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Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Why We Should Be Broken Up




Hi Lovelies!

The other day I was thinking about relationships, specifically romantic ones.

I've just started a full time job for the summer and Mike has been working a lot of extra hours. Between the two of us this has meant some grumpy days and an extra commitment to taking time for our relationship.

Growing up, we are inundated with happy ever afters. Don't get me wrong, I believe in happy endings, but I've come to realize relationships aren't as easy as we're taught from a young age. It's not all pumpkin carriages and pixie dust all the time (although, hopefully there is a good measure of both.)

Relationships take work. They take daily commitment.

So, I realized, if I adhered to "fairytale rules" Mike and I should be broken up by now (even though I love him more than anything). Because guess what,

We Are Not Perfect.

Shocker, right? 

I remember growing anxious last week, because I wondered if other couples experience the same grumpy-notsoawesome-days Mike and I sometimes have. 

Of course they do. What we see of other people's relationships is only on the outside, not what there day to day looks like. Every relationship is a perfect struggle-full of happiness, love, joy and sometimes tiredness, anger and sadness. That's life.

So, I'm glad Mike and I aren't perfect by fairy tale standards. I'm glad we have to work at our relationship each and every day, because it reminds me I have something beautiful worth working for.

And that makes us perfect, in our perfectly imperfect way.



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Monday, May 27, 2013

Memorial Day at The Shore

Hi All!

Happy Memorial Day! So many thank yous to those who have defended and defend our country.

Today, I'm sharing my dream memorial day outfit and my current fashion obsession (anchors).

I'm spending the long weekend with Mike's fam by the shore and am loving the ocean breeze!


Hope you all are having safe and lovely weekends! Don't forget to link-up! :)




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Happy YOLO Monday!  Each week, Molly & I will be selecting a few of our favorite posts from the Monday before to feature……it’s a great way to put the spotlight on a few of y’all each week!  Please be sure to link up an ACTUAL post, not just a link to your main page.
lovetop
eggrolls
masculinemeetsfeminine
stuffed waffles
yolomondays200x200lightpinkFINAL
The Rules for #YOLOMONDAYS Link-Ups:
               
      1. Follow your hosts Molly @ still being [molly] ,Carly @ Lipgloss & Crayons , and your guest host for the week LB @ LB in Wonderland
 
           
  • Grab a button and / or post a link back here in your BLOG POST (NOT your blog’s main page) so your readers know what all the #YOLOMONDAY-ness is about. We love you guys linking up and we do go through and read all your posts… so if you do not give credit, we will have to remove your link. That’s no fun, right? Right. So be nice and share a link! Pretty please?
   
           
  • Link your blog post up using the linky tool below! It can be ANYTHING! An outfit post, a giveaway, a story, a recipe, whatever. Why? Cause it’s #YOLOMONDAYS!
   
           
  • Visit a blog or four that you’ve never been to before and leave a #YOLOMONDAYS comment – you never know, you might “meet” someone new that you will lurve!
   
           
  • Have fun! Cause #YOLO!
     
 
Want to cohost #YOLOMONDAYS? We will be accepting weekly cohosts starting next week..........please email us at carlybrydon@gmail.com for more info!

Friday, May 24, 2013

Summer Favs

Hi Lovelies!


Happy Friday!

I apologize for being MIA this week. I just started my summer job as a fulltime nanny and it took me some time to get acclimated. I'm used to a grad student schedule (aka sleeping in and staying up super late) so this whole getting up super early and attempting to go to bed early has made me all out of whack!

Alas, my body clock is adjusting and I am back to posting regularly :) I missed you all dearly.

UToday I'm linkiing up with Chelsea for her Summer Favorites link-up,

Here are some of my absolute favs (and summertime life savers!)


Summer Favs

Summer Favs by lbinwonderland featuring espadrille shoes

a) Essie nail polish. Now that it is summer my toes desperately need color! I'm a fan of bold pinks, greens and purples. Why go bland when there are so many fun colors out there?!
b) Vera Bradley tote- as a nanny, I carry a lot of stuff. I love my Vera tote because it is super colorful but really functional.
c) Magazines-One of my favorite things to do in the summer is lay on a blanket in the park or at the beach and catch up on all the pretty glossy magazines out there. Women's Health is one of my favorites. (Reading about working out counts as actually working out right?)
d) Sun glasses! I am so excited because I just bought my first pair of fancy sunglasses. They are by Kate Spade and resemble the ones in this picture. I am in lovvvvveeee. And it's nice to know my light eyes are protected from Mr. Golden Sun
e) Anchor necklace-my sister just gave me a necklace similar to this one and I love it. I feel so summery when I wear it and it goes with everything. Ahoy!
f) TOMS. These are my go to summer shoe in the city because I do A LOT of walking and they keep my feet comfy. They are also so easy to slip on and off which is a major bonus.

