Five Ways I've Failed at Life Lately

I've been having too many of those life failure moments lately. We've all been there, right? I know I'm not the only hot mess to have walk through Blogland. Let me just share with you....


1) I ran into a wall at work the other day. It wasn't one of those "oops I wasn't paying attention to that strange piece of wall that randomly juts out into the hallways" moment. Oh no. Apparently I can't walk in a straight line because I ran into the wall next to me. Yup, just kinda fell over into it. Embarrassing. 

2) I went to Ulta (surprise, surprise) and bought two OPI nail polishes and a Maybelline Color Whisper lipstick and only spent $1.50. I redeemed my Ulta points to pay for the rest... a whopping 700 points. If you know how much money you need to spend to have 700 Ulta points, you know why this is a huge life fail.

3) I had a glass of wine for lunch yesterday. And yes, it was delicious.

4) I placed an impulsive bid on eBay for a MK bag with no intention of actually winning. Whoops! And there goes money I really shouldn't have spent. At least I have a new MK on its way to me. Positive thinking...

5) I ate an entire Subway footlong in less than 20 minutes after a super stressful meeting with a parent. I wasn't even that hungry.


I like to pretend like one of these days I'll get my life together -- probably not going to happen.

E! True Hollywood Story: Bloggers Edition

We all know those bloggers who live the best lives ever. Everything they write makes our sad, uneventful lives even more depressing. But be depressed no more. I've used my refined social work skills (and more so, real life experiences) to analyze typical Blogger comments. This is the real life of bloggers across the country.

"OOTD! I just threw on this outfit -- with five inch platform stilettos -- to run errands this weekend. So simple and so cute!"
Girlfriend, please. We all know you really ran errands in your yoga pants and top knot like the rest of us. Nobody wears those shoes to run to the post office....nobody.

"I made these super yummy gluten-free, carb-free, fat-free, sugar-free granola bars! You NEED to try them!"
I'm sure you're typing this while eating your pint of Ben and Jerry's like the rest of us. Ain't no shame in my game. I'd rather try those raspberry cheesecake cookies you pinned instead.

"I'm hopping back on the fitness bandwagon. I'm committed this time!"
AKA I've had too many Five Guys bacon cheeseburgers and Starbucks frappes. It's okay, we've all been there....

"I'm not a fashion blogger..."
...but I wish I was. Who doesn't want endless amounts of free clothing? And how do they pose without looking like complete toolbags? I just wasn't blessed with the fashion blogger posing gene...

"Drinks with the besties Friday night, Sushi and spa date Saturday afternoon, bar crawl Saturday night, movies and shopping allllll day Sunday. Can't wait to do it all over next weekend!"
Did you rob a bank?!?!

"Love my new baubles from _______ Etsy shop. Go check it out! Their necklaces are super affordable!"
Since when is $50 for a trendy necklace that's surely to be a thing of the past next season affordable?

Be honest with yourself. We've all fabricated information we've posted in hopes of sounding more exciting, or more put together, or like we aren't really as poor as we truly are. There's nothing wrong with the truth! I'd rather be boring and poor and a hot mess than someone I'm not. It take a lot of effort to pretend to be someone else. Ain't nobody got time for that!

*i didn't take any of the above comments from anyone's blog so don't be getting all offended on me. Peace and love ladies, peace and love. 

Red Carpet Recap

I had a completely different post in mind for today, but I was inspired by the beautiful women that walked the Red Carpet last night and needed to share my likes and snarky comments about my dislikes.

I was a little disappointed about the dresses this year; I found myself disliking a majority of them. I just felt like they were all so -- blah. I mean, come on! I understand you're wearing fabulous designers that most women would kill to wear, but can't you find a dress that's a little more... fabulous? I need the WOW FACTOR!

Enough of my whining -- here are my bests and worsts.

Best

Kerry Washington

There seemed to be a lot of controversy over Kerry's Mui Mui dress. I, personally, love it. I know bright colors aren't typical for the Oscars, but that's why I love it. It's bright, fresh, gorgeous, and fun. The bust is the perfect amount of glitz, in my opinion.

