Loves, Remember...

Here in Chicago and many other parts... 

With blankets of never ending snow on the ground. Bone chilling temperatures. And, gray skies...all is a perfect recipe for cynicism and hibernation -  though, I see only a day to have a good day. So, loves, hope you have one.

xoxo  

Currently....

Listening to:  Lawrence Arms new album, Metropole - all day, everyday! I can NOT get enough.  AV Club has been streaming it live - check it out here. Brendan Kelly is doing a live FREE in- store performance at Reckless Records in Wicker Park tomorrow night at 6pm. Bryan and I will be there forsure and hope to score the new album on vinyl. 

Reading: I just finished Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, by: Therese Anne Fowler. This book is for book club and was my pick. I have always had a penchant for the 1920's and the artists at that time. My heart breaks and rejoices simultaneously for Zelda. I loved this book. I will say, for me, I struggled to get through the first 6 chapters as I felt it was slow and not that interesting. However, at that I flew through the book and was sad when it ended. 

Excited for: Dublin. It's just days away. I can't wait to spent time with my mother father-and sister-in-law, meet loads of other family from my husband side and  hang out with all the friends that are very much considered family. I will add that the 40-50 degree weather will be VERY much welcomed from the below zero temps we have here in Chicago. 

Thinking about: All the good things and very few of the bad.  Why waste thoughts on negative people, places and things? I'm not interested. 

Eating: Healthy. Swapped Almond milk for regular. Introduced kale and quinoa into my diet - veterinarian meals a couple times a week and barely any carbs, processed foods, junk, ect. I am on a fitness overhaul mentioned here and here. I feel so amazing. 

Watching:  Besk Ink season 2. Ah, LOVE! And, I'm already planning my next tattoo. And, a lot of movies as I mentioned here

Creating:  Not that much lately. I finished the below painting a couple weeks ago, for my friend Kristen. 

I plan to make record bowls - like these:  here and here. When my parents moved from their house of 38 years to their condo I inherited a ton of their old records, but they are scratched up so much so that they are unplayable which in turns means a craft project for me! 

Happy Monday, loves!

xoxo

Oh, It's happening - I AM DOING IT!

I briefly mentioned here that I am on a fitness overhaul. For all of my life, I've been typically health conscious of what I put in my body and strive to exercise a few times a week. HOWEVER, I would make exceptions to both of those. Happy hours, game nights, frozen pizza night over not making dinner, restaurants, ect all add up and take time away from work outs and focusing on portion control/caloric intake.   Sure, it's OK to indulge once and while and have a day or two off of working out if the rest of the time is spent adhering to a discipline routine of health. Well, that was not happening. I was not adhering to a discipline routine. I know that I am healthy on paper - I recently had blood work done and all systems are good. However, I am overweight and I've never set out to see what being on a discipline routine would do to my body. 

So, I decided for 1 year I will track everything I eat on myfitnesspal.com. My goal is to eat no more than 1600 calories of all the right stuff, but sticking to around 1,200. Also, focusing on work outs with a mix of strength and cardio 5 days a week.  I have been at it since Jan 6 -  our scale needed batteries and it was a polar vortex during my first week so I didn't weigh myself. I did weigh and measure myself the 2nd week and 2 weeks later from that I have lost 8lbs and 2 inches!! Holy heck, I will say that I am feeling great! Uh, amazing how that works - portion control and challenging work outs. Someone should really get this news out to the masses. ha.

And, no  this is not a resolution. Though it did occur me on NYE just how fast a year moves. Let me mention this change is not ONLY for 1 year - I am confident, as I've heard from most people who have set out to get healthy, that before you know it you now have a new way of life. That it all becomes organic and any other lifestyle doesn't feel previously known. 

I feel so driven and empowered! 

Cheers to health and challenging your body. 

xo

Movie Time

We’ve been watching a lot of movies.. I mean A LOT. Oscar season is always good for supplying an abundance of pretty stellar films. Plus, outside it is a never ending winter wonderland making it perfect weather for snuggling inside and watching a film. And, when cabin fever has hit and what we want isn't accessible from home we head to the local theater. 

Recently viewed: (I feel like I may be missing a few) 

• Frozen - 4 stars!  Awe, just the cutest movie and a great story about sisters! Me being the youngest of 5 girls the story resonated with me.

• Wolf of Wall Street – 5 stars! Scorsese knocked it out of the park with this gem!

• American Hustle – 3 stars! It was just “MEH” to me. The actors were all fantastic, but the directing just didn't ever lure me into the story.

•  Anchor Man 2 – 1 star! I never once laughed! And, I own Anchor Man 1. Epic let down

• Out of the Furnace - 4 stars! I haven’t really enjoyed Scott Cooper’s other movies, but LOVED this one. It is very graphic and not for the faint of heart, but a darn good movie.

• Dallas Buyers Club – 3 stars!  Like American Hustle all was good, but I was never “hooked.”

• Her – 0 stars!! To my surprise - I just hated this movie.

• Lee Daniels The Butler – 5 stars! Was so so good, but a tear jerk-er!

• Enough Said – 4 stars! Being James Gandolfini’s  last film I had to see. It was a feel good movie, but it wasn't AMAZING. 