What are you summer favs?

Have a great Friday!!


Friday, May 17, 2013

I've Taken on A Lova

I seriously hope you read this post's title in the voice of Carrie Bradshaw...
 
"A Lover?"
"A Lovaaaaa."

*******
 
Friends, I have taken on a lover.
And my darling boyfriend doesn't even know about it (at least until he reads this).
 
My lover is magical.
& Great for when you're in bed.
 
Ready to meet him?
 
Ladies (try not to be too jealous. He's available to all.)
 
I give you my lover...
 
The Snooze button.


I've been on vacation this week and the snooze button has become my new best friend.
Seriously-isn't it he the most wonderful invention (especially when you don't really have to get up, but know you should)?

Take today, for example. I knew I needed to get up to go on my run, but the snooze button was there waiting for me. I could push him and get ten more minutes  of glorious sleep without feeling too guilty-because I knew he would simply wake me back up.

I have a feeling he's going to be amazing next week when I start my job and have to get up at the crack of dawn.

Aren't lovas great?

Happy Friday!!


 
 
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Thursday, May 16, 2013

One Good Thing Worth Trying To Be

 
This is one of my all time favorite lyrics by Sara Barielles. It's become a bit of a mantra for me in life.
 
Have you ever been asked
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
or "What do you want to do when you graduate?"
or "What are you going to do with that degree?"
 
I've been asked all three-countless times, especially that last one.
And every time I grow flustered, trying to think of a good answer. Something that will sound impressive, knowledgeable, or atleast keep the questioner from looking at me like I'm screwed.

Well...I've got my answer.
It isn't impressive. It isn't groundbreaking. But it's me.
 
I want to be love.

I imagine the person who asked me these questions might be thinking..."how can you be love?"

Well, I see it every day in people. It's what makes me believe in the light. It's what gives me joy.

When I see a person stopping to take a picture of a couple trying to do it themselves...
When I see someone opening a door for someone else with a smile...
When someone asks me "how are you" & actually listens to the answer...
When a child gives me a hug just because...
When a dog or cat snuggles up to you on the couch...

That's love. And that's what I want to be.

What if that was what everyone wanted to be? What if it was the one good thing worth trying to be?
 
That's a dream I will always dream.
 



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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The Yummiest Pretzels Ever

Hi all!

I am super excited to be posting my first ever recipe on the blog today...

These baby's are called Spicy Pretzels and they are seriously delicious. They are one of the favorite snack foods my mom makes & they are always one of the first things to go at parties. Which is awesome because they are so EASY to make!
Here is what you will need:

 
1 15 Oz. Bag of Pretzels
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Dill Weed
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (If you don't like your food too spicy try a 1/4 tsp. or 1/2 tsp.)
1 pkg. Dry Ranch Dressing
1 tsp. Seasoned Salt

The Steps:

Pour oil over pretzels and mix well, then add the other ingredients one at a time, stirring after each one & making sure all of the pretzels are equally coated.


And Voila! You're all set! Seriously the easiest thing ever and they are so so good!

Warning: You will most likely eat half a bag in one setting.

Hope you enjoy!! (If you make them, please let me know what you think!:) )



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Monday, May 13, 2013

Meadow Inspired Couple Pics

Hello lovelies!

I hope you all had great weekends. Mine was the most "Boston" weekend I have had so far and I can't wait to share all the details throughout the week with different themed posts!


Yesterday, Michael and I celebrated Mother's day at my parent's house. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we were able to snap some quick pics!


We were in a beautiful meadow and I think it would be the perfect place for an engagement shoot or something of the sort to occur. (Maybe one day! ;) ) 


I could just picture a cute picnic themed photo shoot. Here are some items I would add if I was styling these pictures:



What do you think about the picnic idea? Where are some of your favorite places to take pictures?






 
 
 
 

Friday, May 10, 2013

Guest Post: Lose Weight By Never Stepping Into A Gym

Hi All!

