flowers, flowers, everywhere…

Today just seems like a day to blog about my day. I usually try to have some sort of subject, or point or just something particular to type about. But today my mind is all over the place!

Andrew got me flowers 🙂 I thought they were for Heather (we did just have Mother’s Day, and I’m not a mother), until she said they had come for me while I was working at the library! They are the white roses in the pale green fish gurgle pitcher (b-day present from Heather!). The other flowers are from Heather’s dad for Mother’s Day. And, on the computer, is a giant orange rose. I’m not really into orange (see yesterday’s post on color), but I wanted a new desktop photo and it’s full of energy.

That yellow thing in my water glass? It’s a cube of frozen pineapple juice. Awhile ago (like maybe last summer), I had a giant container of pineapple juice that I didn’t want to waste. So, I filled up ice cube trays, froze them, then noted how much juice was in each cube (2 tbsp) and then bagged them all up. I also did this with some limes. I’m loving the hint of flavor it gives my water.

It’s currently 80 degrees out and I’M DYING. I took a few minutes (literally!) to go outside before lunch and clear some dead grass and put down grass seed–I was dripping within minutes! This is why I am so glad we’re moving to western New York. I spent all last summer trapped inside because all I do is melt outside. I broke down and turned the AC on…

I did my long run with Susy outside today. Note to self: DO NOT eat a high-protein, egg-white and veggie omelet before running. You may balk at this, but I do typically eat breakfast just before I head to gym. Usually I have yogurt and granola with fruit, cereal or toast. Lately, because I’m watching what I’m eating and because I’ve had an abundance of produce around the kitchen, I’ve been making omelets. Very yummy. Also very heavy. I regretted it this morning. Lesson learned: smaller, higher-carb breakfasts before runs!

After my stomach FINALLY stopped feeling like it had a brick in it (around noon), I made a lunch of salad, Trader Joe’s veggie and flaxseed chips with my homemade hummus and a mango and strawberry bowl. I splurged and had ranch dressing on my salad–I LOVE ranch-anything. Seriously, unless it’s some fancy fruit/nut/greens salad–I want ranch. Not the Hidden Valley brand (which I lived on as a kid)…I’ve been using T. Marzetti’s Light Classic Ranch. It’s in the refrigerated section in produce at the grocery store. Love it.

I have a full afternoon ahead of me–cleaning because we have a showing tonight! Honestly, the house has stayed pretty immaculate lately, but it could use some tidying-up here and there. I also have to make bread for dinner, prep dinner and have it on the table by 5 p.m. so we can eat and run before the showing.

Scored some awesome sports bras and tanks at TJMaxx today! Been needing to replace some of my stuff for awhile now, and I had some time to run in after I ran an errand at Lowe’s. I love that store–well, I love Lowe’s too–but you just never know when you’ll hit the jackpot. I did today!

Tonight Heather and I are going to enjoy some wine, cheese and crackers that we got while shopping at Trader Joe’s–cannot wait! (Thankfully, it’s a long-run day, so I can splurge!)

That might be it for now…can you tell my mind is racing?? Except that this is pretty normal for me… After I do all the things on my list, hopefully I’ll have some time to sit and have some tea.

i LOVE color

I do. I believe it’s a manifestation of all the white walls we endured as kids. Because my dad was in the military, we moved every 3.5 years, and so painting just wasn’t on the agenda in our houses. So now, as an adult, I’m a paint-a-holic. I even painted my first apartment.

I’m already brainstorming new color schemes for our next house. Confession: I’ve been doing that for a long time. Like, way before we found out we were moving. I think it’s a combination of wanting some change and learning what I like and don’t like.

Well, I’m certainly getting my change!

Anyway, the whole reason for this post is to show you this:

I purchased it on a recent trip to Waynesville, a local small town filled with antique shops. A couple friends and I went for the afternoon to walk around and have lunch.

This was one of those things I see, gasp and announce to those in earshot: “I LOVE this!”

I LOVE LOVE LOVE color in rainbow patterns. Just about every kind and everything. There are some exceptions. I don’t do pastels, or those “autumn-y” colors like dark green and wine and burnt orange. I hate mint.

