Extensions

January 27, 201411 Comments

Are extensions trashy?

I used to think so.

In my brain, certain connotations attach themselves to gals sporting extensions. Face-slapping silicone boobies, acrylic nails and probably a guest appearance on The Bad Girls Club. If you have ever seen someone with bad extensions and a high pony, surely you can understand my point.

Oh Brit.

But then. Then I see a picture like this:

or this

I am not saying the women in these pictures are wearing extensions, but these days – I would not be surprised. You can’t swing a cat in Hollywood without knocking the extensions off every day-time TV queen, DWTS D-lister or Bachelorette hopeful. Apparently our own hair is no longer good enough.

So I look at these pictures and then I look in the mirror. SHAME. Despite my relentless attempts to achieve that certain un-done Serena van der Woodsen perfection, I am nowhere near close. Not even Jenny Humphrey close.

Serena wins

On a day-to-day basis, I could care less if my hair looks anything beyond mediocre. But on my wedding day? Yeah, I am aiming for editorial. Cover-worthy. Pinnable, Real Housewife worthy locks.

So all the sudden extensions aren’t looking so trashy anymore.

Immediately I can rule out the kind that fuse, bond or track into the hair. Too much of a commitment. So then I am left with the popular clip-in extension option, friends to many YouTubers and Beauty Bloggers alike.

BUT. Can I do it? Do I resign to the fact that I am willing to PAY to clip someone else’s hair to my own? Well I did it to my Christmas tree so…

Opinions are welcomed.

Rising Up to the Challenge

January 17, 20142 Comments

OF OUR RIVALS!!

And you know the one I speak of.

I have never been a competitive gal. Ask any former thumb-war opponent, hell – ask my old teammates. Life isn’t about winning as much as it’s about ~~trying~~ looking pretty, I always say.

But this Sunday is different. After a season spent hanging with Russ, the Shermanator and Lynchie err Sunday, I have become quite fond of these young men. Maybe it goes both ways, maybe not. Probably not.

Sometimes I picture myself down on the turf with Pete C, adjusting each other’s headsets and sharing a side-hug. Or Richard Sherman and I bro-punching one another, after a game-changing interception. I can see Russ and I pouring over our playbooks while on defense in matching baseball caps. Or Lynchie and I enjoying a Skittle-shower after an insane TD. Best buds, we would be.

These guys have become my boys.

And this Sunday, my beloved Seahawks play the 49’ers. And as much as I like to think the outcome of the game doesn’t matter. It does.

It matters because the Seahwaks have the best colors in the NFC West.

SO majesty

Because my heart will break if I see the 12th man let down.

It matters because Colin Kaepernick is King of Douches and needs to go back to his shoe collection and devote more time to taking bicep-kissing selfies.

A Humble Man, He Is

And because a win for the Hawks will bring sweet, sweet pleasure to see the atrocity that is Jim Harbaugh experience sadness and show it on his stupidly expressive mug.

Nice spin-move, Asshat.

Anywho, regardless of the team who claims victory – I know I’ll be cheering for the right one. A happy to know ya kinda team. A group of men worthy of all these crazy, Seattlites devoted attention.

Good luck boys. Make me proud.

Favorite Things

January 10, 2014January 10, 20143 Comments

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudel!

I’m stopping there, despite the fact that (like Andy Bernard) I hate NOT to resolve the melody.

Lately, I have stopped to take note of my favorite things that are not things.

Maybe it’s the start of a new year and I am feeling inspired, maybe it’s the fact that I just turned 30. Or maybe, just maybe, I have turned over a new leaf, and no longer care for Jo Malone products, vodka martinis and the splendor that is a new tube of lipstick.

or NOT.

More than likely, I have simply stopped for 5 seconds to stop and smell the damn roses. We are all well aware that I could never fully let go of my hearty, good ol’ American materialism.

So here they are. Favorite things that are not things.

Taking off my bra and my socks

(I feel like this deserves a little explanation)

Even better than removing my unmentionables is my SOCKS. Oh yes. As many of you may or may not know, I suffer from a mild case of cankles (where the ankle and calf blend together). Coffee cans, Grecian columns, tree trunks. Unfortunately, they run in the family and no amount of calf raises remedies the thickness.

This time of year, I enjoy wearing boots and obviously I pair them with socks. Over the course of o day, the upper band of the sock slowly digs in to my leg, and due to my condition, becomes quite the annoyance. By 4:45 I am DYING to rip my boots off and peel the ~~sausage casings~~ garments from my ailing lower legs. I then begin the process of kneading the deep sock imprints from my skin, which, as it happens, is seriously the best feeling in the world.

