts of attention are okay).  Outgoing? Sometimes.  I have always considered myself to be a shy person but NOBODY agrees with that.  After coming across this list, I stand corrected.  I've decided that a better description is that I'm an introvert who can be shy depending on the situation.  I wish I could print this out and give it to my friends, family, and coworkers as a guide.  Any other introverts out there?  

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Healthy Me - Part I

I have been working diligently to lose weight over the past several months.  The journey has not been an easy one, especially through the holidays.  But I'm excited to announce that with the help of my nutritionist and lots of hard work, I've lost 25 lbs!!  My goal is to lose approximately 40 lbs by Memorial Day weekend because in my book, that's the official kick-off for summer.  

How did I do it?  

• I made better food choices -- more fruits and veggies and fewer dinners out and convenience foods.  
• I was more active -- I completed the Couch to 5k running program, took short walks during my lunch break and after dinner, and joined a gym (I never go to the gym without a workout plan).  
• I was consistent -- which is the most important part!!  I will be honest and say there were days/weeks when I didn't eat so well or when I didn't work out at all.  But I didn't let those days keep me from getting back into my routine and staying focused.  

I'm guilty of having an all-or-nothing attitude but with long-term goals, consistency is key.  Being successful everyday is impossible but as long as at the end of the week or month, you've had more successful days than non-successful ones, you're headed in the right direction.  I take it one meal at at time, one workout at at time, one pound at a time.

Below are my before and during (cause I'm not quite done!!) photos in the same swimsuit.  Although it's hard to tell, the swimsuit is a little big now but this helps give a visual of my weight loss.  I'm really excited about this journey.  It hasn't been easy but DEFINITELY worth it.  Do you have any health or fitness goals you're working towards?

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