• 12 Years A Slave - 5 stars! It was HARD to watch. And, most of it I watched with hands over my face. My heart completely aches for such an era. It is a beautiful true story so I do suggest checking it out.

• Bad Grandpa - 5 stars! I could not stop laughing. I will say I wasn't impressed with the Little Miss Sunshine rip off scene, but other wise SO FUNNY. 

• Captain Philips - 3 stars! This was a good one, but it didn't fully keep my attention.

• Lone Survivor  - 3 stars! I didn't like this movie due to the violence. I did think the acting was great and seem to capture the true story in all of its realness. 

And, still so many more to see! For example, 

• August Osage County
• Blue is the Warmest Color
• Nebraska
• Philomena
• Saving Mr. Banks

TGIF to the MAX!

This week has been hard. 

I am always thankful for the fruitfulness of work and that in an economy that is still struggling I am appreciative that I have a great job in PR/Marketing. However, tight deadlines and the forever quantity of work have left me glued to my desk all week. Seriously,  I’ve had to force myself to even get up to use the bathroom!  Good to be busy then the other.. and look, we all have these kinds of weeks, right. They make the weekend all that much sweeter! 

And,

Poor hubby rolled his ankle at soccer on Tuesday night. His soccer games and the friends he’s made playing have been such a huge part of his life and sanity living here in Chicago. So,to say the least he was so bummed. Plus he won’t be able to play for a couple of weeks. I am glad to report that immediately he started tending to the sprain and is on the road to recovery!  

And,

I managed to lose my CTA Chicago Plus transit card. I was so upset with myself. I tend to have it all together and when I don’t I can be really hard on myself. Also, I was afraid I wouldn’t get a replacement card and have to activate the dreaded Ventra card – Chicago peeps you know what I’m talking about! Though, all clouds have a silver lining. I was able to get a replacement card no problem. Score.. OH, WAIT… only to have lost my load-as-you-go CTA card the next day! It had about 13 bucks on it. See, Bryan primarily uses the Chicago Plus Card and I use the other.  Ugh, what is wrong with my head this week! Putting it all in perspective, I can easily get a new card for myself and yea it’s a bummer to have lost a card with money on it, but nothing is broken, dead or unfix-able. I just need to get it together and be more aware moving forward.

And, 

Things are falling apart with our apartment. May can't get here fast enough! Our lease is up then and we want a new place.. a home that we don't have to get on the fly like we did with our last place. I am being hard on our apartment.. sorry, little home. It is a lovely place, but with flaws that we can't overlook, erm, bad plumbing. Or, walls that are so delicate trying to hang something comes with a weight limit!  

However, what did bring me sanity this week was...

Staying on track with my fitness.  I fundamentally eat pretty healthy and really always have. And, I typically try to get in workouts a couple times a time a week. BUT, what I’ve been obviously just isn’t cutting it. I would eyeball portions and totally allow myself to indulge - a few times a week.   So, I’ve taken a new approach. I’m tracking EVERYTHING I eat on myfitnesspal.com. I’m eating no more than 1,400 calories a day – watching carbs, sugars, ect. Eating whole/natural foods. Massively limiting alcohol intake. Pushing myself in workouts and WOW… I’m feeling amazing. This weekend I will be entering another level of workouts that will challenge my body in great ways, but forsure will be hard. I’m actually looking forward to it.  I’ve never actually really tracked EVERYTHING or been super discipline. I decided for 1 year I will be. I’m exciting to see where this takes me and my body. 

And, 

The company and chats of stellar people this week. LOVE. Just pure love. The mr. and me are delighted that we will cap this week with dinner with our friends at their place tonight. 

And, of course, 

Gearing up for our trip to Ireland in 20 days. Bryan is BEYOND thrilled to be back on Irish soil and with all his friends and family. I can't wait to meet my mother and father -in law! They have planned a big welcome back party for our first night! Ah, will be such good craic, as the Irish say. 

Here's to the weekend and surviving the week! Have a great one loves. xoxo

Oh, Hello

It seems every few post start with me explaining why it's been a while since I last posted.  
I don't blog for a living, but for a hobby. I view and treat this little corner of the world as my public journal. I love to look back and see all the photos and re-read my thoughts. I have a demanding career that I love, husband, friends and family, ect that all come before this project. With that all being said, December felt like it FLEW BY - I never once posted. In a nutshell, December welcomed Bryan's birthday (31) and was filled with so many wonderful events/people.

So, here it is January 2, 2014!!

I'm excited for this year. I don't make resolutions as I see them as a set- up for failure. I make insights and hope to apply them to my life. After all, I'm another year wiser, right? One big insight that stood out to me in 2013 is that it's easy to feel inadequate or self-conscious around new people, BUT it takes time to really get to know others. So while you may be thinking something isn't clicking because of you stop and think how well do you even know the person. I discovered after getting to know a few that they aren't operating on what would click with me. I'm a heart- on- the- sleeve kind of girl, but sadly there are people who take advantage of that. I won't stop being who I AM, but I will be more wiser. On the flip side, I'm entering 2014 with some gems in my life that were well worth the time to get to know.

I'm greatly looking forward to welcoming some challenges that will strengthen me.  I hope to surprise myself this year. To travel as much as possible and cultivate more relationships and create millions of memories.

HERE. HERE. 2014