Socks on

You can see the bow pattern…

2. Finding one more string cheese in the bag when I thought they were all gone

3. Beating a level of Candy Crush that I have been on for almost 6 days running

4. Realizing just how much I love my fiance, like everyday (I had to have a sappy one)

5. When it only takes one try to parallel park and people are watching so I feel like a badass

6. Giving awesome Christmas presents, like a Doug Baldwin jersey for sister Amy

7. Listening to Phone Taps and Second Date Updates on Movin 92.5 on my drive to work in the morning

8. The feeling of the heating pad against my lower back (I am 84)

9. A good hair day

Oooooh

10. Breaking Bad. I know this could be classified as a “thing” but I don’t care. I freaking love this show, b*itch!! <- True fans will understand that.

All for now! BYE.

The Liebster Award

September 26, 20134 Comments

Well color me purple, ~~there’s a sofa in here for two~~ I got nominated for a Liebster Award!

What the heck is a Liebster Award, you may ask?

“The Liebster Blog Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The Meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.”

I was kindly nominated by the lovely and talented Paige! Merci beacoup 🙂

And the rules…

You must link the person who has nominated you.
You must share 11 random facts about yourself.
You must answer the 11 Liebster questions given to you by the nominee.
You must pick 11 bloggers under 200 followers to be nominated for the award.
You must come up with 11 questions for your nominees to answer.
You must go to their blogs and notify them that you nominated them!

Here are my 11 Random Facts. FEAST YOUR EYES!

My elbows hyper-extend. I don’t think is terribly uncommon but it looks pretty gnarly because my arms are quite veiny and white.
I used to play the clarinet in high school and was also in choir. I can still play a little and sing in the car on the daily.
One of my biggest pet peeves are check-writers. You know the type. Lug out their GIANT wallet and painstakingly balance their checkbooks while standing in line. WHO balances their checkbook anymore?! Hat tip if you balance your checkbook NOT standing in line at the grocery store.
I am a die hard Lord of the Rings fangirl and wore a shirt that says “FRODO LIVES” to the openings. Nerd Alert!
The first makeup item I can remember buying (besides bubblegum Lip Smacker) was a pressed powder from Maybelline.
I was 5’10” in 8th grade. Read: NOBODY asked me to dance.
I am attracted to all things cotton candy, coconut and birthday cake scented.
I am not a natural blonde. I KNOW. I know.
The largest amount of money I have ever spent at once was paying off my student loans.
I can walk very fast. Like Michael Flately Lord of the Dance fast.
When I was little, I was bow-legged, had a killa pot-belly and a MULLET.

Here are the 11 Questions that Paige asked:

1. Why did you start your blog?

I wanted to learn WordPress because of a job I was at. I was editing and moderating blogs all the live long day, so I figured I may as well learn this thing and get a little something out of it for myself . Originally, I wanted a way to store all of my fiance and I’s stories and recipes while living in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It has now become my sole creative outlet. I write what I want and basically…I love it.

2. What’s the one beauty thing you absolutely suck at or hate doing?

Oh law, I could name quite a few here. Blow drying my hair! I obviously don’t suck at this, but I just hate doing it. I usually overheat like a menopausal woman and end up with a mess of tangled hair. Second place would easily go to my arch nemesis: liquid eyeliner.

3. What is the one thing you have to have in your purse/handbag at all times?

For a little while I had a pair of disposable underwear in my purse from Victoria’s Secret. My sis gave it to me a while back with a look that said “You never know”. More seriously, I guess I always have to have anti-bacterial gel from BBW because again – you never know.

4. If you read fashion magazines, what’s your favorite & why?

VOGUE is always fun to read. Right now I am into Bridal Magazines because I am engaged! Gah!!

5. What’s your favorite animal & why?

Chihuahua. Don’t say you want to kick them. They are incredibly cute and funny-looking at the same time. They do really funny things and their BM’s are teensy. What’s not to love?

6. What’s your favorite hobby or pastime?

Reading! By far. I also enjoy hiking or walking…one can be the other, you know 🙂

7. If you had to read one book for the rest of your life what would it be & why?

Babysitter’s Club #7: Claudia and Mean Janine. Bahahahhaaaa. I kid. Probably Great Expectations or something classy like that.

8. Do you like YouTube beauty & fashion vloggers? If so who is your favorite & why?

I don’t just like them. I LOVE them. My favorite of all time is Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter. She is SO funny.

9. If you had to pick one person to be stuck with you on a desert island, who would you pick & why?

The fiance Bryan comes to mind first, because well, I love him so much. Secondly, Rainn Wilson. Or Dwight K. Shrute. Either/or. We would talk Battle Star Galactica and solve math problems using our calculator watches.

10. Since it is almost Halloween, what’s your spookiest experience?

Spookiest? Well, a legit SCARY experience would have to be when someone broke into our house when I was in 5th grade. 3 cop cars came. It was maje.