Happy Friday! :) As I said in yesterday's post-I AM DONE WITH FINALS!!!! And so excited about it (can you tell? :)) My brain is still total mush, so today the amazing Amanda of Living in Another Language has kindly offered to guest post for me while I go into town for some much needed R&R :) Thanks Amanda!!

Enjoy her post and make sure to check out her blog-it's fabulous!!

I'll be back to regular schedule programming tomorrow, see you then lovelies! 


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Hey, Amanda here from over at Living in Another Language. I'm an expat living in South Korea teaching little kiddos about English. Trust me, if you would have asked me 4 years ago if I'd ever consider teaching I would have laughed in your face. However life has a way of changing things, and here I am. 

My husband and I realized two years ago that we wanted more to life then just graduating college, getting full-time jobs, and settling down, so we: graduated, got married, got full-time jobs, quite our jobs, and moved abroad. All within a year and a half. How about that for a crazy adventure? 

We love our life, and plan on traveling around for at least 4-5 more years. So far we've been to Mexico, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam (with friends), and this summer will take us to Borneo, Malaysia.
phu7
I started my blog a year ago to document my travels, but it's morphed into a travel/photography/domestic blog. It's pretty much my baby, and I've totally fallen in love with blogging. 

However I do have another love. I love health. Call it my mother being a marathon runner my entire life, but I grew up with an awareness towards general health and fitness. 

Living in South Korea has posed its problems when it comes to maintaining the healthy lifestyle I had back in Portland, Oregon. I was juicing, working out at the gym, and going on the occasional jog. When we moved here I was clueless about continuing on with my health lifestyle. It's taken me a year and some, but I've figured it out. I'm here now to tell you that it's fully possible to lose weight and tone up without having to go to the gym. 

 How to do it (Disclaimer: I'm not certified in nutrition or health, this is just what has worked for me):

 1. Portion sizes I never realized how terribly huge portion sizes are in America. It took traveling to different countries to realize this. One American plate can easily be 2-3 meals. Take your time while eating, it can take a solid 20 minutes for your stomach to even recognize that you're full. Even if you have food left on your plate, DON'T keep eating. Stop and save it for next time. Nothing better than leftovers right?  

2. Smoothie supplement I can't hype on this enough. About 4 weeks ago I bought a blender. I had been wanting one for months, but for some reason never spent the time actually looking into/shopping for one. The first one I bought was a cheap 350W blender, and it only lasted a couple of weeks. I've upgraded to the more expensive 600W version and it's worked like a charm. 

IMG_2784
Old blender (with green smoothie still attached) meet shiny new blender

I had a juicer when I lived in Portland that I'd use every day. I seriously thought about buying a juicer here, but fruits and veggies are so expensive it just wouldn't be worth my while (if you've ever done a significant amount of juicing you know that it requires an insane amount of produce). So, I settled for the blender. I've been attached at the hip to my blender ever since. I have spent the last month making green smoothies every day for lunch, and I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it has been. Two cups of spinach, yogurt, coconut water, a banana, and chia seeds are my staple, and then I add fruit for flavoring. Not only do I have more energy during the day, my skin has cleared up, and I've been feeling less bloated! How about that for a win-win? I drink about 24-28 oz every day, and it fills me up every time. 

 3. Insanity/home workout program When my husband and I first moved to Korea I was pretty set on joining a gym. It wasn't until I realized that the membership fee was 60+ dollars a month that I said, "No Thanks." I was too unfamiliar with the territory to start running, and my husband didn't feel comfortable with me running by myself in the early mornings/late evenings That's when I found the Insanity Workout. This program is the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me. I started my first 60 day run through last April and lost 12 inches total (not so much in the lb area...but I gained a TON of muscle). I have completed it two more times since then. Some would say I'm kind of addicted to this program, but there's reason as to why. Not only can I do it at home, but I need absolutely ZERO equipment-just a TV, a pair of tennis shoes, and a willing heart. 

IMG_2799

Why has it also been the worst thing? It's brutal. The first few days I could hardly walk or get out of bed. I know that sounds a little bit extreme but it's true. Try it yourself and you'll see. The 'insanity' of the program is why you get such fast results. By week two I could see muscle definition. By week four my 6 pack was popping out! In all my time (and money) working out at the gym I had never seen such results. I'm sad I hadn't discovered the program sooner. 

