I am a bad blogger.

The title says it all. This is why I will never get rich and famous off a blog. That and I'm sort of boring. Nonetheless!

LATELY:
Addicted to spin classes, but not addicted to waking up at 5 a.m.
Kristin Hannah's book "Night Road" - randomly picked it off the shelf at the library, and finished it in 2 days. I love it when I just happen upon a book and then get totally wrapped up in it.
Go see "Something Borrowed" - better yet, read the book. LOVED the book! The movie of course did not live up to it, but they never do. It has gotten horrible reviews which I don't understand - it's cute and funny, with John Krasinski stealing the show. I really think 90% of the reviewers saw that Kate Hudson was in it, and in order ot be cool, had to totally trash it.

Have not been running nearly as much - mileage before half marathon was mid-20s each week. The past few weeks, it is lucky if I crack 10. Reasons? Heat, No races to train for, Having to divide time between running and the gym, Other excuses. I am looking for a 5K to sign up for in June or July - this will give me something to train for (speed to beat my 26:3 PR).

ALSO, the thing that motivated me to log into Shop Run Rest for the first time in 3 weeks --- Hungry Runner Girl is giving away New Balance minimus shoes!!!!!! Talk about inspiration to go running - if I won those babies I'd be going out every single day! Go to her site to enter!

Birthday wishes and a great month ahead

My birthday is 2 months away but I'm already making my list:

1) COMFY SHOES

Sperry Top-Siders.... $75!! These have to be a birthday wish because of their price-tag. Kind of hefty for shoes I will only wear with shorts probably on the weekends. But I love them, they look so comfy, and I am just dying for them.

A good substitute for these, should they sell out before the day of my birth, are a pair of TOMS. They are a little less expensive, for a good cause, and should offer the same amount of casual-ness and comfort. I used to think they were ugly, but now I have come around to see their merit. Perhaps I can get both pairs???

2) A MASSAGE

I looovvveeeeeeeeee backrubs from my husband, but he does not particularly love to give them (even though he does, and often). I have always wanted to go get a professional massage, even though the thought of a stranger rubbing on me is kind of icky. These can be kind of expensive though.

3) RUNNING GEAR
Anything really... new tops, new shorts, new running SOCKs... headbands, an iFitness belt, a Fuel Belt, perhaps? A Tiger Tail rolling massage stick, some new tights, perhaps? Maybe for my birthday I will just have my husband take me to the sporting goods store and go crazy.

For non-birthday needs, I do need some shorts for the summer... I do not own any non-running/sleeping shorts! This is because I used to always hate how I looked in shorts, up until I started running a year ago and really started losing weight and toning up. I've always worn skirts, but shorts just felt WRONG. Now I am completely comfortable in them and want a couple of pairs for this hot summer. I'm liking what Old Navy has to offer:

I am really excited for the coming weeks, all which include:
- a much-needed haircut on Thursday (yes, I am EXCITED about this!!)
-Day off for Good Friday and Easter weekend
- the movie premiere of SOMETHING BORROWED, which is based on the book by Emily Giffin and stars Ginnifer Goodwin and Kate Hudson. I LOVED the book so much, so I've been obsessing over the movie coming out for quite a while, so much so that my husband agreed to go see it with me, even though he absolutely hates chick flicks and I can't remember the last time he saw one with me in the movie theater.
- A baby shower for my sister-in-law
- A fundraising dinner and silent auction for a college organization my husband and I both were active in (it's how we met)
- a bridal shower for my brother's fiancee

All this within the next month!

Shopping commences.

Big tax refund! But most of it's going into savings, and is already there. That's me trying to be responsible. I did make today, payday, the day I finally ordered two Sweaty Bands I've been eyeing:

(Images from Sweaty Bands)

LOVE the black/gold fleur-de-lis pattern because I'm a huge New Orleans Saints fan, and I've  been wanting a red headband for awhile now! Love Sweaty Bands!

Now, I head into the weekend with a quote from the oh-so-wise Cher of "Clueless" --

"Boy, getting off the freeway makes you realize how important love is."

Stressed.

I haven't posted in over a week, my bad!

Ever since the half marathon, my mileage has gone way down. I was averaging 25 miles a week, and the past two weeks, I've averaged UNDER 10. Joining the gym has contributed because I don't run on the days I go to the gym, and since I'm paying $50 a month for the gym, I have made going a focus. Got to get my money's worth!

I think I am getting it under control -- I ran 5 miles Tuesday, ran 3.5 on the treadmill yesterday at the gym, and will run after work today, at least 4 miles. At least that's more than 10.

This week has been really tough on me. I've just had a million different things to do at work, I've been getting up most days at 5:30 to go to the gym but I'm not getting enough sleep beforehand, and then I don't even have this weekend to look forward to because on Saturday I first have to get up at 6 to go do a volunteer thing my husband and I signed up for, and then I have to work from 10 to 2. I keep trying to tell myself that "By 2 p.m. on Saturday, I will be free to relax," but the fact that I want to be relaxing by 5 p.m. on Friday and not 21 hours later keeps bothering me

All of this stress has led me to obsess about taking a vacation, but anywhere cool is just too far away, thus airline tickets are too expensive. I live in Louisiana, and so that means the closest states are Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida. I've been to all of these states too many times to count, so I don't want to go anywhere in them. My dream vacation right now is San Francisco with a day trip to Napa Valley included, but it's sooo much money. That or somewhere in the northeast. My husband understands my desire to travel, but does not want to spend too much money. We really don't have a lot of money since I'm putting him through law school, but I still feel like, whatever, let's just use our tax refund to go somewhere cool! He thinks we should *save.* Phooey on that!!!


I need an Easter dress. Isn't this one perfect?

Sunny Soiree dress from Anthro

Too bad it's $148!

Another great giveaway!

Check out this great giveaway at Blessed with Full Hands!! Lots of great stuff to win, including bondibands, a Zooma tee and grocery bag, Luna bars and GUs, and more!

Enter!

Found some awesome running-related giveaways today!

• Great giveaway over at Run Zoe Run for a gift card to Road ID -- I really need to get one of these! It includes your name, medical info, etc. in case something happens to you while you're running. Since I do run alone a lot of the time, this is very important!
• You can also win a Bondi Band by visiting Run With Jess! :)
• Or a running key cuff and gels from Sassy Runner Girl! 
• annddd.... an iFitnessBelt with Running Through Life! I have a SpiBelt but would love to try out this type of running belt.