Samantha Barks

There's something about this simple Valentino that I love. The necklace, the hair, the minimal makeup -- I think she looks amazing.

Jenna Dewan

I'm not crazy about the dress, but girlfriend looks ah-maz-ing preggers! I love that she chose a fitted dress to show off the baby bump.

Giuliana Rancic

G can do no wrong in my book. She looked gorgeous and classy as always. I love her short, relaxed hair and deep red pout. Beautiful!

Worst

(I could list a million people under this category, but I'll keep it short)

Anne Hathaway

Pointy boobs are never a good look. Ever. This entire dress disgusts me. It looks like a cheap prom dress. Get it together, Dior.

Amanda Seyfried

I'm sorry but this dress looks terrible on her. The color clashes with her skin tone and makes her look sickly. And that embroidery, or whatever it is... no thank you.

Jennifer Hudson

Can you say The Rainbow Fish? I love that cute little children's book, but the look really isn't flattering on J. Huds.

Kristen Stewart

I can't stand this female to begin with, but what is going on with this dress? Also, does she ever brush her hair and clean up her undereye makeup? Get it together, K. Stew!

What were your bests and worsts of the Oscars?

Truthfully...

I confess...
I may have lost faith in humanity this week. I'm not claiming to be the smartest tool in the shed, but use your brain people! My fifth grade teacher always said there's no such thing as a stupid question. Well, she lied. If I had a dollar for every stupid question I was asked this week... well, you know the rest.

I confess...
I've been on a junk food binge this week. I worked out last night and then ate chips and French onion dip. I'm blaming it on depressing Michigan weather.

I confess...
My whole outlook on blogging took a dramatic turn this week, and for the better. I can't really explain it other than I need to stop letting others shape my idea of blogging.

I confess...
...back to those chips and French onion dip. I don't regret it.

I confess...
I can't decide if I want waste spend money on a Michael Kors bag or a Longchamp. Both would be ideal but homegirl isn't made of money. Help!

I confess...
I haven't been on Pinterest in a couple weeks! *gasp*

Have a wonderful weekend, lovely ladies!

Here Comes the Sun

I know I'm not the only one begging for Spring to walk in the door. It has officially hit that depressing time of year here in Michigan -- the sun hasn't shined in months. That's not a lie. You think it's sunny outside until you look up and realize it's actually overcast but just not as cloudy and dreary as usual. This Michigan weather shiz just makes my desire to move South almost unbearable.

But since moving is not an option right now, I've gotta deal with the end of these ugly winter months somehow! So I spend too much time every day dreaming about all things Spring -- flowers blooming, greenery coming to life, sunshine on my skin, and let's not forget Spring fashion. Here are a couple looks I'm loving for the Spring.

What outfit would you wear this Spring? What is your Spring must-have?

DIY: Baseball Bracelet

With only 40 days until Opening Day, it's time to dust off the ol' jersey and baseball cap. Just kidding -- I don't wear baseball caps. They make my already fine hair look like I have about 10 strands on my entire head. My fashion don't aside, it's time to get ready for baseball season. You see, when you're going to be married to a Varsity baseball coach, hitting and pitching instructor, and former college pitcher, you have no choice but to be ready for baseball season. So in honor of preparing for the return of America's favorite pasttime, I whipped up a super simple and super fun baseball bracelet.

1) Find yourself an old baseball that no one will miss and an exacto knife.

2) Begin to cut out the seams of the baseball. Leave enough of the leather on either side of the seam so as not to cut the laces. Please, be careful with the exacto knife! I won't be responsible for severed fingers!

3) Use the knife to cut the seam. (Duh, Jenna. Thanks for stating the obvious.)

4) Now, you're going to want to cut the lace holes (or whatever they're called) to make unlacing easier. You can cut the seam to fit your wrist and then decide how many lace holes you need to cut on both sides. Make sure you don't cut the laces!

