Week+end Reflections; Connecticut & 26!

Hello lovies,

It has been a cahhh-razy since I last blogged.  I actually haven’t even been to work since I blogged last also – uh, fun right?  Monday was great last week because Matt was able to hang out with me even though #boringerrands.  Tuesday I was on my own, selling stuff on ebay, 8 million loads of laundry & packing for my trip.

Wednesday I caught my flight to visit my family in Connecticut.  My flight was at 730a so I packed food for the flight – regardless of whether I was in show prep or not I always pack food for the plane with me.  Traveling makes me bloat so I avoid airport food at all costs.

I got in around lunch time and immediately went for a mid day sangria with my girl!  It was literally the same temperature there that it was here – yuuuuck.  I need it to be fall like last month.

It was sooo nice to be home with family.  I typically go up every year for thanksgiving but we weren’t able to travel last year so it’s been so long.  The week was full of pasta, workouts, shopping, & never enough QT with family.

Here’s a photo dump 🙂

Early workouts with my uncle

The most scenic 2 1/2 hour bike ride but #ouch

My birthday dinner!

I’ve not been super positive about turning 26 but embracing the year with chicken piccata family style & peanut butter cup sundae’s definitely eased the blow.

On Saturday we went to Foxwoods Casino.  The last time I was here we went to Mohegan Sun so we figured why not do the same for my birthday!  I have to say Foxwoods was not nearly as nice as Mohegan Sun but they did have the Tanger Outlet’s so cue the shopping!

Kate Spade was 70% off so obviously I had to get a birthday bag #happybirthdaytome!

Then my aunt made us spend another hour in the Coach outlet

I came home on Sunday which was my actual birthday.  I couldn’t get home to my man fast enough!  We grabbed some lunch (I could eat this salad every day) and then came home to relax!  I came home to beautiful birthday flowers – I am the kind of person who doesn’t think that flowers are a waste of money

We had dinner with my family on Sunday night at Cape Fear Seafood.  If you are in Wilmington & haven’t been here – you are missing out.  Everything is delicious but the fish is so fresh & delicious.  They had swordfish on special (my favorite!) so I had that with mashed potatoes & green beans with a  mimosa.  Matt had a ribeye with blue cheese crumbles.  Sorry this photo is twisted around, i’m too tired to play with it 🙂  Cardigan a la stitch fix.

We had some cookies for dessert that my grandmother sent me home with.  She never let’s me leave without a box of italian cookies – yummy!

My mom got me the fit bit charge HR for my birthday – I was so excited to use it! I’ve been wanting to track my heart rate at the gym – I’ve been focusing on high intensity workouts & it seemed like the best product on the market for that.  I had trouble using it Monday but I think i just didn’t understand it.  I’m going to use it again tomorrow and move it to a different place on my wrist – hopefully that’ll help.  Matt & I did a 100 squat challenge – me with 25lb plates him with 45lb – so I didn’t really need the monitor to tell me my heart was pumping out of my chest.  Speaking of my birthday .. I’m now 26 years old.  As i mentioned before I wasn’t too excited about turning 26.  I’m not really one of those people who panics about getting older or anything but every year I get older i find it as a challenge to see what else I can accomplish.  I’ve already been feeling oober overwhelmed so taking on a “challenge” is too much.  I have SO much to be thankful for this year that I hate being anything that excited and positive about what’s in store for 26.

Monday was routine and errand filled except for FALL DECOR! I wanted to bring it out last week but I resisted until labor day.  It makes me soooo happy – truly my favorite season and I want t enjoy as much of it as I can!

Now I am back to work and already missing my vaca time!  XOXO

Weekend Reflections: Bye Felicia (Summer)

Happy Tuesday loves!

Last week was quite possibly one of the most miserable work weeks of my life.  I cannot seem to fathom why people are so rude to each other and in my line of work it seems that I just have to take it and move on.  I didn’t do a great job of letting it roll off my back and decided to take a few mental health days.  I’m flying to Connecticut to visit my family tomorrow so the extra two days has helped me get my life in order.

I seemed to have caught the Harry Potter bug about a decade too late.  I feel like a preteen all over again.  I finally started reading the books and I am just in love.  Can I just go to Harry Potter world @ Universal now?! (Hint, Hint … Matt).  I started these last week and finished the first one & began the second already.

I had to give a big training at work on Thursday & was so nervous I had to come home on Wednesday and just chill.  Matt was having a crazy night too so we ordered food from Pizzetta’s, for the thousandth time, and went to bed at 7:45.  It was still bright outside, haa, but felt soooooo nice.  Salad>Chicken Parm, or so I tell myself.

The training went fabulously on Thursday, I made it through without skipping any important details or getting tounge twisted.  Friday felt like a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders which led to an early wake up call.  I am rushing & running late always so when I wake up early it’s quite the victory that should be celebrated with makeup, iced coffee’s & shopping trips #yearningforfall

We decided that this was the official last weekend of summer, even though it’ll be 90 degree’s here until probably October.  When I was growing up my birthday always fell really close to labor day (sep 6th) and it always seemed to get cooler around that time.  Even though we are down south now and the weather never cooperates, in my mind labor day is still the official end to summer.  Since we deemed this the last weekend of summer it seemed only fitting that we spend the day at the beach.  First of course we had to stop at Wake N Bake for donuts!  Matt got the white chocolate, strawberry cheesecake, & wake and bacon.

I don’t really like donuts so I always get the fritter.  They’ve only had blueberry when we’ve been recently which is amazing but this time they had the apple! Definitely not as good as blueberry but perfect for our “summer send off weekend”

The weather was perfect until it got really overcast and started sprinkling.  We had already been there for a few hours at that point so it wasn’t a big deal.