Remaining Races in 2011

So, while everyone in the blogging world talks about "Race Season" beginning, it is actually pretty much over here in the South. You just can't run more than a 5K in the summer temperatures we get here, not even at 7 a.m. So this is what I'm looking at for the rest of the spring/summer:


April 23: Crescent City Classic 10K in New Orleans
Not signed up officially yet, but the husband and I have talked about it and I think it's something I should participate in at least once, even if I'm dodging walkers and strollers the whole time (it's a big event that draws runners and non-runners alike).

July 9: Spillway Classic in Norco
A 3-mile trail run that's really more about the fun and camaraderie and tradition of the race than about the time it takes to finish. Another one of those "you have to do this at least once" races and since there's NOTHING in May or June that stands out to me, this would be nice to do just to get back that racing feeling.


October 9: Gulf Coast Half Marathon in Mandeville
This will be the first of three local half marathons I want to do in the fall.

October 29: Jazz Half Marathon in New Orleans

November 19: Goldenfliers 10-miler in Baton Rouge
Did the 5-miler in 2010. Very nice race, quality swag, small number of runners, pretty course... what's not to like?

November 24: Turkey Day 5-miler in New Orleans
Sounds like fun!

December ??: Ole Man River Half Marathon in New Orleans
Did the 5K in 2010. Was a good course, good post-race food and drinks, nice little medal.

2012
So all those half-marathons will lead up to what I think will become my first marathon on...

January 15: The Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge

and depending on how that goes??

February/March ??: Rock 'n Roll Mardi Gras Marathon
I know it is a bit ambitious to think I could do my first marathon and then turn around and do a second one-two months later. That's why I say ?? If it turns out to be too much, then I will likely just do the half-marathon for this event.

Rock 'n Roll Dallas 1/2 Marathon

Things I Liked:

• This was my second RnR event, and both were very efficiently run and well-organized, from the expo to the finish line-herding (snacks, photos, get out of the way, etc).
• Was glad to see Sweaty Bands at the expo because I saw them at the Mardi Gras RnR expo but didn't take advantage of getting a headband without having to pay for shipping and handling. I took advantage this time and got a nice band that I wore for the race - worked perfectly!
• I was distressed when I first read that they recommended you drive to the finish line and park, then take shuttles to the start line, but this turned out to be very easy. We left our downtown hotel, followed the directions they gave on their web site, and we dealt with no traffic and had no problems finding Fair Park. We parked easily, and the shuttles (dozens and dozens of school buses) were very well organized and got us to the Start Line quickly.
• The race started on time and there was plenty of course support. The corrals were well organized.
• I've seen some people complain about the medal compared to last year's, but seeing pictures of last year's medal, I like this year's a lot better. I think last year's was kind of ugly! Just me? I also liked the T-shirt. White shirts are better for me in the summer - a dark color is too hot!
• The finish line was very close to Barbecs, an awesome diner in east Dallas where I got two pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage for $6! We met up with a college friend of mine who lives in Dallas for the meal after the race, and it was great!
• I love that the professional race pictures are ready the next day! Impressive considering the volume of pictures I'm sure they take and the number of runners they're dealing with.

Things I Didn't Like:

• The weather, though obviously this was not the race's fault! It was a very warm day on Saturday, the day before the race, but that night a cold front came in and it was extremely cold Sunday morning! I luckily had brought a pair of running tights and a throwaway long-sleeved shirt just in case. Still, we got to the start line an hour before the race and it was torturous sitting there in the wind for that long. Of course, once the race started and we began running, we warmed up quickly and sweated a lot, even though the sun never came out and it was overcast the entire time!
• I think that there were a decent amount of porta-potties, but this was my first time having to stop during a race to go to one, and on the first attempt, I was about fourth in line waiting outside 5 porta-potties and I finally gave up and started running again because it was taking so long! Might have just been bad luck - about 2 miles later, I spotted two porta-potties with no lines and was in and out of it in less than 1 minute. But those two miles waiting to see another porta-potty were the longest two miles ever!
• The course was nice, but much of it went through residential areas, including the rich Highland Park. That was fine, but apparently bands and course support tables weren't allowed to set up in the neighborhoods so the time spent running through them was rather boring. I am just not that interested in looking at houses. I specifically remember mile 5 and mile 10 feeling like they lasted forever because we were running through residential areas and it was just so boring!
• Bret Michaels is not really my cup of tea (though it's a better selection than the headliner for RnR Mardi Gras - Bowling for Soup). We did not stick around for the concert.

Vote!

Vote for Skinny Runner's brother in the Crate n Barrel Ultimate Wedding Contest and you can enter her HUGE giveaway!!!

Everything is sore.

I woke up today quite sore from hot yoga yesterday, but I still trucked it to spinning class at the gym. I got the best night's sleep yet before a 5:45 a.m. class last night. Before the first two, I woke up several times, each time trying to figure out if I was actually going to get up and go or not. I think I slept better last night because I knew what to expect, for the first time.

Got there at 5:35 and an older lady informed me and another girl that the class didn't actually start until 6 (Even though the schedule says 5:45! Annoying.) So I went to the weights and did some triceps and glute/quad presses (Random, I know). Then went back into the spinning room and waited.

The instructor was different from Monday - an older guy, maybe late 40s or early 50s? Whereas on Monday it was a younger girl, probably late 20s/early 30s. He worked us HARD! There were 8 people to start and 4 quit before it was over. He had us riding standing up a LOT. I seem to recall Monday being much easier. I definitely sweated more today. It's good though, I bet I burned a lot more calories.

So I'm sore and walking gingerly - definitely need to take it easy until Sunday so I can rock the half-marathon. 2:10 is my first goal, 2:05 my secret dream, 2:00 or under if I have a transcendent experience and channel someone faster than me.

After two classes, I've determined I need one of these:

For real!

I won!

Yesterday I participated in what was billed as a 5K but what turned out to be a "4-mile challenge" at my husband's law school, and I was the first female finisher! Now, there were only about 50 people running and only about 7 of them were girls, so it's no big feat. But I won a $30 gift card to a local sporting goods store and since I've never won anything before (That I can recall), I'll take it! Heading into the fourth mile, I knew I was the first girl and looking behind me saw no one, so I slowed down quite a bit. My splits went something like this:

Mile 1 - 8:08
Mile 2 - 8:27
Mile 3: 8:39
Mile 4: 8:57
2.2 - 8:46
Average - 8:33

So my splits were hideous and I started way too fast, wearing myself out, but luckily it didn't matter. It was also an evening race after a day of work (for which I woke up extra early so that I could leave early to get ready for the race), so perhaps I would have had more energy if it had been in the morning.

