Ten Things Fo' FRIDAYYYYYYYYYYYYY

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/// 1. /// I am OBSESSED with the show Orphan Black. I can't stop watching it, even though it scares the shite out of me. True story: two nights ago, I needed advil and literally CRIED in fear until my husband agreed to walk me downstairs and get it with me "to protect me from Helena." I really should not be watching this show but I CANT STOP!

/// 2. /// My Jawbone UP finally bit the dust, and I needed something to count my steps or else I feel like I have no data to track! Finally crossed over to the dark side and am experimenting with a FitBit. Any other suggestions?

/// 3. /// My brother sent me this the other day, coincidentally just as my husband and I were complaining that our muscles HURT. SO. BAD. after lifting the day before. Lawd I must admit I like waking up like this.

/// 4. /// Our coffee maker has been going crazy and leaking all over the counter, so we finally stopped using it and went back to the french press for now. I forgot how amazing french press coffee is. It's like drinking velvet.

/// 5. /// MY SUCCULENT IS HAVING TRIPLETS! I have been experimenting with succulent propagation and recently returned from up north to find little baby triplets growing. I am such a proud mom!

/// 6. /// I need this water bottle. Because hydration.

/// 7. /// My sister visited last weekend and the weather was perfect and the sangria was good and and and and and and and... come back!

/// 8. /// I was up in NoMi (Northern Michigan, quit trying to make fetch happen) earlier this month with my in-laws, and had the most glorious time ever. HOW CAN YOU COMPLAIN WHEN THIS IS YOUR LIFE?   <ALSO... find me on instagram!>

/// 9. /// My one year wedding anniversary is coming up SO SOON. One week. How does time fly so fast?

/// 10. /// I am mentally preparing myself for fall by perusing black leather boots. Follow me on Pinterest, let's over-do it together!

Ten Things Monday

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1. Looking for some fun and festive (but still clean) recipes to make for Thanksgiving? Check out this Thanksgiving menu and find all of the recipes here!

(Click to enlarge)

2. There was a brief moment of warmth yesterday, during which I promptly changed into a dress with no tights. NO TIGHTS, YOU GUYS! Now that I've had a taste of it, I want warmth back. Can it just be summer so we can drink these?

3. Janeetha at Meals and Moves posted this on Instagram this morning, and I am kind of in love with it. This is the biggest hurdle between any person and fitness: getting past what you THINK you need (a little diet self control, some weights, and a ton of cardio) and finding what you REALLY need (a little cardio, some weights, and a lot of diet self control / clean eating).

4. Confession: I have been Netflix marathoning Charmed on the treadmill for the past 3-4 months. Before you judge me, hear me out: I wanted something that had A TON of LONG episodes (not 30 minute episodes that would fly by). Charmed has 8 seasons of 22 episodes, most of which are 1 hour long (but some are 2 hours, so HA). Also, I am kind of loving it. Billy Zane just showed up and... sigh. 

5. I had an extremely productive weekend. Like, we're talking cardio/weights/pilates, cleaned-out-my-closet, vacuumed, organized, laundered, cooked kind of productive. Thank God for my ability to knock so many things out in one weekend, because (see # 6).

6. I have a lot of exciting and busy weekends coming up (as I'm sure most of you do). I have a girls weekend coming up, then some traveling for the holidays, and then the weekend Christmas parties start. Holding on for dear life!

7. On Thursday, I had my first experience at Paris Club. It was alright. My company was amazing (girlfriends from college), and the food was pretty good, but I'm not convinced it is entirely worth its price tag. Fun in the bathroom was, though...

8. My new favorite thing? Taco bowls. BISON TACO BOWLS. That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Bison.

9. I am already finished Christmas shopping for most of my family. Kind of like how I tend to choose my Halloween costumes in August. Such an eager beaver. 

10. Ten Things You Should Know About Your Husband is awesome. My cousin Mary posted it on her blog Facebook, so I took a gander and read it, and let me say. Wow. Makes me appreciate my husband and just reinforces how right it feels to be with him. My favorite item? "When you meet your husband, you won't worry about messing it up." <--this was so true for me.

QUESTIONS:

• Have you ever had bison? What do you think of it?
• What are you marathoning on Netflix? What should my next Netflix binge be? HALP!
• Do you wait until the last minute to Christmas shop or hop on it early?

Friday Ten Thangs

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Happy Friday! I'm so glad we made it (that reminds me of a Shania Twain song? Dear God, please make it go away). In lieu of a cocktail recipe, I wanted to share a few things or "THANGS" with you.

1. I was in a competition this week at work and my team ended up winning $500 each. Five hundo. A small part of me things I may have "Secret'ed" myself into getting it. Meaning using the principles from The Secret, I attracted it to me.



2. Speaking of The Secret, "Secret'ed" has now become a staple word in my house. Now like secreted, which is a gross word, but SECRET'ed. As in... "I got a great parking spot at the gym!"  "Oh really? You SECRET'ed that for yourself?" Okay, maybe that was a bad example.

3. St. Patrick's Day is coming up, and Chicago will be wild (and semi-obnoxious, but I'm partly Irish, so who's judging?!) with celebration. Pretty sure I should make these Irish Cream Hot Fudge Cupcakes... the only issue being that I probably won't because I am stingy with time and hate spending too much of it in one place.

4. I bought a Gilt Deal (click here to check out Gilt if you're in Chicago and might buy it) to The Mercury Method. It's basically an insane gym in Bucktown/Wicker Park that teaches super intense classes and keeps the room at 98.6 degrees. I read their Yelp reviews (are you a Yelper? Click here to find me! Let's be friends!) before buying and they have all 5-star reviews of people saying the classes are hellish and hard, but totally worth it. I'm super pumped! But also kind of terrified?



5. My friends at Chobani sent me a whole set of Flip Cup yogurts... along with a Chobani T-Shirt and a wonderfully fancy spoon to eat the yogurt with. I immediately tried the Key-Lime flavor (so. much. goodness.) and then tried the Coconut Almond flavor the next day. Honestly, they are both so good that I can't even decide which one I like more. Okay, fine. The coconut. Twist my arm.



6. A few months ago (like, last summer), I was on a great kick of incorporating Chia seeds into my diet. I would make chia seed pudding and top it with delicious things like peanut butter or PB2, greek yogurt, almonds, fresh fruit, etc, or mix it with oatmeal or muesli. But then... I don't know what happened. I stopped. Now I'm trying to get back into it... we'll see how it goes. The past two days have consisted of a banana, cinnamon, and coconut milk mash with chia seeds and water mixed in and soaked over night. So far, so good. SO FULL.

7. Have you heard of Ellie? I've been eying them for a while - it's a monthly thing where you get a workout top and bottom of your choice for $49 (combined). I'm trying it - just for this month. They're running an all black line ("The Little Black Collection" - love that branding). I picked the Back in Black Tank and the Little Black Legging. We'll see how it goes. I don't generally dig tops with built-in bras, but after longing after LuLuLemon tops like that and how airy they look, I thought I'd give it a try at this price point.



8. What would it be like to be a dog? Why do I keep wondering that? Has anyone, like, had a dream about it and feels like they can testify to an answer? Humph.

9. Y'all (yes, that was necessary), I have a confession to make. I can't peel bananas. You know that fancy thing where you put pressure on the top to pop it open? Can't do it. Have to have a knife to split it open. Embarrassing. Now you know.



10. My parents are throwing my fiance and I an engagement party this weekend! So excited to see what they threw together. Apparently my sister (with the beautiful handwriting) is making name tags. Watch out, people. It's gonna be wild. ;)