New Addition to the Family

I had such a wonderful afternoon and evening with my hubby today. Lucas had the day off so he worked a lot on condo stuff in the morning. After work I helped out a bit, then we went out to run errands. Let me just acknowledge here that I adore running errands with him. Maybe I'm a little boring but a day of running around to pick up supplies, wine and dinner makings = a fantastic date.

Anywho, after picking up the essentials, we indulged in foot massages ($25 for 60 mins!!) and then made our final stop to Costco where we picked up our new baby.... the Canon Rebel T1i.

I have been toting around a budget-friendly, party-ready point and shoot for quite some time now and have been patiently waiting for the day when I could re-visit my high school photography hobby with a digital SLR. Well, it turns that out today was the day!

I think that I could have possibly researched and thought about which camera to buy for years, but thankfully I have a husband that knows this tendency in me and strongly suggested that we just go for it today.

I'm so happy he did, and now you will have to deal with many practice pictures until I get a little more comfortable with the camera.

The first official picture uploaded is of course of our #1 baby, Bella

The next few are of a healthy dessert I had tonight. I used non-fat plain Greek yogurt,

mixed it with cinnamon and splenda, added pumpkin puree, then topped it with chopped pecans.

I had no idea what it would taste like but it was so good! I had been baking pumpkin cupcakes that were off limit to me, and thus had been desperately craving pumpkin so this seemed like the best option.

I often create these funny little desserts or snacks that are takes on fattier, more sugary options and I wonder if it's just me that loves them or if others would like it as well.. so if anyone is reading this please try it and let me know what you think.

Is Barefoot Better??

Runners and exercise enthusiasts are always looking for the perfect new shoe to help them run faster, train harder, and reduce injuries. But could that saying "less is more" be the real answer??

The Barefoot believers thinks so... The trend that most thought of as a passing hippy movement isn't going anywhere; in fact, it seems to be getting more and more popular, and although there are passionate followers of the movement that truly run in bare feet, the new Minimalist and 'Free' shoes on the market are helping the trend to go mainstream.

Because most athletic shoes are pretty structured, with plenty of cushion, some experts believe that they actually make your feet lazy and weak, which in turn, can lead to more injuries.

Supporters of more minimalistic training suggest that our feet need to workout as well, creating stronger foot and ankle muscles.

Although I am not quite ready to buy the Vibram Five Finger Shoes (seen right),

and I'm DEFINITELY not going to start running barefoot, I did run to Nordies today to pick up my first pair of Nike Free trainers and

I'm pretty darn excited about trying them out tonight with my step class.

The injuries I seem to be most prone to, no matter which form of exercise I'm doing, tend to be knee or foot related so I'm extremely curious to see what wonders these shoes will work for me.

The Nike Free XT Quick Fit has a deeply grooved and segmented outsole that is supposed to flex at the same points as the foot, better distributing impact for control of motion and more body awareness.

Basically it promises to strengthen the muscles in my feet and lower body, improve my range of motion in the ankle, foot and toes, and alleviate knee problems.

I always love a good product promise!!

Here's hoping to a better workout! I'll let you know what my own opinions are on the Barefoot movement later.

The Perfect 'forgot-my-lunch' Solution..

It was around 11:00am today when I realized what happened. I quickly called my husband to make sure... "yes baby, your lunch was sitting on the counter, so I put it back in the fridge." Oops.

Since becoming a Wife, I've been really trying to cut back on buying coffee and lunch during the work week - I'm obviously becoming a very responsible woman.

Things like this happen though, and there's no need to fear because I have a Starbucks nearby.

I love Starbucks for lunch because they are quick, budget friendly and on every other street corner. Such a Seatellite, I know.

So now, without further wait, I will share with my readers (probably just my dad) the perfect solution to a forgotten lunch.