This race was quite informal and disorganized - first the whole "oh wait, it's not really a 5K, it's 4 miles" thing, then we all just walked over to this intersection and someone yelled "Go!", then we had three motorcycle cops who were supposed to be blocking major intersections for us but they stayed with the frontrunners so us in the back didn't have their support, then there were allegedly going to be 2 water stations but there were actually zero, and there was no chip timing, just a guy with a stopwatch at the end telling you your time as you finished, and of course no mile markers. After the race, a girl came up to me and said, "Did you win for the girls?" and I said yes and she handed me the gift card. We did get nice technical t-shirts. So it was very casual, laid-back, and small. It worked out though.

This morning I once again had to fight the urge to stay in bed when my alarm clock went off at 5:10 a.m., but I got up and went to the gym to try out Hot Fusion Yoga. I thought this would be more like Bikram Yoga, but it wasn't really. It was tough!

We worked out the whole body, using a body bar and weights for upper body, did lots of lunges, squats, etc, and did ab work. I wore shorts because I thought with "hot yoga" they'd turn up the temperature and it'd get really sweaty, but they didn't and all the other girls were in yoga pants. So I felt self-conscious about that the whole time. There were two guys there, and all together there were about 10 of us.

It was a really good workout, and normally it's $5 each time but the instructor told us first-timers we could do this first time for free to see how we liked it. It was really hard and I prefer running, spinning, and doing weights on my own, but we'll see. I'm going to try out normal yoga next week and probably Pilates as well. I do want to do one of those regularly along with running, spinning, and weights.

I be up in the gym just workin on my fitness

Yes, that's a Fergie quote. I have now hit the gym three times since signing up a week ago, and it would be more if I didn't have to train for a half-marathon. And since my patience for the treadmill hovers around zero, that running must take place outside.

So this was my Thursday and weekend in a nutshell:

Thursday - hit the gym after work, doing 2 miles on the elliptical, 2 miles running on the treadmill, upper and lower body weights, and abs. Friday I took the day off from working out, Saturday I ran 3 miles at an 8:37 pace to help prepare for a 5K I'm doing tomorrow night, and then on Sunday, my husband and I set out for what was supposed to be a 14-mile training run for our half marathon.

My husband has always, always been the one to push me to go further or harder when out running, so it was disconcerting for me to see him struggling at the tail end of our run. At about 10 miles, he was just dripping sweat, he said his feet felt numb, and he was gassed. He hasn't really trained properly, running long distances of 8 and 10 miles once each before attempting the 14-miler. It was also really hot outside, which didn't help.

We ended up deciding to just do 13.1 miles so he could complete the half-marathon distance, and I was definitely feeling a lot better than him at the end. I could have kept going and completed the 14 miles, but we stick together. I know it was weird for him too. He thinks the numb feet thing might have something to do with the way he runs because he's flat-footed. If he wants to train again for a half or even full marathon in the future, he (and me too) will need to go get fitted and find shoes that will help him run more comfortably. Our plan for the race is for him to wear a hat if it's real sunny and hot (Though it shouldn't be as hot because our run was at 11 a.m. and the race will be at 8. Earlier = cooler). He will also stop to take stretch breaks if his feet start to feel that way again.

On Monday, I got up at 5:15 a.m. so I could make it to the gym for a 5:45 a.m. spin class! It was so hard to get up, but I had fun at the class, got in some upper body weights and a mile on the treadmill, and felt fabulous for the rest of the day. I loved going through the day knowing I'd already worked out and didn't have to do it after work, and I also loved the no traffic and plentiful parking at the gym early in the morning. I think I will incorporate early morning classes and gym visits into my week from now on.

Today I plan to rest, but if it feels nice this evening I might get my husband to go for a 2-3 mile run. Tomorrow night is the 5K. I am thinking of trying hot yoga Thursday morning and go to another spin class Friday morning. Friday afternoon we travel. Half-marathon is in Dallas on Sunday. Can't wait!

So hungry!

I have been extra hungry lately. I ate lunch twice today. I don't know what the deal is! Besides PMS. Which I get to blame everything on every 4 weeks, so that's convenient.

Today's consumption:

Breakfast =
peanut butter and banana slices on 2 pieces of bread

Snack 1 =
Luna protein bar

Lunch 1 =
Lean Pocket
Apple
Banana

Lunch 2 =
Smart Ones mini pizzas

Snack 2 =
Athenos greek yogurt with strawberry topping

I hope I can get over this case of the munchies asap! I will just have to be more disciplined... and stop relying on Lean Pockets for lunch. They have almost 300 calories but keep me full for about 1 hour.

The gym was great yesterday. I approached the treadmill with trepidation, but I did 4 miles on it and liked it OK. I sweated A LOT. Like as much as I would have had I run outside. Was weird. I tried out the different machines for upper and lower body, and did ab work. Was there for about an hour and a half. Can't wait to try a class.

Joined a gym.

I joined a gym yesterday. I hadn't felt much need for a gym in the past year, as I started running more, losing weight and feeling great. But I realize I've become what Runner's World calls a "marshmallow runner." I'm soft. No matter how much I run, my legs aren't as strong as I want them to be and my arms are still flabby and I'm just not solid. I need the benefits provided by cross-training so I can become a better runner. I want to have access to a treadmill on the days when it's storming outside and I can't go running, or this summer when it's 100 degrees outside and I feel like going running might give me heatstroke.

I want to take advantage of the classes they offer, including Hot Yoga, Spinning, Pilates, Zumba...

It is $50 a month which is a bit steep, but I can make it worth the money by going often, taking advantage of their services, and finding enjoyment and success with it.

I hope to see my running times and speed get better thanks to the cross and strength training I will receive at the gym.

Right now I think my plan is to go to the gym at least 3-4 times a week, and run outside three times a week. I'll run on the treadmill at the gym the rest of the time to get in my mileage goal. In a perfect world, my weeks will look something like this:

Monday: 
Work
Run outside

Tuesday: 
Work
Gym: treadmill 30 minutes, spinning class at 6, upper body workout

Wednesday:
Work
Gym: Pilates 5:30 p.m., lower body workout

Thursday: 
Work
Run outside

Friday: 
Work
Rest

Saturday: 
Gym: Yoga, 11 a.m.
Upper body workout
Run outside

Sunday:

Gym: lower body workout
Running outside

In other news, this gym fee is going to cut seriously into my shopping budget. I'll have to save up for something I want instead of buying on a whim. This is a good thing.