What is one moment on your blog you are really proud of? It could be starting your blog or it could be that one photo in that one post…just one moment that made you said, “Damn self…you did good.”

I did the Slim Fast diet before our cruise in Mexico AND I posted a pic in my swim suit so I suppose I’m proud of that post. Please note: I am NOT a dieter. I eat carbs and drink beer. I just wanted to “tighten” a bit before a week in Mexico. On the writing front, I have yet to publish a post I have already written about being an “older” bride and once that goes live, I’ll be pretty darn proud of that one. It has been hard to write because I feel like to absolute last person on earth to get married. And no, I’m not being dramatic or unrealistic :).

sick of me yet?

11 blogs I Tag

Sorority Girl in the Real World

Coconut & Cotton

The Girl in the Little Black Dress

11 Questions For These Ladies

What is the one thing you never leave home without?
Favorite holiday?
What motivates you to blog?
What would your last meal on earth be? (You can choose an entree, side, drink & dessert)
What would you say is your biggest accomplishment?
Would you rather have green teeth or no eyebrows or eyelashes? (you can’t whiten your teeth, pencil on eyebrows OR wear falsies. you just have to DEAL WITH who you are.)
Most favorite breakfast cereal, or breakfast item?
Lipgloss or lipstick? Why?
Finish this sentence – On Saturday mornings you bet that I am…
If you could have the body of any celebrity, who would you pick?
What would you spend $100 on if you had to spend it in the next 30 minutes?

GO!

What ABC Family Has Taught Me

September 10, 20132 Comments

Sooo….CONFESSION.

I’m kindof a middle schooler.

Actual middle-schooler.

Nothing crazy like butterfly clips or Malibu Musk, but let’s call a spade a spade. Sister Megan will attest to my never ending urge to match my eye shadow to my outfit and carry multiple roller-ball lip glosses. Also, I’m a self-proclaimed Disney fanatic. Not just for my homegirls, Ariel, Belle, Aurora and Jasmine neither. I like it ALL. HSM1,2 AND 3, Zenon Girl of the 21st Century, Pixar and the Mr. Toad ride at Disneyland.

I enjoy cotton candy, Gushers, cheddar bunnies and lots of other foods which are marketed and largely consumed by children. I still find “The Witches” by Roald Dahl to be one of the scariest books, as well as movie for that matter, of all time.

OMG SO SCARY.

Punky Brewster is still the coolest.

The Barbie aisle at Target calms my nerves.

I think you get the gist. A kid at heart doesn’t begin to cover it.

When I discovered ABC Family I knew it was kismet. A channel highly devoted to harmless sitcoms (which are basically obsolete thanks to reality TV, Showtime and HBO) where the sun is always shining and problems are solved in 45 minutes or less. Since I was the biggest TGIF Fangirl of all time, ABC Family has become my new home. Like a loyal friend you can always count on.

The favorites include:

Pretty Little Liars
Greek
Make it or Break It
Bunheads

I am shuddering as I make this list, because I am well aware of the ridicule I will inevitably receive from friends and family for admitting to watching these shows. Let it be noted I also enjoy such racy and provocative programs as Orange is the New Black, So, you get it. I’m just well-rounded.

So, in no certain order, here is what I have learned from ABC Family:

Lesson No. 1

No matter what happens, you ALWAYS have time to do your hair and makeup.

I learned this lesson from my girls Spencer, Hannah, Aria and Emily. These girls stay up until the wee hours of the morning, running through the forests of Rosewood (where it is always misty) in their haute couture whilst “A” tries to run them over in a car. But the next day at school, they are the picture of perfection. Full faces of makeup, trendy outfits and time to grab coffees before class #yaright.

Lesson No. 2

Being in a fraternity/sorority basically guarantees popularity, status and perpetual partying.

Since my fiance was in a fraternity, I have had the great pleasure of grilling him about each and everything I see and hear on the show Greek. “BRY! Did you have a secret handshake/password/ritual?”. I have also learned that if you pledge Kappa Tau, the “actives” will make you go to class wearing women’s clothing during “hell week”. If you’re a Zeta Beta Zeta (or ZBZ) you may want to be elected “social chair” so you can be in charge of “mixers”.

Lesson No. 3

You can overcome a broken back, open heart surgery and extreme weight loss/gain and make it to the Olympics.

Among many things, Make it or Break it shows us that anything is possible. Payson thinks she has to end her career due to a debilitating back injury – but due to a break though medical procedure 1 episode later, she is patched up and on the Olympic path once again. Lauren and Kaylie prove that having heart surgery and a serious bout of anorexia aint no thang. The gals make the Olympic team and sadly, the show ended there.

Lesson No. 4

Just because you’re a Vegas Show Girl doesn’t mean you won’t wind up teaching ballet to a bunch of tweens in a sleepy seaside town.