 4. Extra curricular activities Another great way to stay in shape is to find an activity you love. Soccer, volleyball, baseball, football, running, hiking, swimming, yoga: the list could go on and on. For many, exercise isn't their definition of fun. That's because they haven't found what they like to do yet! Don't be afraid to give things a try.  

5. Positive attitude It's hard maintaining a positive attitude when you feel like crap and you just don't want to do it anymore. I doubt you can name a single person out there who hasn't had a downer day at least a couple times a month. I LOVE living healthy, don't get me wrong, but it can get tiring sometimes trying to maintain a healthy life. I am constantly battling with myself about getting up early to do a workout, or sleeping in. That's the worst. But I swear, you NEVER regret a workout when it's finished.  

6. Motivation and dedication The best motivation out there is finding and memorizing your end goal. What do you want to accomplish? I use 'what I want to look like by vacation time' as my end goal and it's worked for me. Some women use clothing sizes, some use self 'gift' bribes, some use total weight loss. All are great, one may work for you better than another. Dedication is HUGE when it comes to living healthy. There are some weeks that you do a terrible job, and some weeks that you do great. Just remember, even if you only worked out once this week, that's better than not working out at all. Consistency is key...and your hard work will pay off over time! After a year of living healthy in a foreign land I'm happy where I've gotten, but I still have a lot of work to do. Pretty sure it never ever 'ends.' :) 

Just remember, I'm here for you! If you have any questions feel free to email me at: livinginanotherlanguage@gmail.com You can stop by my blog and check out what's happening in South Korea anytime as well here (PS this week I'm hosting a HUGE Worldwide giveaway, so check it out...honestly, I wish I could enter). I'm also on Bloglovin', Twitter, and Facebook

Thanks for letting me take over your blog LB! Good luck with finals! :)

Thursday, May 9, 2013

One Year Down!

Hi lovelies!

I am officially done finals!!! So unbelievably excited and relieved that they're finally over. I also seriously cannot believe I have finished my first year of grad school. It went by so fast-only one more to go!

Today, I thought I'd do a little reminiscing on this blog o' mine.

Here are a couple of things I have learned this year being a new city gal/grad student this year:




1. Find open green spaces. After living by a huge lake & mountains for the past couple of years, the thing I first missed in the city was open space. I suggest finding any parks, reservoirs or significant land masses near you. One of my favorite places in Boston is the Common and Gardens. Both are wide open spaces and have beautiful statues, trees, water and flowers.


2. Invest in good shoes.  Especially rain boots (or you'll end up puppy facing it like me here) I have done way more walking here than anywhere else I've ever lived. The first week here I managed to get majorrrrr blisters-ouch!


3. Surround yourself with people you love. The biggest adjustment I had to make in grad school was no longer living on a campus and being surrounded by others all the time. It has its benefits and its downfalls. I found that I truly needed to carve out spaces in my week for friend time so I didn't get the lonely bug.

4. Exploreeeee. One of my favorite things about living in Boston is all the new places I've been able to check out. There is always something going on. I wished I had gone out more during the winter months (instead of shacking up with blankets and a good book like the hermit I am). But, hey! No regrets-it's summer time, baby. Time to get my explorin' shoes on :)

Hope you all are having fab thursdays!


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Guest Post & Wild Card Wednesday Link-Up

Hi Loves!
 
With finals week here, my brain is complete mush! So the lovely Haley is stopping by so you don't have to read incomprehensible posts by me! :)

Make sure to check her awesome blog out! :) And don't forget to link-up to Wild Card Wednesdays-I'm so excited to be co-hosting this week! 
***

Hi, guys!! My name is Hayley and I normally blog over at A Beautiful Exchange! LB is working hard to ace all of her finals this week and was awesome enough to let me hang out in her space for today!


There's not really much to me, I'm a pretty simple gal. I am really into makeup and reading right now, but I blog about everything from everyday life to the color of eyeshadow I am wearing. I am 20, have been married for 18 months, and I have a one year old son. Yes, if you do the math right, Eli was born a few short months after our wedding. You can read more about that here if you would like. You can pretty much always find me in the floor playing with Eli, typing up a blog post, walking around target, eating chocolate, or curled up with a really awesome book. If you want to know a few more useless amazing facts about me, you can find a few here. :)

Don't worry, I am not solely here to babble on about myself. I would also like to share my top 5 favorite beauty products right now. 