10K race recap and other stuff...

Ran in a 10k race this past Saturday, and it was great! I love races where I feel good, get a PR, have fun, enjoy the after party, and everything just goes right. We departed around 6:20 a.m. on Saturday because the race location was about an hour from our apartment and we had to pick up our packets beforehand. We got there in plenty of time and had no problems parking. This was a tiny race, with about 215 people, and it was the organization's first time putting the race on. They did a fantastic job.

We got our race numbers and T-shirts, then went back to the car to get everything ready (For me that means put on Garmin, iPod, spiBelt, take Gu, put on sunscreen, etc). We were parked very close to the start so we walked over to get ready for the race start about 10 minutes prior to 8 a.m. Someone sang the national anthem and they counted down to the start. I started off really fast, finishing my first mile in 8:18 -- really fast for me! I settled down and got into an 8:30/mile pace for the next couple of miles. There were water stops at miles 2 and 4. The 4th mile was my toughest, and I slowed down to 8:43 pace for that. There was a nice breeze but it was really warm outside.

The last mile included a 4-story parking garage that we had to climb up and then down! It was a beast! As soon as that was done, we ran into a football stadium, went one time around the track, and then finished on the 50-yard line. I got a PR by about 2 minutes. My previous 10K time was 57:33 if you went by the gun time and 55:50 if you went by the Garmin time, so with a 53:09 chip time, I PRed big time!

After the race, Garrett Hartley from the Saints came to the stadium to take photos with fans. The race being so small meant there wasn't much of a line at all, so my husband and I jumped in line and got to meet him. It was really neat!

The after-race party had good food like jamabalaya and pulled pork sandwiches, sweet tea and lemonade, Powerades, etc. It was just really well done!!

Now it's Monday and back to the grind. Our half-marathon in Dallas is two weeks away, and we're doing a 5K that my husband's law school is hosting next Wednesday. Speaking of law school, my husband interviewed on Friday for a summer clerkship, and he'll find out this week if he got it or not. I'm really praying he gets it! It's about 2 hours away so we'd be apart for 6 weeks, but we'd fit visits in and it would be over before I know it! He just really needs the experience and it would be so encouraging for him to get it!

Plan for the next two weeks:

1) Checking out a local fitness center today to see if I want to sign up - with the summer heat coming on I really want to have an indoors option to run on treadmills, and also to be able to use the other equipment and not be a "marshmallow runner"!

2) Running Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, with a long run on either Saturday or Sunday. My nieces' birthday party is Saturday so we might not fit the run in -- we're planning on 14 miles so that will probably take 2 hours and 15 minutes or so.

3) Next week -- running Monday, Tuesday, with a 5K on Wednesday night, traveling on Friday and Saturday (And arriving in Dallas Saturday afternoon. Need to go to the expo, check in to our hotel, and meet up with friends for dinner.) Half Marathon on Sunday! Traveling back home afterwards.

Once the half marathon is over, speed training for the Crescent City Classic commences. It is a 10K on April 23. I want to finish around 50 minutes. Can I take off 3 minutes in a month and a half? We'll see! Not having a 4-story parking garage in the course should help a little! :)

Places I've Been

I've been longing to go overseas again lately. It won't happen for a long, long while, but one day, we'll be able to save toward another trip. Below are pictures of places I've been. 

On another note, visit Eat.Watch.Run to enter her giveaway for a super cute running girl charm!! I so want it!

London, UK

Brussels, Belgium

Bruges, Belgium

Athens, Greece

Skopje, Macedonia

Rugova Mountains, Kosovo

Thessaloniki, Greece

Mavrovo, Macedonia

Matka Canyon, Macedonia

Negotino, Macedonia

Peja, Kosovo

Lake Ohrid, Macedonia

Halkidiki, Greece

Flour beetle infestation - UGH!!

I was setting about making Caitlin B's baked pickles last night when I noticed a little black thing in my container of bread crumbs. I realized it was a little bug, and then I saw more! So gross! I immediately went into my pantry, taking out everything, and found the same little bugs in two bags of flour, cornstarch, my granola, cereal, UGH! My husband googled them and they are flour beetles. I'm not sure how it started, but we had to throw away everything that was opened. So disgusting. We then went to Wal Mart to re-stock, as well as get containers with tight lids to store all of the new stuff.

I have everything in the pantry that couldn't have been contaminated on the kitchen table, and tonight I'm going at the pantry with bleach water. So gross and annoying!

I fought my run and I won.

The plan was 6.2 miles, and the goal was to finish before it started storming. The weather forecast yesterday presented a window of two hours where it would not be raining - it was raining up until 8 a.m., and severe weather was supposed to be headed our way starting at 10 a.m., but from 8-10, there was only 10 percent chance of precipitation.

It was humid, overcast, muggy, gross. There were big puddles on my path that I had to jump over or sidestep. I felt like junk. Less than halfway in, I wanted to quit. The fact that no one else was at the park besides me bothered me  (I run alongside streets so it wasn't a desolate area). Wondering if the forecast was wrong and I was going to get stuck in the rain distracted me. I didn't bring my iPod in case that happened, so all I had was the sound of my footsteps and my own thoughts to entertain me.

But somewhere during my "Wanting to Quit" mode, I thought, "This is a fight, and I'm going to win." I love Skinny Runner's shirt that says, "I Wanna Punch Running in the Face." A lot of the time, I love running, I want to give it a kiss. But sometimes, I do want to punch it in the face. And that's what I decided to do. I didn't quit. I kept chugging along. "Just keep running, just keep running" (ala Finding Nemo's "just keep swimming").

And I did it. At a 9:21 pace, sans negative split, but I didn't quit and I beat the rain. I punched running in the face and won our fight.

More shopping!

I am so bad when it comes to online shopping. It's so easy. It's so convenient. It's so addictive. It's a good thing I don't have a credit card. Latest purchases:

 

I've been wanting a cute running-related necklace. Can't beat $1.50 from Forever 21.

Forever 21 --- I really like the Love 21 brand of the store, because I really was getting too old for F21 until they came out with this. It's more mature (and the skirts are longer!). I love this paisley skirt and will be wearing it a ton this spring and summer.