5) The unlacing begins! As easy as this part is, it get's a little tedious. Unlace until you've reached your desired length. Once you're done unlacing both sides, cut off the excess leather.

6) VOILA! You have yourself a cute little baseball bracelet just in time for Opening Day!

Maxi Love

If you're tall, a.k.a. over 5'5, you know the pain of finding a maxi skirt that doesn't look like it was meant for a child. I'm barely 5'7 and finding a maxi skirt that brushes the ground has been impossible; they all hit my ankle and look absolutely rediculous.

Enter LuLaRoe.

Tall and short ladies alike, look no further! LuLaRoe has a maxi skirt for everyone. The best part? These skirts are not hemmed which means they brush the floor on us tall ladies.

I'm in love with this skirt. The material is light enough to be breathable but thick enough to not be see-through -- the perfect combination. I'm loving maxi skirts in the winter. Pair it with a simple shirt and a scarf and it's perfection.

What is your favorite way to style a maxi skirt in the winter months?

It's Still the Weekend

Hello lovelies! Even though I have the day off of work and it's still technically the weekend, I'm linking up with Sami for Weekend Shenanigans.

I don't usually talk about my weekends on le blog because I fell like that's exactly what everyone else does every.single.Monday. Buttttttt I had a fantastic weekend with ma boo so I just wanted to share some (poor quality) pictures with y'all.

Speaking of poor quality iPhone pictures, after trying to snap some legit pictures of myself for the blog, I've realized I need something better than my iPhone, or my Cannon I bought back in 2006. So if anyone is feeling extra generous, homegirl is looking for an upgrade. Just sayin....

 

JB and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary Friday with dinner at PF Changs followed by seeing Safe Haven. Dinner was fab, as usual. I could stuff my face with PF Changs' every day of the week and never get sick of it. JB pulled out his romantic side and wooed me with endless words of affirmation. He usually doesn't show his serious side for longer than a hot second -- which I love about him -- but it was really special to hear him speak from the heart. We finished dinner off with some bomb cheesecake...

We devoured over half of it before I actually thought to take a picture of it, but just imagine what it looked like whole with raspberry sauce and lots of fresh berries. My inner fat girl was so happy.

JB thought he was having a fashion break through when he paired his neon shoes with a gray sweater and light blue button up. I assured him it was the wrong shoe choice, but cute that he tried to be trendy. This is why I love him... and why he needs me in his life.

I bought this super cute cream lace tunic from H&M for our date. Seriously ladies, go snag yourself one! It's super cute. Of course, I wanted to share it with you so I asked JB to take a picture of me. At first, I got this...

 

And then after many of ridiculous pictures in terrible lighting (it was 1:30am) we settled on this goofy picture.

 

Minus my silly face and the terrible yellow lighting, how cute is that tunic?? I paired it with some leggings, tall black boots and gold jewelry. The tunic is long enough to wear with leggings but also looks amazing with jeans. Seriously, go to H&M now!

And just in case you were questioning how attractive of a couple JB and I are...

 

Happy Monday, ladies!

Friday's Letters

Dear Friday, I'm so glad you're here! A day off of work and a big date night with the fiancé is perfection. Maybe I should be working out, getting this bod in tip top shape for date night, but instead I'm eating pretzel M&Ms and planning my attack on finding the perfect outfit for tonight. Dear Work, I really appreciate all of these days off and random snow days, but I haven't had a full paycheck since December. Homegirl has a wedding to pay for, and lets not even mention my spending habits. Dear PF Changs, I hope you're ready to bring your A-game tonight (but when do you not?) Get the calamari and Asian Pear Mojitos ready. Dear My Strange Addiction, you are seriously the weirdest show ever but I can't turn you off! A lady who licks her cat? Homeboy who's in love with his inflatable pool toy? So disturbing yet so entertaining. You make me feel like some sick and twisted human being. Dear New Followers, Welcome to Yours Truly! There have been a whole lot of you the past couple of weeks, and I am so glad to have you around! Dear Cat, Lose some weight, Charlie. Those pretty girl cats aren't going to like all that hangage in your midsection. Dear Lovelies, Have a fabulous weekend!