I bought the panting and have been day-dreaming of my new kitchen/dining room color scheme ever since. If you remember from our “after” photos of the house, this is our current kitchen:

And no, this is not mint on the walls. It has way more yellow in it–it’s called “Limonata.”

The ivy plates will go–I grew up in an ivy kitchen and it’s time for something new.

My ultimate dream kitchen will have white cabinets, gray-ish counters and stainless steel appliances. One day…

You can see some of my color above (the green and orange crocks, the lemongrass mixer), but I have TONS more that I didn’t have out for the photo. I’m thinking of going with a more blue/teal theme and bringing that into the dining room as well.

Speaking of the dining room:

I hate it. Honestly, if I could do it all over again (and I can’t), we’d have a totally different table (I’m kind of stressed that now ALL of our furniture is black…bedroom, living room, dining room, office shelves…just call us the Addams Family) and I would not have gone with red. Red was Andrew’s idea. He loves it. I hate it. In the almost-four years we’ve been in this house, the number of times we’ve eaten in here probably wouldn’t even add up to six months. And I think it partly has to do with the fact that I don’t like the room. I’ve never really decorated; we threw the stars up there because we didn’t know what else to do with them. The placemats are new and I got them to add a little color into the space.

When we get settled into our new place, I intend to go with a whole different theme for the dining room. I want to re-cover the seats with a patterned, yet neutral, sturdy fabric since the off-white is so modern, stark and formal. (Not to mention it shows EVERYTHING, including cat hair!) I’m thinking something in the blue/teal range as well.

I’ve really learned that I like the blue/gray/teal/green color families much more than the reds and oranges. And in our next house, I want the color to flow from room to room and all be in the same color family, as opposed to what we have now, like our light green kitchen and red dining room and light brown living room. And much more muted this time around! I’ve learned that lesson…I’ve already decided the colors in the bedroom and guest room will be pretty much the same, just a few shades less bright.

Anyway, the print I got for the kitchen (or maybe the dining room) was just the thing I needed to get the creative juices flowing! (Someone hold me back, though–I’ve been known to go overboard…)

The “Great Closet Clean-Out of 2011”

I cleaned out my closet last night. And my dresser for that matter.

Between my semi-annual need to purge EVERYTHING in my house (I blame my OCD tendencies), our upcoming move and my recent weight-loss (again, yay!), I figured it was time. I had wanted to wait until I lost the last five pounds, but I was running out of pants that fit…

This is what I came up with:

I love cleaning things out. There is just something about de-cluttering something, anything, that brings me great joy. It’s is so cathartic it isn’t even funny. If I ever slip into depression, all you’ll need to do is hook me up with a hoarder and tell me to go to town.

Here is the “pants” section of my closet:

All of those hangers had had jeans or other pants on them. They don’t fit anymore! (And to be honest, the three in the middle you see hanging here are too big, but not falling off yet.) I packed away the best of them (for, God-willing, I gain the good kind of weight that begins to come off 9 months later…) and will donate the rest to Goodwill. I found some great Gap and Nine & Co. jeans and pants yesterday there, so I’ve been able to re-populate some of my closet with size 8’s–HOORAY!

*A moment about Goodwill: Before you write it off and think you’d never shop there…give it a chance. Obviously, some Goodwills are better than others, but you never know what you’ll find. I have a friend who has gotten multiple pairs of Lucky jeans for herself and her family, and there are tons of Gap, Banana Republic and J.Crew gems out there just waiting to be discovered. The trick is to go often (up to a couple time a week) and get to know your store. Once you know where your size is in all the sections, it doesn’t take long to buzz in and see what treasures are waiting. You would not believe what some people give away, with the tags still on them!

I do have two pairs of dress pants I may try to get altered. I just can’t bear to part with them (they are almost brand new since I never wear them) and one of them has a matching blazer. And I did have some great pants…a pair of Lucky jeans (tear) and some J.Crew khakis… It’s almost sad. Until I put them on and am in shock at what a difference 10 pounds makes. And I guess I’ll just have to replace my favorites 🙂

(In case you’re a pessimist and think I’ll just put the weight back on…think again!) I’m pretty determined, self-motivated, and I can’t wait to change my goal in Livestrong to “maintain,” instead of “lose.”

For Goodwill:

Yay for purging!