I love Lauren Conrad and I impulse-bought this top from her line at Kohls. Another pretty item that will be perfect for the upcoming warm months.

Best long run, ever.

My long training runs (9+ miles) have ranged from a 10:45 pace to last week's 10:11 pace, which had been my best at the time. Today? 12.02 miles at a 9:30 pace. It was just one of those perfect days - cool, overcast, flat course, perfect for running and I felt wonderful. Wish they could all be like that!

Anthro pick-ups

 Parentheses Hook, $7.95 -- I will use it to hang my race medals! I've run 6 races but only 3 gave out finisher medals. So this will do for now -- when I collect more, I will probably invest in a nice medal rack, like this one:

 

($39 from Allied Medal)

Gracious Curtsey skirt, $19.95
I saw this price on Tuesday and wanted to get it after payday, but after the sale day on Wednesday, it was sold out in every size except XS. I saw that it popped back in Medium today, so I snagged it. I read in the reviews that it ran small, so Medium seemed perfect. There are some negative reviews about it, but I figure out that discounted price, if nothing else it could make a nice comfortable lay-around-the-house skirt or swimsuit cover.

Thank God

My mom had a follow-up appointment today and they said that she caught the melanoma very early, and it is not invasive. They will take some extra tissue to be sure, but it looks like a very good prognosis. I am so relieved.

Running this week has been good... well, for the most part.
Tuesday = 5.4 miles in 53 minutes, for a 9:48 pace. I made the dire mistake of eating Mexican food for lunch, and I thought it would have settled four hours later when I went running, but it did not. I felt like throwing up the entire time. It was such a waste of a great day with nice temperatures, and my legs felt good too. Probably would have had a much better pace otherwise. The only reason I went as fast as I did was because my husband came too.

Wednesday = 3.05 in less than 27 minutes, for an 8:45 pace. I ran this by myself and decided to just run as fast as I could. I don't know if that's a great training strategy or what, but I did three miles: 1st in 9:04, 2nd in 8:35, and 3rd in 8:28.

Today my husband is running with me again, and then I'm taking a break tomorrow, will probably do some Pilates.

Pay Day is tomorrow and I am thinking seriously about getting this:

Runny Yoke Skirt - Anthropologie, $39.95 (sale)

Possibly.

Running through the tears.

On Saturday, my mom told me that she had been diagnosed with melanoma. Skin cancer has always been a fear of mine, lingering beneath the surface, because I am a redhead with very fair skin and I just have always thought if I was going to get cancer, that would be the kind I would get. I've had two moles removed, both benign. But I never, ever imagined my mom getting skin cancer. I can't even recall her with a sunburn.

We have yet to find out its severity, although the doctor told her the mole was superficial and said not to worry. My mom is meeting with a surgeon on Thursday to plan a procedure to remove more tissue. All I can do is pray. I love my mom so much.

To say I am hurting would be an understatement. Since finding out on Saturday, I have cried every day, multiple times a day.

I have run twice since finding out, one 10-miler with my husband and one 5K by myself. Running and crying don't mix - you can't really breathe very well. So I have to make myself stop crying when I am running.

Running really is therapeutic - you can't control life and what happens, but you can control putting one foot in front of the other. Breathe in, breathe out.

 I'm so grateful for my husband, who's been wonderful to me these past few days, holding me, trying to make me laugh, buying me ice cream.

I have three races scheduled for this month, and training for them, making goals for them, will help. The worst thing I could do would be to sit at home,depressed, night after night, and relinquish my goals. That is what I have felt like doing, in my fear and sadness. But I won't give in to it. Here's to me becoming stronger, and to my mom, who is my hero. Here's to her getting better, as soon as possible.

New running gear

My shopping as of late has revolved around all things running. I especially love Running Warehouse and their sales. My most recent RW purchases:

Long-sleeved shirt = Brooks
Short-sleeved shirt = New Balance
Shorts = Adidas
Headband = Brooks

Rock 'n Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon RR

My first half-marathon was an AWESOME experience. First let me say that I grew up about 25 miles from New Orleans, so I am a little biased when I say that it is a fantastic, beautiful city and there is no place like it. I was very excited to travel it on foot and the race course did not disappoint. 

 We hit up the expo on Saturday, and it was OK – the organization as far as getting your bib, T-shirt, and swag bag was efficient, though I was disappointed in the lack of free goodies that the booths offered. What can I say, I like free stuff!! We did get a handful of free Sports Beans packets, and free samples of the Snickers Marathon bar, which tastes great, and Muscle Milk, which tastes not so great. 

My good friend Angela had also signed up to do the half marathon, and we were in the same corral, so we left together with our chauffeur, my husband, at 5 a.m. Sunday morning to head to New Orleans (we all stayed the night at my parents’ house, still the same house I grew up in 30 minutes from Nola). I was very relieved and impressed with how easy it was to get to the runner drop-off point – I was really afraid the route we wanted to take would be closed by the time we got there, but we made it to the point easily and said goodbye to my husband (who was amazing for getting up at 4:30 a.m. to bring us, then entertained himself until we crossed the finish line).

There was a fun little brass band playing jazz music at the Start Village, and we stood around enjoying that for about 15 minutes until it was time to walk to the start. Angela and I both put our predicted finish time as 2:30 (though my goal was to beat that by a quite a bit), so we were both in Corral 18. The race officially started at 7 a.m., but we did not get to the start line until about 7:25. I liked that they did a countdown and blew the horn for the start for each individual corral – it was nice to show that you were still important even if you’re slow :)

So, Angela told me she’d been training at a bit of a slower pace than what I did, so she told me I could feel free to leave her behind, but I didn’t really want to do that – we’d signed up for the race together, and it didn’t feel right to separate immediately. I told her I wanted to keep a 10:00-10:30 pace and she said her goal was to stay with me.

This was a BEAUTIFUL day – cold in the morning, and my toes and fingers were numb for the first mile or so, but the sun was out and the temperature kept it so that it wasn’t too hot. Going at the slower pace (than I probably would have done had I been by myself), I felt really wonderful for the majority of the race. The course took us down Tchoupitoulas Street, Magazine Street, St. Charles Avenue, Esplanade Avenue, through the French Quarter, and ended in City Park. It was just a great, flat course (what else would you find in New Orleans???) that showed a lot of the different sides of New Orleans and showed the spirit of the city.