Three Years

Love is in the air this week, ladies. Sure, today's Valentine's Day and every female across the country is waiting for her Prince Charming to ride up on a white horse with a bouquet of two dozen red roses and a box of chocolates -- and lets add some wine while we're at it. And don't sit there and say you don't want that, because we all know it's a lie. BUT more importantly, yesterday marked three beautiful years with the love of my life.

AWWWW! Oh em geeee how ah-dorable!

I know, I know. Tell me more! I'm sad to announce that J and I didn't get to see each other last night to celebrate three years thanks to his work schedule. And on top of that, we won't get to see each other tonight due to the both of us working late. But no worries, Friday night will be filled with celebration and love galore. 

In honor of spending the last three years with the most amazing man to have ever walked this earth (it's true) I thought I would share with y'all some fun facts about our relationship:

(1) Justin and I met in Guatemala. We went to the same college and lived an apartment building apart, and while we knew about each other, we never talked until our trip to Guatemala. One night while we were out bar hopping in Antigua, Guatemala, Justin told some strange Guatemalan that he was my boyfriend. Of course, in my state I went right along with it. We were fake boyfriend and girlfriend the rest of the trip.

Celebrating Justin's 21st birthday our last night in Guate. Don't worry everyone, I made sure to celebrate enough for the whole group. I'm surprised we all were able to get on the plane five hours later...

(2) We always go out to eat at PF Changs every anniversary. And this year is no exception. We're obsessed, and I've noticed we like to stick to what we're comfortable with. Every year there's talk of maybe going some place else, but the tradition of PF Changs always wins. And I can't complain. Their calamari and Asian Pear Mojitos are the bomb.com.

(3) We argue more about what to watch on TV than anything else. Justin always insists that we need to watch the most ridiculous amount of sports while I don't understand why he can't watch an episode of Real Housewives every now and then. At least we can agree on one show -- Pretty Little Liars. He hates to admit it, but he loves the show.

(4) We're going to gain at least 40lbs each when we get married. We're the worst influence on each other when it comes to junk food. Krispy Kreme donuts, eating ice cream right out of the carton, Shamrock Shakes (go get yourself one!), brownies and cookies galore. We've already made a pact that junk food will only come into our house on occasion, otherwise it will be all down hill.

(5) I was annoyed with Justin when he asked me to be his girlfriend. We were getting ready to go on our first official date (you know how it is in college -- homework in the library doesn't count as a date) and I was having the hardest time putting on my boots. Justin was standing behind me calling my name and just as I spun around to say something I probably definitely would have regretted, there he was with some flowers. Presh.

(6) This is our last dating anniversary! Most of you already know this, but it's still so crazy to me! In just under 7 months, J and I will be hitched. While I've already decided we'll still celebrate our dating anniversary when we get married (uhhh, hello?! Who wouldn't want an excuse for two big date nights in one year???) I'm more excited to celebrate the day we finally start our life together. 

While I could go on and on listing facts about our relationship, like the fact that we sometimes break out our gangster dance moves while in the car or the fact that I actually really disliked Justin our first week in Guatemala, I won't make you read any more. 

I truly feel so unbelievably blessed to have J in my life and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him. And when I say the rest of my life, I mean that if we don't kick the bucket holding each other in our sleep -- The Notebook -- then I best go first. None of this living without him. I won't have it.

Happy Anniversary, Justin.

 

Hunter Boots Giveaway!

Today is a very extra special day! Not only is it mine and J's three year anniversary -- cue the awws -- which you'll hear more about tomorrow, but today I'm teaming up with Erin and some other lovely ladies to bring to you all the giveaway of the century. I'm beyond upset that I can't enter myself in this giveaway!