For dinner we went to …. Pizzetta’s because I can’t get enough of their dang salads.  They also were embracing fall and had angry orchard cocktails out! I had an apple sangria & Matt had a Whiskey/Angry Orchard mix.

Sunday was so fah-reaking busy.  We went to breakfast & then to the gym.  Then the next million hours were spent running around town wrapping up a bunch of stuff.  Matt is working towards some big changes for our future so we had to get quite a few things. Meal Prepping was easy because I didn’t have to do much for me so I made Matt’s lunches.  He loves this recipe and it’s become a staple in our house – SO easy.

Pepperjack Chicken (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts (5-6)

Low Sodium Stove Top Stuffing Mix (Chicken)

98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup

1/4c milk

Pepperjack cheese slices (her recipe calls for swiss and i’m sure that’s great too)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Layer chicken on the bottom of a baking dish.

3. Cover with a layer of cheese slices

4. Mix the milk with the cream of chicken soup & pour all over the cheese.

5.  Pour the box of dry stuffing mix on top (you can do 1/2 or the entire box).

6. Bake for 45-60 minutes.  This will depend on how thick your chicken breasts are.  Mine are always so thick so I go 60 minutes.

Usually I make rosemary roasted baby red potatoes to go with this or some steamed broc.  This picture doesn’t look nearly as appetizing as it is.

After all that cooking we didn’t have anything for dinner & had to run out.  We grabbed dollar taco’s from the new Island’s downtown.  It’s like a Wilmington staple and Matt had never been there.

Matt was off work on Monday as well so we could run around town yet again.  We had to go to the gym in the morning, which I hate.  I am a schedule and routine kind of girl & hate when it gets thrown off.  I’m not very flexible and that’s something that I try to work on.  I did end up having a killer glutes/hamstrings workout though (posted below).  I like to split my leg workouts up when i have time – it’s such a big body part I find it’s easier when I focus on glutes/hams one day and then quads/calves another day with plyometric work sprinkled all over.

I don’t like to write down sets/reps – sometimes I do 2 sets of 30 and sometimes I do 4 sets of 10 – just depends on what gives me the best burn.

warmup: 5 min on the elliptical + lying hamstring curls

SM reverse lunges supersetted with wide sumo squats

Cable Kickbacks – few sets with a bent knee, few with a straight leg

DB romanian DL Supersetted with a glute kickback machine

BB good mornings

BB hip thrusts (**fav booty exercise)

abductor machine 4 ways (1 set leaning all the way forward, 1 set with your hips elevated off the seat, 1 set normal, 1 set pulses really heavy)

followed this with cardio + some plyo work (jump squats, pop squats, jump lunges, 180 squat jumps, etc)

After Matt dragged me around town (Fingers crossed we hear good news though) I forced him to do some shopping with me.  Also, got my stitch fix in the mail – eek! I could keep everything in the box again but I’m trying to resist.  This top is  keeper though 🙂

That’s about it! I’m off to run some errands today including my Mazda’s 1st oil change! I can’t believe I’ve had that car for so long <3.  I can’t share too many details about what’s going on but if you are reading this please send some silent prayers & good vibes our ways.  We are making big moves towards the future and don’t want anything other than what God has planned for us.  We can only take it so far and then it’s truly in his hands.

I’ll be checking in when I get back from Connecticut & will be a year older, oy vey!

a return to stitch fix

I have been a stitch fix follower for a while but took a long hiatus.  I signed back up and got my first (but third) box this weekend!

For those who are not on the bandwagon yet Stitch Fix is an online personal stylist who sends a box of 5 items hand picked for you.  

You start by filling out a styling profile that gives your stylist information about your likes, dislikes, style, sizing, needs, etc.  Then you schedule your frequency.  I am doing mine monthly but you can do it every 2-3 weeks, monthly, or ad-hocly.  All you pay up front is a $20 styling fee that is credited to your order if you keep any items.  Once you get your box you try the items on (you even get a styling card that shows you how to pair your items) and decide what you want to keep!  You put the items you want to return in the pre paid return envelope & send them back.  Then you pay for what you want online & leave notes for your stylist based on what worked/didn’t work & feedback for your next fix!  Easy peasy!

Here is my 1st fix review!  

1. Pixley – Marie Abstract Chevron Elastic Waist Dress – RETURN  

I am not a fan of the heavy fabric up top, doesn’t suit my figure & this color kind of washed me out.

2. Skies are Blue – Roe V Neck Top – KEPT

I loved this print, I am not typically into this pattern but I’m so glad she sent it.  Really cute with the white skinnies I got (see further down) but would also look great with jeans and could even be a fall top with a sweater.  I love transitional pieces.

3. Level 99 – Lillian Distressed Crop Skinny Jean – KEPT

I typically hate white jeans because they make my behind look huge, but these were really flattering, sketchy and adorable!  The ankle/calve doesn’t fit perfect but I’m going to play with styling/cuffing.

Dirty feet & Matt’s work boots

4. Le Lis – Lauriel Lace Detail Knit Top – RETURN

I originally had an immediate yes to this shirt.  It was so simple but had great detail & it was so soft.  Unfortunately after trying it on a few times it was not doing great things for my figure, it was actually more like a maternity top in the front! If it didn’t make me look pregnant I would have loved it!  This is why you must try your items on multiple times and with different items.

5. Bancroft – Sofia Hammered Square Collar Necklace – KEPT

This was actually an immediate no for me, looked like a flinstones necklace.  I put it on with just simple tank top and it really spiced up the outfit (which is how I like to dress), so I kept it!  Would be great to style up a pair of jeans and a tank for a nice summer date night.

So there we have it 3 out of 5 isn’t bad!  Thanks for sticking around through the recap & my “just rolled out of bed no makeup seems like a good idea to take photos” look :).  

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Happy Shopping! XO Casey