 I really did feel great for basically the entirety of the race – I made sure with my Garmin that we were staying in the 10-10:30 pace range, though sometimes we’d slow down a bit for a rest, but then I would kick it up again. I got water or Cytomax at every station, and the aid stations were plentiful. I took a Gu before the race started and then took Gu Energy Chomps around mile 8. I loved the spectators that we saw, even if they were cheering for specific people and not me! The bands playing at various points in the course kicked up the energy, and I saw two different tables set up by spectators (?) with KING CAKE! I could not imagine eating king cake during a race, but king cake is tops.

 

At 10.5 miles, Angela told me she needed to walk and that I could go on. I checked my watch and figured that if I ran a 9:30-10:00 pace the rest of the way, I could break 2:20. I ran my little heart out for the last 2.6 miles, and the number of spectators grew the closer we got to the finish in City Park. As I approached the Finish Line, I saw my husband who snapped a photo right as I was noticing him. My final time was 2:18:47. I loved every second of it. Angela was right behind me, finishing at about 2:23. 

  

We got some goodies after crossing the finish line, like the medal, a heat blanket, Snickers Marathon bars, fruit, Cytomax, etc.  We all found each other and then after talking to another group of people we knew who had done the half, we left and went to this great little place called “The Ruby Slipper” for breakfast with my cousin and her husband, who live in New Orleans.

This was seriously a better experience than I could have envisioned, and I cannot wait for the next! I will definitely be working on my speed so that I can better my time, but do it comfortably. I am grateful that I had Angela to run with in the beginning, because that really made me pace myself and I think I enjoyed the race more because of it. (Being gassed by mile 6 or 8 or even 10 would not have been fun).

All in all, this was AWESOME (how many times can I fit that word in here), and I was truly proud of myself, the other runners, and the city of New Orleans for this race. The Rock ‘n’ Roll series, if all the races are done as well as this, is worth the money to participate in. Can’t wait to do another.

Way to go, MTV.

Lauren Conrad Show Won't Air on MTV

"It was a great attempt but it just didn't feel like a perfect fit for us now."

Translation? It's not about 16-year-olds having babies, and it's not about trashy New Jersey residents acting like idiots, so it won't work for MTV. God forbid they show a girl who's actually trying to make a career for herself in fashion and who has turned being a reality star into something positive. That's just too tame for MTV.

In case you couldn't tell, I have a Girl Crush on Lauren Conrad and was really looking forward to her new show. I hope she gets picked up on another network. I don't ever watch MTV.

I've been busy....

shopping.

1) Garmin Foreunner 305 - to track my runs, got it just in time for a 10K this weekend and half-marathon next weekend!

2) "Haven't Met You Yet" dress from Ruche - possible Valentine's Day outfit to be paired with cardigan - it can go with so many colors - yellow, orange, blue, red...

3) Navy "Field Skirt" from Anthropologie - on sale for $39.95. Will be very good for work.

4) Two Brooks tops and a Headsweats headband from Running Warehouse, getting ready for spring/summer running!

Race Forecasts:
10K tomorrow - 27-31 degrees.... it will be freaking cold!
Half-marathon next Sunday - 10-day forecast projects 60% chance of rain, praying that doesn't happen!

Looking back.

Without my husband coming to meet me yesterday, I would not have gone running, but he did so I did. We got in almost 3 miles, making the week total so far about 7. My week's total will be at least 20 after I run 13.1 tomorrow. Aaaah! I'm a bit nervous for some reason! I bought some Gu energy gel from Academy the other night, and I tried Clif energy gel before our 4.3 mile run Wednesday. It was kind of gross, the consistency, but I do feel like it gave me energy to run when I had been so tired after a long day of work. I will take a Gu before the run and then carry two with me for the duration. I will be drinking Powerade or water every 3 miles or so.

Tonight my husband and I are going to eat at a burrito place with our Bible study, so I will try to load up on the veggies and get some carbs in. I am looking forward to having this run tomorrow over with! Then it's taper taper until the race. I'm so glad that I was able to up my mileage over the last month -- it feels great to look back and see what I've accomplished.

Before I started running last May, I'd never run regularly with the exception of Summer 2005 when my then-boyfriend (now husband) and I started running in the mornings at a park near our college campus. I never was sure of our distance, but I believe I got up to around 3 miles. When the summer ended, so did the running, and I never fully embraced it so I didn't miss it. I had been a walker for a long time, starting in high school probably, and continuing sporadically in college, but I never envisioned becoming a runner. Now in the last 8 months, I've gone from not being able to run a mile without stopping to being able to run 12 miles, and I went from never having completed a race since the age of about 8 (in a fun run) to doing three races within a month and a half of each other.

Now I am about 2 weeks away from a half-marathon - I can't believe it!

I only wish I had started running sooner.

Willpower.

My bank has put me through the ringer today, and it has left me just feeling defeated and wanting nothing more than to go straight home after work and crawl in bed. In fact, it's got me wanting to leave work early and do that!

But I need to run today, and while everything in my mind says, "No, I don't want to run!" I know that I need to. Yesterday something happened right before I met my husband to run that made me feel so down, so mentally unprepared to go for a run, and yet I had to do it because I had my husband waiting on me. I ran 4.2 miles and by the last mile and a half felt much better. I think running is therapeutic and it's something that right now, I really need to be committed to, with this half-marathon coming up.

Speaking of which, I will run 13.1+ on Saturday and then I am done with these long runs until race day. We have a 10K a week prior, so next week I will focus on doing about 4-6 mile runs and then race day is on Saturday, what previously had been my long-run day. I am going to take it relatively easy in the week leading up to the half, doing short runs and yoga/pilates stuff.

It's days like these I really do need that running/accountability partner to force me to go running, because if left up to me, I will be heading straight home at 5:30 and immediately get into rest mode.

Latest purchase.

 

Through Thick and Thin Sandals

Sluggish Monday.

There is something about Monday that just makes me feel sluggish. I usually get to work around 8, but didn't make it in until 8:30 (as long as I'm there by 9 and work 8 hours, my boss is OK with me coming in at varying times).

I love this new iced coffee kick I am on because it means my coffee is already made and waiting for me in the fridge in the mornings. So much better than having to brew some up bleary-eyed when I'm still half-asleep.