 That's right, you could win a pair of Hunters in your color choice for free! All you have to do is complete as many entries as possible to give yourself the highest chance of winning a pair of these beauts. And while you're at it, get to know the awesome group of bloggers that love Hunters just as much as they love being kind enough to give a pair away. Good luck!

Tess :: Anne :: Jenna  :: Marianna :: Monica

     Sarah  :: Brie  :: Shannon  :: Kelly :: Janna     

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***Please note that this giveaway is only open to U.S. residents***

Beauty Buys

Have I mentioned how obnoxious my obsession with new beauty products is? Because if I haven't, it's pretty obnoxious. So obnoxious that I can't walk into Ulta without walking out at least $50 poorer -- at least! As I mentioned yesterday, an Ulta opened up right around the corner from my apartment. I kid you not, I've been waiting since September for that bad boy to open it's glorious doors for me. Of course, I had to make sure that this Ulta is up to my standards, so I went on a bit of a beauty shopping spree. I bought some prrreeettttttyyyy amazing products that I must share with you all.

//One// Maybelline Color Whisper in Cherry on Top. Yes, I know I shared this yesterday, but it deserves to be on the top of this list. I cannot say enough about this lip color line. The color is bold and vibrant while still be smooth and translucent -- no cakey lipstick here! The Color Whisper line is a mix between a gloss and a lipstick. Seriously -- go get yourself one of every color!

//Two// theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer. The picture above doesn't do a good job at showing the product. Mary-Lou Manizer, besides having a bomb.com name, is the best highlighter I've ever used. Woke up looking like you were just run over by a truck and then a train? No problem! Dab some Mary-Lou Manizer in the corner of your eyes and you look wide awake! Feeling like your nose is taking over your face? Don't worry, dab some down the center and it's like you just got a nose job! Seriously, this stuff is magical.

//Three// Redken Extreme Shampoo and Conditioner. This duo has been one of my favorite shampoo and conditioners for years now. It's perfect for distressed hair -- hello blonde highlights and constant straightening. Ulta has these bad boys on sale for $16 a liter. That's a steal ladies! Go stock up, like right this very moment.

//Four// Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream. I fell in love with Smashbox's BB cream when I received a sample in my Birchbox a couple months ago, but there was no way I was going to drop an arm and a leg for a full-sized tube. So then the hunt for the second best BB cream ensued. Maybelline's BB Cream is by far the closest I've found to Smashbox's. It's light and fresh and hides imperfections on those days you don't feel like painting your face.

//Five// Bare Escentuals Full-Edge Liner Brush. I've been meaning to find a good liner brush for my cream liner since I've been using the one cent brush that came with the cream liner (which happened to be the worst brush ever). I'm loving this brush! It's easy to use, collects the perfect amount of cream liner, and makes the perfect cat eye every time.

//Six// Bare Escentuals Ready Foundation. I love, love, love, Bare Escentuals Mineral Foundation. But I hated how messy the loose powder was. I felt like I got more on the counter top than on my face. Well, problem solved! This compact version of the beloved foundation is perfection. The same flawless face without the mess.

And there you have it, my latest beauty buys! Before you leave me for the day, you need to know that you're definitely going to want to come back here tomorrow. I'm teaming up with some pretty awesome ladies to giveaway something ah-maze-ing. You're not going to want to miss this!

Facing My Fears and a Little Update

If you read this post I wrote on Friday, than you know I'm terrified of wearing red lipstick. I've spent too much time looking at picture after picture of you beautiful ladies rocking a cherry pout and wishing I had the guts to rock it myself.

Well, shortly after writing that post and reading everyone encouraging comments, I decided that there's no time like the present to pick up some red lipstick! Plus, I had a snow day Friday and a brand new Ulta just opened up right around the corner from my apartment. Sign from above? I think so!

The verdict? I think I kinda love it! It's fun to be bold and confident. The color above is Maybelline's Colorsensational in Vibrant Mandarin -- a super fun, bright, red with an orange hue. I also bought Maybelline's newest Color Whisper in Cherry on Top, which is more of a fuschia-red. And just a side note, if you don't have a Color Whisper in your lipstick collection...get one. Best. Lip color. EVER!