This show begs us to keep our dreams alive! Or maybe they all do that…Our heroine Michelle (played by Broadway star Sutton Foster) spits rapid fire dialogue reminiscent of the oldie-but-goodie, Gilmore Girls. So I guess I also learned to stay sassy too.

Lesson No. 5

When in doubt – furrow your brow, tuck your hair behind your ears and softly proclaim “I just need some time…”.

The culmination of lessons learned from each and every show on ABC family has taught us all the importance of speaking softly, taking slow walks with our hands in our pockets and looking out into the distance from a window-seat.

Or was that Felicity?

Either way, let us applaud the PG-13 dialogue and no-name actors. Les us bask in the sappy one-liners.

Let’s hear it for ABC Family.

Survey Says!

August 16, 2013Leave a comment

A fun Friday treat!

…much like this “senior picture” I found from a million years ago.

Lacy tank? Check.

Where were you 3 hours ago? At work. At my desk. Shoulders hunched.
Who are you in love with? Bryan Arthur Nash.
Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you? Yes. Sparkling Pink Champagne Pocket Bac from Bath & Body Works.
When is the last time you went to the mall? Last weekend. Columbia Center – what what?!
What was the last thing you had to drink? Water!
What are you wearing right now? Jeans and a striped/polka dot sweater from the Gap. It be cold in hurr.
Last food that you ate? Mott’s Fruit Snacks.
Where were you last week at this time? At my sister’s rehearsal running around in the 100 degree heat like a banshee with my face falling down my neck.
When is the last time you ran? The prehistoric age.
What’s the last sporting event you watched? Mariners Baseball game.
What is your favorite animal? Small dogs. Emphasis on chihuahuas, King Charles cavaliers and teacup yorkies.
Your dream vacation? New Zealand, Croatia, St. Tropez and Detroit, Michigan (haha just kidding).
Worst injury you’ve ever had? Either when I burned my entire palm on a grill pan (named the blister and everything) or when I broke my elbow playing volleyball.
Last play you saw? Grey Gardens!
What are your plans for tonight? Possibly strolling around Kirkland! If not, then a bowl of Kix and Az4Angela on YouTube.
Next trip you are going to take? Hawaii in October 🙂
Ever go to camp? Yes, Girl Scout camp like err summer. #CampWooten
Were you an honor roll student in school? I was on principals list (remember that?!) And graduated cum laude from Whitworth.
Are you wearing any perfume or cologne? Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia.
What are you listening to right now? Mad Money on CNBC – day trada! Just kidding I work at an investment firm so it is always on.
Do you collect anything? Antique sugar bowls. And I can’t wait to display them in an actual dining room someday!
Last time you got stopped by a cop or pulled over? In college, right before a final exam.
Last time you took a shower? Washed my hurr 3 days ago. Body shower yesterday. Lady Bath this morning.
Do you need to do laundry? Always.
Favorite makeup product? Mascara.

KTHANKSBYE

May Grab Bag

May 14, 2013Leave a comment

Who doesn’t love a good grab bag?

A little of this, a little of that. Grandma Dorothy sure does.

We do.

So without further adieu, here’s what’s going on up in here (up in here).

Bryan is on total CFA lock-down.

Harsh.

Source

We’re counting down to final day where hoards of crazy financial-minded peeps flock to test centers all over the world in hopes of being apart of the tiny percentage who pass this series of 3 incredibly difficult financial exams. Bry takes the 2nd in the series at the beginning of this summer and after one more test and 4 years of qualifying experience, he will be a bonafide charter holder. His name will be printed in the Wall Street Journal. I’ll probably call Suze Orman, just to let her know.

Romantic Strolls

B and I love our strolls. We live in close proximity to a popular footpath and like to take advantage while on weekend study breaks. For the most part, I really enjoy our strolls. Sometimes there are annoying cyclists who think they’re a Tour de France contender and like to loudly proclaim, “On your left!” as they zoom past strollers and kids on bikes. Kinda makes me want to stick my arm out to my left at the last second, close-lining the SOBs in the jugular.

I am addicted to Weeds.

There is something oddly addicting about Mary Louise Parker, maybe the way she barely moves her lips when she talks or how she totally pulls off the ultra-pale thing. I also enjoy Andy’s character, then again, I do have a thing for comedic Jewish actors. Whatever the reason, I can’t seem to get enough and have worked my way up to the 8th season on Netflix in a period of time I don’t care to share.

“Shopping” Online

The use of quotations here, indicates the lack of actual transactions taking place. One of my guilty pleasures is filling my cart up to the brim with crap I wantbutdon’tneed, then x-ing out suddenly and without warning. I picture a large shopping cart tipping over onto tiny, baby internet elves. Sah-weeee!

Thanks for checking in. I’m off to Spool 72 to put things in my cart.