My menu for today is pretty much set out:

Breakfast = Van's belgian waffle with light butter and syrup; one medium tangelo

Lunch = Lean Pocket and spinach/tomato/cucumber salad

Snacks = Kashi bar, light salt + vinegar chips, almonds

Dinner = Low-calorie stir-fried shrimp

I ran 12 miles yesterday, and I made sure to look up the total KM equivalent so as not to sell the run short like last time. Here were my stats:

Duration: 2 hours, 9 minutes, 50 seconds

Distance: 19.41 km

Average speed: 9.0 kph

Average pace: 6:41 min/km

Calories burned: 1074

Max speed: 16.3 kph

My running plan for this week:

Tuesday - 4 miles
Thursday -6 miles
Saturday - 13 miles

Yes, I am tackling the half-marathon distance on my own finally, and then after that I'm going to just do shorter runs until the race on Feb. 13

I am doing a 10K with my husband on Feb. 5, which will be my first race of that distance. My goal is to finish it in 1 hour. I did a 5-miler in November which I finished in 48 minutes. I hope I can do 6.2 in just 12 minutes more.

As for shopping, not much of that going on lately. We're in a little period where we are having to pay big bills all within weeks of each other, so my recent income has been going toward that, plus the additional race registration costs. It should stabilize after Feb. 1, and I'll be able to indulge a little more in that area. :) I still have my $25 Anthropologie gift card and I am patiently waiting to see what item I will use it towards.

Officially Signed Up!

It is only three weeks away, but today I officially signed up for the Rock 'n' Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon in New Orleans! I had been thinking about doing it since October, but never fully committed to it mentally, and then in December after watching the documentary, "The Spirit of the Marathon," on Hulu, it really inspired me to commit to this half-marathon and just go for it.

I had to wait until I recuperated from Christmas spending to afford the $105 registration fee (as well as paying rent and car insurance for the next 6 months), so I waited until this pay day today, and registered as soon as I got up.

I am running it with a friend and am sooooo excited. My husband is going to come be a spectator, seeing us off at the starting line and then taking a shuttle to the finish line to wait for us. The Rock 'n' Roll series is a popular, fun race that will provide entertainment on the course and entertainment at the finish line.

I plan to run 12 miles on Sunday, 13 miles next Saturday (with short runs mixed in the days between), and then I'm doing a 10K the week before the half-marathon and will do some short runs the Monday-Tuesday before the Sunday race. Then I will take a break from running the rest of the week and just do some yoga and pilates.

The next thing on my list is to make a half-marathon playlist for my iPod and plan where we're going to eat afterward! I hope I will still have an appetite when the race is over!

Gift Card Spending

My mother-in-law has given me a White House Black Market gift card for Christmas the past four years or so. It is always really hard for me to find something at WHBM because their stuff is just a bit too dressy for my workplace. I usually end up getting a purse or simple earrings, and I opted for the former this time around as well.

 

Dynasty Croco Purse

I have actually had bad luck with WHBM purses - the first purse I bought from them had these flaps on each side, and one of the flaps tore off after about a month. I was able to affix the flap back on and it looked OK, but that was annoying. It was REALLY annoying when the second purse I got from them, a cute black/white checkered hobo bag, ended up having a defective zipper which broke after about 2 months of use. If something goes wrong with this purse, I will probably make a  complaint to WHBM and never buy a purse from them again. One time could be a fluke. Two times is concerning. A third time? Heck no.

Food (and drink) to look forward to.

In the past two days I've discovered two little snacks that I know from now on I will be excited to have!

I picked up 2 little containers of Dannon's Greek yogurt with honey on the bottom, and yesterday after coming home from work early, I dumped one in a bowl with some Bear Naked vanilla almond crunch granola, frozen strawberries, and banana slices, and it was AWESOME. I think next time I'll forgo the frozen strawberries, as they didn't seem to mesh well with everything else. But this was sooooo good. 140 calories for the yogurt container.

Then, I looked up tips on making good iced coffee, tried it this morning, and it too was AWESOME. You need to brew a strong pot of coffee at night, then pour into a pitcher and mix in the sugar (Splenda in my case) while it's still hot. Then cool the pitcher in the fridge over night. This morning I added some almond milk to the coffee and then poured it over ice in my coffee thermos. It was really good! The biggest thing is to cool the coffee in the fridge first, because otherwise it would melt the ice quickly and water down your drink. Putting in the sugar while the coffee is still hot is also a key, because as we all know sugar doesn't really dissolve in cold water (which is why I don't get my husband ordering iced tea at restaurants and then pouring in sugar packets into. You also get gritty sugar when you drink and to me, it's gross!)

I did not run Tuesday OR Wednesday for two different reasons - Tuesday it was raining, so I went home and did Kenpo X (of p90X). It's about an hour of kickboxing-like workouts. Yesterday was the first day of  my Monthly Gift, and the first day is always rough on me. I came home and took some medicine for a headache, and after dinner I felt OK enough to do my Bikini Ready Workout.

There is rain in the forecast today, but I MUST RUN. I get frustrated having gone this long without running. If it's raining when I get off of work today, I might cry. The forecast says it will be, but sometimes the forecast is wrong. Fingers crossed. Days like this, I wish I had a treadmill or belonged to a gym.

My Long Run and Menu for the Week

This past Saturday was the third Saturday in a row that I set out to run the longest distance I've ever run.

Two weeks ago, I ran 15k or 9.3 miles, then last Saturday, I ran 10.2 miles, and my goal this past Saturday was 11 miles. I use an application on my BlackBerry to track my distance, and unfortunately it only offers distance in km. I should have figured out how many km = 11 miles before I left, alas, I did not. I figured that since 10.2 miles was about 16 km, that 17.5 km should be 11 miles.

Obviously I don't know enough about km and miles. I ran 17.5 km and returned to my car in triumph. When I looked up the distance to see exactly how many miles it was, I was so mad - 10.89 miles. Not 11 miles. I beat my longest distance, but did not reach my goal. I learned a nice little lesson, and I can't wait to get a Garmin which will measure my distance in MILES.

Here were my stats:

Distance: 17.52 km

Duration: 1 hour, 53 minutes, 2 seconds

Average speed: 9.3 kph

Max speed: 14.9 kph

Average pace: 6:27 min/km

Calories burned: 956


Today after work I plan to run about 4.2 miles and then I'm going to the store to stock up for the week. I gained about 2 pounds over the last week because I've been eating:

1) fast food
2) lots of king cake
3) ice cream
4) pizza

So who can be surprised by weight gain after a week of that? I'm getting back on track now, as I want to lose about 6 pounds to be at my ideal weight.