One last update before I leave you all to enjoy your day, you may notice my sponsor side bar is pretty bare these days. For a while, my life was a lot little crazy, and I didn't have a lot of time to contribute to my sponsors, but I'm happy to announce that I finally feel like I have my life under control again and I'm ready to take on sponsorships again.

And just as a little thank you for coming back to my little ol blog even when I was in a blogging slump, I want to offer you all 50% off all sponsor spots with the code YoursTrulyLove. Head on up to my sponsor tab and get your sponsor spot for dirt cheap! I would be honored to have you all as sponsors and get to know you better!

Happy Monday, beauties!

Red Lips

Some time ago, I professed my hatred for the coveted red lip. I swore on my cat's life that I would never, ever, e.v.e.r. attempt the trend because I knew I would look like a clown, just like everyone else.

And then I realized. I don't hate red lips. Actually, I kind of like them! Like every super bold trend, I'm nervous to try it. Red lips are the perfect way to stand out in a crowd; to show everyone that you're confident -- and the introvert in me is terrified of that!

While spilling out my anxiety over the gorgeous cherry lip to a co-worker -- whom, I might add, is the queen of the bold lip -- she looked at me and simple said "Just do it." To which I replied, "Well, okay!"

And it was those three simple words -- just do it -- that inspired me to step outside of my comfort zone. I have red glosses that I pull out every now and then, and the color looks great with my blonde hair and skin tone. So why am I so afraid to try out a more solid, bold version?

So I think this weekend I should take the plunge and try out the bold lip trend. If I hate it and look like a clown, well then that's that, but at least I can say I tried! If you want to see how I look with red lips, then I suggest you follow me on Instagram!

What are you opinions on the coveted red lip?

 

Kelly from Messy Dirty Hair | Lindsey from Peace Love Sequins

30 Bloggers, 1 Huge Giveaway

Hi friends! 

Do I ever have something special for you today!! 

To celebrate Valentine's Day, Newlywed Moments is teaming up with 30 other bloggers to give away a KitchenAid Mixer!!

Why? Because it's a newlywed must-have. 

One lucky reader will win this white-colored KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, valued at $229.99! The winner will be announced on Valentine's Day.

It's Only Wednesday?

....but seriously??? I had to look at my calendar to make sure it was only Wednesday and not like... Sunday. I can't begin to explain to you how slowly this week is going by. I'm pretty sure I'm one psychotic parent away from my brain completely shutting down.

We had our big Perfect Attendance Award Ceremony last night for the preschoolers, and while I wanted to strangle everyone and their mom's over the planning, it turned out great. It was so adorable watching the kiddos walk across the makeshift stage --which we built out of blocks-- to get their certificates. You could see all over their faces how proud they were! I love kids!

But back to the fact that my brain is barely working, I think it's a perfect day for Oh How Pinteresting! And today's OHP is dedicated to Valentine's Day. I always enjoyed celebrating Valentine's Day -- a day dedicated to all the love in your life --but since J and I started dating, it's been even more special. Not only do we have an excuse to spend money on a date, but we also get to celebrate our anniversary. {3 years on the 13th!} Maybe some of these pins will give you ideas for Valentine's Day! Show those in your life how much you love them. Your significant other, girlfriends, family -- who says V Day is just for lovas?

Emerald City

I am absolutely in love with the color emerald, so you can imagine my excitement when it was announced as the Pantone color of the year. I think emerald looks gorgeous on all hair colors and skin tones -- you just can't go wrong!

Justin hates on my emerald love. The color green is a sin in his book -- thanks to Michigan State. But what do men know about style?

The correct answer is nothing. But I digress...

My favorite way to rock the emerald trend is through accessories. A pair of emerald druzy earrings, stackable emerald rings (one of my favorite Christmas presents), or an emerald-toned nail polish seems to bring together an outfit perfectly.

What is your favorite way to add Pantone's color of the year to your wardrobe?