Love Who You Love!

Happy Monday y'all!

My day consisted of work (always fun), gym (fun-ish), buying of a massive TV (very fun), writing poetry (therapeutic and thought-provoking), and watching Toddlers and Tiaras (entertaining and embarrassing). Oh and baking granola (delicious!). 

Boom! Giant TV for me to watch Toddlers and Tiaras on.

I've also been thinking quite a bit about Game of Thrones. Basically, I'm having withdrawal and need the new season to start. I'm also considering doing GOT characters for my little family's Halloween costumes. It's been done before, I know, but I really, really want to be Deanerys and dress Louie up as my tiny little baby dragon. And Linus could be Drogo (who I'm obsessed with despite certain things that happen - no spoilers here!) and he could wear my brunette extensions. It would be PERFECT.

These two are seriously one of my all time favorite couples on television. 

I mean, "Moon of my life" and "My sun and stars?" SWOON. And sure, their relationship began under very unpleasant circumstances, but I truly think these two come to love each other.

But anyhow, I love GOT.

Okay, since we're talking about romance, Toddlers and Tiaras just ended and this show called Cougar Wives is now on. WOAH. Talk about...interesting and awkward. I definitely don't judge - love who you love, age is but a number, etc. etc. But damn you TLC for making me watch your crazy, addicting shows!

And seriously, love who you love. I'm in full support of cougar wives - RAWR!

XOXO!

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Cowboys and Country Music

Woohoo! GO COWBOYS! 

It's the first football Sunday of the season - exciting!

I've got my blue and silver on and am hoping for some Dallas domination (hopefully!).

I love Victoria's Secret NFL collection - super cute!

But enough football talk.

Has anyone been listening to the band The 1975? I only very recently heard of them, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up obsessed. They remind me a little bit of Frightened Rabbit (you should check this Scottish indie/rock/folky band out). Apparently The 1975 has gotten really popular lately; I'm thinking I should buy the album.

Speaking of good music, I cannot wait for Keith Urban's new album to come out on the 10th. I grew up listening to Keith, back when he was in The Ranch. His music reminds me of my family and growing up in Texas. So many of his songs bring back memories of time spent with my mom and dad - I remember sitting in the driveway with my father singing along to 'Ghost in this Guitar' by The Ranch. To this day, that song still brings me to tears and remains one of my favorite tunes. I remember listening to 'Making Memories of Us' and 'You'll Think of Me' with my mom and talking about how beautiful the lyrics are (and how sexy Keith is). His music holds a lot of memories for me, and from what I've heard of his new album, it's going to be incredible.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and enjoying some football and good music!

XOXO!

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Hot, Hot, Hot!

Holy moly it’s hot in CA right now! Seriously, it’s been 100 degrees all week in LA. I keep telling myself, “it’s hotter in Texas, it’s hotter in Texas,” but I’m already so spoiled by how nice the weather usually is here.

But oh my goodness I am ready for some cooler weather.

What I’m currently obsessed with: the ice blended drink at Coffee Bean made with soy milk and pumpkin flavoring. I’m pretty sure this is terrible for me (and full of sugar), but it’s so worth it. Especially on days when the temperature is in the triple digits. Heck, I’m sweating so much I need to replenish my calories with sweet, sweet fake pumpkin syrup. Yummm. Seriously though, it’s delicious. My boo doesn’t like them, he says they taste like oatmeal raisin cookies, but that just sounds extra delicious to me!

The pumpkin one is the super orange one haha

This morning me and my man went for a twelve mile run at the beach. We got up at 5am to beat the heat, which was awesome because it was absolutely beautiful this morning. The run was fabulous (I made sure to hydrate last night and this morning and didn't feel sick today!), and although we're both very sore now, we're enjoying the benefits of burning calories and are eating a ton of food.

Ran through Venice Beach, all the way to the Venice Pier! There's some awesome art along that stretch of beach; it's quirky and fun!

Have a good weekend y'all!

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FOOTBALL!

Yes, it's that time of year again...FOOTBALL SEASON!

And yes, I am very excited.

I've always liked football, but it's been in the past three or four years that I've really started to love it.

And yes, I am a Dallas Cowboys fan. Go ahead, hate on me and my boys, but they're the best! I'm addicted to wearing Cowboys garb during the season, and I'm stoked to get out my blue and silver!

Tonight marks the first game of the 2013 season, and my boo and I are stoked. We're currently snacking on chips and salsa (courtesy of Trader Joe's), guacamole (courtesy of me), and bloody marys (courtesy of my man). We're snuggled up on the couch with our dog :)

First game of the season!!

Anyhow, I'm stoked it's football season and that I get to spend it with one of my favorite people (even though he's a Packer's fan...you can be sure Louie is being raised as a Cowboy supporter).

Have a good Thursday and enjoy some football!

XOXO!

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I Can't Wait for Fall!

A brief blog note: stuff might be changing soon! I've got some new ideas and have been trying to figure out a way to make this less like my journal and more relatable to everybody (and less all over the place!). But regardless of what changes, I'll definitely keep writing and I hope everyone comes along for the journey! As of now, I'm just going to keep posting whatever random things my heart desires. But just wanted to alert everyone to the idea that things might be changing soon-ish! But get excited, it's going to be good changes!