The Spinach and Feta Wrap!
--A wheat wrap filled with egg white, spinach, feta cheese and tomatoes.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving (158 g)
Calories 280
Calories from Fat 90
Total Fat 10g
Cholesterol 20mg
Sodium 900mg
Total Carbohydrate 33g
Dietary Fiber 6g
Sugars 4g
Protein 18g
Calcium: 25%
Iron: 15%

As you can see, it's quite healthful with lots of fiber and low sugar. The only down side to me is that there's a significant amount of sodium, though it is my belief that the YUM factor outweighs this. If you'd like something a little more substantial, the Turkey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich may be the one for you. At around 350 calories, you will probably stay full a little longer than the wrap. I think either are pretty filling though. If you haven't tried one, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Don't be fooled by the word "Breakfast"; these are great lunches for only a fraction of what you would pay for a deli sandwich somewhere else.

Happy Eats

Chanel's Spring 2011 Nail Collection

Black Pearl ... for spring. Love it; I'm pretty sick of pastels anyway

Working it out

Accomplishment is pushing yourself when no one else is watching.

I have always hated running by myself. Actually, I don't even think I hate it anymore, I just dread the thought of it. The idea of a 4 mile run on my own sounds like THE most boring 40 minutes of my whole life (and yes I'm a slow runner). I feel every step on the pavement and hear every breath that I take.
Because of this, I either find someone else to run with me or usually talk myself out of the run altogether.

Not good.

Today was no exception; I was drumming up every possible reason in my mind not to take Bella for a run, when finally I realized that I had no choice. One, I don't want to be a flabby, grumpy wife and two, Bella needs the exercise.

I am so glad that I did. I feel much better. However cliche or cheesy it may sound, I honestly believe that I do my best thinking when I run alone, sometimes even coming up with new life plans. Also, I'm finally now on the way to actually losing my honeymoon weight instead of adding to it.

The most satisfying part came when I decided to add an optional half mile into my loop. Normally I would instead congratulate myself for even getting out, and just stick to the 3.5 option.

There are some real runners out there that get up and run 6 miles every day before breakfast. I believe those people are crazy and for me, this was a true accomplishment.

Weddings

For a while I thought my obsession with weddings would end after my own affair, but now I realize that I'll probably always have a soft spot for them.

Steven Moore Designs is my absolute favorite. Check out this wedding below:



http://laviephoto.com/blog/erin-richards-wedding-at-the-ruins/

just make sure to click the "see more photos" link. Happy Oogling

Toasty Trends

As my friends and family are well aware of, I have really been pushing for a late start to fall weather. Although I have nothing against leaves changing color or cute new boots, I did have something against rain and cold for my September 25th nuptials.

Now that my wedding has come and gone with perfect weather, I'm ready to welcome my favorite season with perfect cool-weather coats.

The Timeless Trenchcoat

Burberry usually wins my vote for the best trench. There are, of course, plenty others that are cute and most likely more budget friendly but there's something about the always classic look of their styles mixed with a little something new that gets me every fall .

Military Mayhem

It's not going away people. It seems like the Military look is just getting louder and chic-er.* And although almost every couture designer has one popping up in their collection, I tend to prefer a more quiet military look.

* word may or may not be made-up

Shearling and Fur

As long as Rachel Zoe is a force in fashion, it's my personal opinion that Fur (now usually faux fur) will be too. This trend and I have a love/hate relationship. It looks super cute on some people, but myself - not so much. Leopard prints and the Aviator/Shearling styles are crowding stores again, but I prefer something more like this one. Easy breezy and effortless - also easy to pair with jeans, which is a must since that's all I really wear in the fall and winter months.

Capes & Ponchos

LOVE! Definitely my new obsession.

Capes, Ponchos and Cloaks - The Basics:

* Capes sometimes wrap and usually have holes for your arms to

poke through.

* Ponchos usually just have one hole or slot for your head.

* Cloaks are long.

I'm a big fan of a very black, elegant looking cape as shown by the serious and contemplative model below, though the one I'm obsessing over right now is the Northfield Poncho by Rag & Bone. Stinking cute.

Now, to be honest, I could explain what outerwear I love and why for quite a lot longer than I have, but I will resist. Obviously leather and peacoats are always nice staples, so I need not explain my like for those fellas, and really, these 'trends' aren't spectacularly new, but the little details are always changing. Oh Fall, welcome back.