I'm a firm believer that if you're excited about what you're wearing for exercise, then you're much more apt to exercise. And enjoy it, too. I've always been a Nike person, but lately I've been rocking these kicks in an obnoxious coral color, and I just think they're the bees knees. I feel like I can jump high and be awesome when I wear them. I won't pretend that I don't wear my workout clothes around town on my days off, mostly because I hit the gym either before or after my errands. You'll always be able to spot me amongst the crowd in this flashy footwear.
The redecorating bug bites me every couple years or so. I wasn't looking around recently thinking...hmm, I sure wish I could redo everything. Actually, ideas just started popping in my head, and I had to act on them. I think it's because I have to get rid of a lot of stuff that could be dangerous for a mobile baby. I haven't done much yet, but the plans are drawn out, and a lot of what I plan to purchase comes from Etsy. Like a framed chalkboard for the kitchen...and a wooden trunk for the family room (i.e. classy looking toy box)...and a nice canvas wrap piece of art for above the fireplace. Also, not that this has to do with home decor, but a pair of leather sandals is being handmade for me in Greece right now, a purchase made via Etsy. I've checked out a lot of stuff from the big name stores, and I'm sure I'll grab an item or two from those places, too. But the handmade stuff is just so much cooler.
3. Ella's Kitchen
I've always made Gavin's food, but now that he's older and eating just about everything, the stuff that I make is boring. I'm starting to focus on making grown-up food again, so I haven't really gotten too experimental with fancy baby food recipes. Plus, sometimes I don't have the time in the morning to pack his frozen food on ice for day care. Enter Ella's Kitchen. Organic, all-natural, blah blah blah, and totally awesome. I get it from Target, but they're also having a sale at Diapers.com right now. I found a 10% off coupon from the Cartwheel app by Target and loaded up recently. It doesn't do any favors for my pocketbook, but it does make getting out of the house easier, and though Gavin would most certainly not want to hurt my feelings or insult my cooking abilities, I know that he likes it better than his homemade food. Plus, it's pure good stuff.
4. Trader Joe's packaged salads
While we're on the topic of convenience food, I must admit that I've made it a ritual to hit TJ's on Tuesday or Wednesday so that I can buy two of their salads for my lunches on Thursday and Friday. They're so good. I'm sure my daily calorie count takes a hit from the dressing that is included, but at least I pack in a lot of greens and superfoods. So when the taco truck or a stack of pizzas show up at work, I can feel relief knowing that I've had my healthy-ish salad and totally avoided a gut bomb. It takes minimal effort on my part. The price ticket is not as cheap as packing a PB&J, but less expensive than ordering out...and completely worth it if it keeps me from devouring a pepperoni pizza with a garlic knot on the side.
5. Apple Slices
Something about eating pre-cut apple slices provides so much more pleasure to me than digging into a whole apple. It's a much daintier way to eat. I know those puppies are bathed in something to keep them from turning brown, but I'm pretty confident that it's nothing too awful. Plus, it beats eating a packaged piece of crap for a snack. Grab a big box of individual packages at Costco, or a bag of slices at any grocery store.
6. The Venza-Whip
My car is the epitome of boring. Charcoal gray, small but with a lot of room, no moonroof, cloth interior... But that is exactly why I love it so much! It's super comfortable and reliable, the A/C is great, and it's very accommodating for commuting with a baby. Nothing luxurious, the opposite of flashy, kind of slow, and just pure comfort, no worry, and hopefully won't break the bank with maintenance down the road. I do my best to treat the car well and keep it in good shape, but a little bit (or a lot) of dust is inevitable given where we live, and it's no big deal because, let's be real, it's not like it's a Porsche. I sent Dylan car shopping by himself and he came home with a Venza- reasonable, reliable, and affordable. I'd never heard of a Venza before I became a proud owner of one. But it is the best!
The only question that remains is, Tony the Toyota or Veronica the Venza? Never have I owned a more androgynous vehicle.
7. Nike Training
It's the best free app ever! It takes up a lot of room on your phone if you download all the exercises, but it's worth it. You can pick a playlist for background music, and there's a timer, instructions for all the exercises, and a trainer to keep you motivated. It's the best workout I can get from inside my house on those days when I don't have time to hit the gym or get outside.
8. Houzz
Remember how I said in #2 that I've got the itch to redecorate? Houzz is kind of like Pinterest just for home decor. So many fun ideas and an interesting weekly email with great feature articles.
9. Beyond Yoga
Here I am again blabbing about exercise clothes. I've mentioned it before but felt obligated to give it a shout-out, as I just scored some hot deals on a Memorial Day Sale. (Don't tell Dylan. We are on a supposed spending freeze. Ha.) It's better than Lululemon, and even Refinery 29 ranked it the best yoga pant. Thanks to my co-worker, expert in all things exercise and yoga pants, for introducing me to this fantastic brand. Maybe now I should do a yoga class.
So those are the things that have piqued my interest lately. Not that I'm a super interesting person these days, but sometimes I do get out in the world.
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