Not a whole lot going on today. I went for a six mile run in ridiculous heat (I had to get up early for an appointment and ran afterward). Thankfully I hydrated excessively (but not too excessively - that can be super dangerous too), wore a hat, and tried to stay in the shade. I am SO ready for fall. Not just for running purposes, but also because I simply love autumn. I adore the smells, the colors, and the overall atmosphere.

There's just something so special about fall. My affinity for the season might have something to do with my childhood - fall in VA is spectacular and preparation for coming holidays was always fun in my family. One of my first memories is carving pumpkins with my dad and decorating the house with fall decor with my mom. The rustic oranges and golden yellows of autumn are some of my favorite colors, and the bright sunshine accompanied with a touch of cold weather makes me feel so incredibly content and peaceful. I love pumpkin flavors, the smell of cinnamon and drinking hot coffee on cool days. I love how fall means that the holidays are coming and I get to spend time with the people I care about. And back to running, I love how the early fall air reminds me of racing in high school. It gives me the best kind of shivers, stepping outside and going for a run in weather that's absolutely perfect. The sky is so, so blue, the trees are shedding the summer months, and I always feel rejuvenated. 

Oh, and I love wearing fall clothes! Big, comfy sweaters, adorable boots, dark jeans, and colorful scarves. Eee I can't wait for fall! Of course, I'm not really sure what kind of fall I'm in for in California, but I can already tell that it's going to be a wonderful season!

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Teen Dream Photo Shoot

This past Friday I went to something wonderful, amazing and absolutely WILD.

Yes, that's right, I went to the Wildfox sample sale.

Wildfox is an LA brand that I became obsessed with about a year before actually moving to California. Since living here, I have somehow managed to acquire a good number of Wildfox pieces (thanks to bday gifts, Wasteland - the best consignment store ever, and now, this awesome sample sale).

This is not a cheap line of clothing, and I have no shame in admitting that I cannot afford a brand new Wildfox sweater (unless I don't want to eat for several weeks). Thankfully, this is where the sale comes in. Once a month on a Friday, there's a sample sale downtown in the Wildfox showroom. My girlfriend Aurora invited me and I very eagerly showed up ready to shop. There were boxes and bins everywhere, brimming with t-shirts, sweats, sweaters and dresses. Girls were tearing through the clothes, stockpiling their finds in corners of the tiny room. I probably picked up 30 different things before settling on a single piece (now that is some self-control).

I'd been wanting one of Wildfox's sequined tops since I saw them online. So when Aurora handed me a turquoise, long-sleeved crop top COVERED entirely in sequins (and it says Teen Dream which reminds me of Katy Perry and being a teenager AKA all sorts of awesomness), I knew that - no matter the cost - this shirt was going home with me.

What began as a nearly $400 top became my new favorite wardrobe staple for $40! AMAZING. WONDERFUL. WILD.

Then, after bringing this glitzy, funky top home, I did what I tend to do whenever I get a new piece of clothing that really has personality. I did a short little photo shoot in it. Because, quite frankly, this top is too awesome not to share (and I had't gotten out my nice camera in a while)!

I had to take one with Louie, since he's even cuter than a Wildfox sweater.

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Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day everyone! Enjoy your day off and do something relaxing!

I'm definitely planning on taking today easy because I've been busy busy busy this past week. I've been working like crazy which is awesome - I love being busy and I love my jobs! It's a win win! :)

Weekend recap:

Saturday - I worked a little bit early Sunday, then the bf and I went to the beach to enjoy the sunshine. It was surprisingly un-crowded for the weekend and super relaxing.

The sky was stunning.

That evening we went to The Troubadour to see a band - Sad Robot - perform.

Yesterday we got up, headed back to the beach, and ran 11 miles! 11! I hadn't run that far since high school, and when I hit 10 miles I literally cheered. It was definitely not the easiest run I've ever done; by the time I hit 9 miles the bottoms of my feet were aching, my calves were burning and I was way over-heated (it's been so hot here lately). It's been a long time since running physically hurt like that; my cardio was great, but my legs were not used to so much distance. I finished in an hour and 24 minutes (about 7:45 per mile average) which is faster than I intended to go. I definitely need to work on making my long runs easy runs. The point of a long run isn't to totally wear yourself out, it's to build up distance so that, later on in your training, you can start going faster.

There are a lot of things I've sort of forgotten when running longer distances. First and foremost, I forgot how important it is to hydrate. And I paid the price. Almost immediately after finishing the run yesterday my head starting pounding. I had the worst migraine ALL day/night (and my head is still kind of achy today).

Another thing I didn't consider? Running when it's cool. We didn't start running until 10 a.m. and by then the sun was blazing and the temperature was climbing. I was squinting against the sun the whole run (despite wearing sunglasses), and all day following the run my skin was hot to the touch. I didn't get burned, but I could definitely tell I spent too much time in the sun and heat (I'm very sensitive to hot weather and sunlight - the perks of being a ridiculously pale person).

Yesterday's run was a wake-up call. If I want to run a marathon, I have to take better care of my body and make sure to take the proper precautions and steps when preparing for/running anything over 9 miles.

Me after the run, about to pass out in the car.

Anyhow! Hope everyone is having a great weekend! Enjoy your Labor Day and stay hydrated!

XOXO!

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