On the grocery list for snacks:
apples
grapes
cherries
almonds
dill pickles
Greek yogurt and granola

Dinner Menu for the rest of this week:

Tuesday: Parmesan chicken pasta with rosemary
Wednesday: Gardenburgers (portabella) with sweet potato fries
Thursday: Stir-fried shrimp
Friday: Date night/eating out -- I will get a salad


My running and workout plan this week:

Tuesday: 4 miles and Bikini Ready Workout
Wednesday: 3 miles
Thursday: 2 miles and Bikini Ready Workout
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Bikini Ready Workout
Sunday: I have a birthday party to go to at 11:30 a.m. an hour away from home, and since I normally run my long run in the morning, I am thinking of moving my long run to Sunday. I want to run 11 to 11.75 miles.

The brouhaha over Ricky Gervais.

Ricky Gervais is hilarious. For some reason, Hollywood decided to take itself way too seriously this weekend and absolutely freak out over some jokes he made as host of the Golden Globes. These millionaires/billionaires gasped when he made a veiled joke about Tom Cruise/John Travolta possibly being gay, as if they've never heard it before. I've read in several articles that one of the people he "attacked" was Angelina Jolie - the only joke I've heard relating to her was about "The Tourist" being a bomb, and if that's all he said, isn't it an "attack" on Johnny Depp too? It's not like he called her out as a homewrecker. Which would just be stating the truth. What he said about "The Tourist" was true too. 

 

He might have a crossed a line by making a joke about Robert Downey Jr's checkered past, since Downey is recovered and probably doesn't find that period of his life to be very funny. But did I mind Gervais calling out Charlie Sheen? Absolutely not. Sheen has displayed some disgusting behavior as of late, and yet his network sticks behind him and his lame show.

 

The show just so happened to garner higher ratings than last year, but I'm sure next year they'll have some unfunny, mild person host for the sake of pleasing the rich and famous attendees. You do what you have to do, I guess. Doesn't mean I have to watch it.

The joys of marriage.

My husband and I are usually not up at the same time in the morning. The way his classes fall, he's either out the door before I wake up, or I'm on my way to work before he gets up. Today was one of the rare mornings when we're up and getting ready at the same time, and boy, was I in for a treat. I wanted a kiss goodbye since I was leaving about 10 minutes before him, and he informed me that he hadn't brushed his teeth yet right before trying to french kiss me. He did it to gross me out, which worked, but it made me laugh, and wish we had more mornings together. We are both interesting when we're tired.

This week has been one big running fail. I didn't run yesterday after work because I felt like my head was going to explode, it hurt so bad. I'm not running today because my long run is tomorrow, and I feel like I shouldn't do anything running-related the day before those. Tomorrow will be interesting, but I'm aiming for 11 miles.

Dress standards and running in cold weather

I'd say for most people, there are certain basic standards which your clothing must meet. For example, you usually don't want your dress to be see-through. Am I right?

Forever 21 apparently doesn't hold this standard up extremely high, which I found out when I received the above dress in the mail. I LOVE the dress... it's simple, easy to accessorize, just long enough for work, BUT... completely see-through. I am wearing it today with a brown camisole underneath and brown tights, but I want to wear it in the spring and summer and tights are not going to fly here with the heat we get.

Thankfully, there is an easy solution, and that is to buy a simple brown or cream slip/chemise to wear underneath. I might even get one that is suitable to peek out from the bottom, to make the length of my dress appear even longer. But it sure would be nice if the dress came with some kind of lining so this wasn't a problem! Oh Forever 21. How you tease me. I guess that's the price you pay for a cute $20 dress.

I think this week has brought us the coldest temperatures of the winter thus far. Holy Mother. It is freaking cold, and windy on top of that, and I absolutely have zero desire to run in it. Which might explain why yesterday, Wednesday, was the first day I even attempted to run since Saturday, the day I ran my longest distance ever: 10.2 miles. I managed 2 miles yesterday before giving in. I am going to attempt to run again today, this time with gloves and a beanie to cover my poor ears. It's just so hard sometimes to get motivated for a run mentally, and the cold does not help. With the half-marathon exactly one month from today, I know I must overcome this mental block and run my little heart out anyway. I have a checklist of things I want to get related to my running:

• Fuel belt
• Gu
• Spibelt
• Garmin Forerunner 305

I currently use an application on my BlackBerry called "runtastic" to track my runs, but I'd really prefer to get the Garmin Forerunner, which my husband has promised to get me for Valentine's Day (but before the half-marathon :)

I also have the Camelbak Delaney pack, but I rarely use it to hold a water bottle because the pack bounces too much. I mainly use it for the pocket which holds my phone and keys. I'd like to get the Spibelt which seems lighter, with the Fuel belt on the side for longer runs.

Let's Talk Anthro.

Anthropologie is many things to many people. I've read that their target demographic is 30-45-year-old women with an annual household income of $150,000-$200,000. But what I see around the blog world is that many women outside of those particular lines LOVE Anthropologie. Even so, the price points at Anthro aren't going to change dramatically just because an unintended audience became loyal customers. A dress will start at $150+ and that's just the way it is. The beauty of Anthropologie is the sale-watching and the great deals you can sometimes find. I've never seen anything like it before - until I discovered the Anthropologie blogging community.

Because I'm your typical 25-year-old who makes considerably less than the above standard in household income (and am putting my husband through law school, so that annual income consists of one salary - mine), my relationship with Anthro is fragile and sometimes tenuous. The only thing I've ever been able to buy full price was a pair of tights ($12.50). But I find a way to make this little relationship work.

Since yesterday was Sale Day, I looked through my wish lists, hoping for some reasonable prices on any of my favorite items. I have some standards that won't be compromised - I won't pay more than $30 for a shirt. I'll spend the most on shoes, but I rarely ever visit the Bags page because the bags just never get down to what I'm willing to pay for one. I like to stay below $50 for skirts and dresses, which means I miss out on a lot of pieces I'd love to have that never get below that price.

Being much poorer than the target demographic at Anthropologie means there are a lot of things I just can't afford there. But when I am able to get something I love, at a price comfortable for me, this relationship is worth that.

My sale pick-ups yesterday:

 Fancified Boatneck in lilac, $29.95

Tweed Magnificent Sash, $19.95 (no longer listed on web site but popped back in my wish list)