1. NYX Matte Lipstick in Summer Breeze: I bought this at the mall the other day for $6! What a steal! I wanted a color that would branch out a little bit without being too bold. This does the trick and stays on really well!
2. ULTA eyeshadow in Naked: I raved about this color here and have been using it so much since then. I use this almost daily with multiple different looks. It really highlights any eye color and is great for spring and summer. Check out a look I pulled together using this color and a few other from ULTA, here.
3. Waxelene: I just did a review on this product and I absolutely love it. This product is great for a lot of different uses, but I have been using most as a lip moisturizer and aftershave.
4. Starlooks Mineralized Powder in Translucent Nude: This powder came in my April Starbox and I am in love! It couldn't have come at a better time of year, because it is so great for knocking the shine off of my skin.  I have used it as a setting powder, highlighter, and refreshing powder.
5. NYX liquid eyeliner in Extreme Black: I bought this at the same time as the matte lipstick and have completely fallen in love. Unlike most people, I really like the liquid eyeliners that have the little tiny brushes, instead of the pens. I think the pens probably make it easier to achieve the "winged" look, but the brushes are great for daily use. This product in particular has a great color and even has a little bit of sparkle!

Thanks for reading today! If you'd like to check out some of my DIY stuff, I have made some stenciled tea towels, a 30 minute spring wreath, and made over an old t-shirt into an awesome cardigan. You can also check out everything I have been reading, or read about my life as a mom! I have a few giveaways coming up, so make sure you follow me on Bloglovin'Facebook, and Twitter! :)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Wild Card Wednesday Link-Up!

Welcome to Wildcard Wednesday!


 

The name of the game is #wildcard 
Stakes: A special PRIZE will be up for grabs the last week of each month
 Your link ups each week are your entries
Example: If you link up your blog, bloglovin and twitter you will have 3 entries each week
Disclaimer: You MUST be following your hosts in order to win


Winner of the April #wildcard {Won A Giftcard of Choice}:


Rules of the Game: 
1. Follow all your hosts 

Simply Clarke: Blog / Bloglovin / Twitter
Hooah And Hiccups: Blog / Bloglovin / Twitter
All That Glitters: Blog / Bloglovin / Twitter

and co-hosts


Tearberry Trails: Blog / Bloglovin / Twitter
LB in Wonderland: Blog / Bloglovin / Twitter
Thoughts by A Petite Brunette: Blog / Bloglovin / Twitter

2. Grab our button for your post so that others can join in the fun
3. Link up using your Blog URL, Bloglovin' URL & Twitter
4. Visit at least 3 other blogs

5.  TWEET about Wildcard Wednesday using #wildcard 



Now make some new friends :) 



Monday, May 6, 2013

LB's (Unhealthy) Guide to Finals Week & A Give Away

Hi Friends!

Happy Monday!

This week starts finals for me, so I thought I would share my guide to surviving finals week. I wish I could say that I was someone who dealed with stress healthily, aka went running, got plenty of sleep, and stayed hydrated with H2O.

Sadly, this is not the case. So, for all of you who are inclined to go on a -sugar binge like it's your first ever halloween-during finals weekthis is the guide for you!



a: Hugs & lots of them. They tend to relieve stress and can be really fun if you jump on the person in question and give them an air hug. 

b: www.pandora.com has been my biggest friend this week. Music keeps my stress low and provides enjoyment for people who come in contact with me in the library (I tend to dance without really realizing it when my ear buds are in)
c. CANDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Need I say more? source
d. I'm not a coffee drinker so diet coke keeps my blood flowing during allnighters. source
e. Gold fish crackers. Seriously the best snack food ever. source

& here's my finals outfit & make-up of choice. I go for comfy during finals week and require an outfit that doesn't take much thought for my fried brain. I keep my make-up to a minimum as well so I can maximize sleeptime. This week I'm simply throwing on my BB cream, blush and mascara and am good to go.


Finals Week


Finals Week by lbinwonderland 

So, there you go my friends. My horribly unhealthy guide to finals week that keeps me going like an energizer bunny, until I can finally crash and sleeeeeep. Oh, glorious sleep.


For all of you with finals- I wish you luck & will be keeping you in my thoughts!





Make sure to enter Hairspray and Highheels birthday give away! You could win $250.00 to Sephora!



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