Sub 100 temperatures: I missed you, Fall.

Tax Free Weekend, Back to School, Football Preseason...Fall is here, friends, and even though Austin, Texas is repping the Summer weather, I. Am. Ready.

I always am, but for the 18 years that I have lived South of the Dee Eff Dub, I have consistently been shocked that it's still so dadgum hot.

And so, to prepare for the cold fronts I am manifesting, I have done the following.

I traversed over to the Mecca only to stumble upon a new Austin transplant named Hannah who dressed me head to toe in endless outfits that I could never in my wildest imagination come up with.  I think I'm stylish when I wear more than one bracelet.  I walked out with this dress of which Devin said I looked like the church organ player from his Baptist childhood memories.  I returned it, but these I shalt not return. 

They are gorgeous and I can only assume Dr. Scholls' hip, trendy, great niece created the innards because I swear I could Prancercise in these blister free.

Secondly, I bought this.

Because I'll be able to wear it in 6 months for a good, solid 2-3 weeks.  Reasonable.

I think it's fair to say I'm drooling over all sorts of things for my kitchen...because if you gave me $1000 to spend, I would probably spend $950 on my kitchen, $12.95 on a new bone for Bird, and the rest on clothes.  I'm loving the plums and mustards that Sur la table has out, and I want every ghost and leaf and pumpkin cookie cutter ever made.  I decided to welcome Fall into my home yesterday with a little gluten free baking sesh- Pumpkin Apple Muffins in some super cute and unique papers from some expensive baking supply store Marshalls.

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You can find me on Bloglovin now...it's like Google Reader...but maybe better? 
Or just different.
See you there!

Goals and Abzzz and Some Probably Nots

2 months ago, I came to this realization that I am almost 30 (gasp. barf. yay. sex and the city.).  That's it- end of realization.  Actually, I got to thinking about some friends of mine who never took the time to take care of their bodies before they had littles.  And then they had littles.  And then their bodies were even harder to take care of.  And I realized that if I were to have a little soon (IF!!), I would want to have a seriously solid body beforehand.  And thus, a goal was born.

For the past 8 weeks, I have submerged myself deep into a nutrition/workout/clean eating/learn about yourself (what do you guys even describe it as?) program with Pump and Shred here in Austin.  Melisa is a friend from college and obviously legit (see pictures here).  When I  had a bit of a light-bulb moment one day, I called her up for a little chat about abs and things.

And thus, my journey began with P&S! 
I started as someone who worked out all the time.  And D and I were eating about as "clean" we thought it could get- fruits, veggies, proteins, no gluten or dairy in our diets.  But I was never seeing any progress or change and, in fact, never feeling any stronger. 
I would love to tell you it has been easy and everyone should absolutely do it, but it hasn't always been easy.
It takes preparation, discipline, WILL POWER.
And sometimes you don't see or feel results you thought you would and you have to tweak and change and figure out what's missing.
But it has been the BEST thing I have EVER done for myself and if you're driven and committed, you should absolutely look into Melisa and Jess helping you out.
I am 8 weeks in and signed up for 4 more so I can start learning how to do it all on my own.  I have seen so much change and I feel better to the point where I don't even want the junk for fear of how it will make me feel. 

I am at that fairly crucial moment when you are going for a goal and you decide whether you really want it or if it's not truly what you desired. 

And THAT has taught me so much in the past 8 weeks- really looking at goals for my/our life and deciding if it's truly what we want or just what we feel like we should do...

We've been there before when we almost moved to Colorado and just weeks before realized we didn't like so much cold weather. 
I've been there in my career years ago and am there again now.  It's a tipping point of sorts where you get to decide to keep going for something or reconsider your heart and take another path. 
So we're probably not going to travel to 9305738202 places because our hearts truly want to be in our beautifully furnished, decorated home full of the people we love. 
I'm probably not going to teach people how to cook/bake for a living someday because my heart loves to do that alone. 
I probably will move toward a writing career. 
I probably AM going to get another puppy because I need it.

What kind of title can I write that says, "Oh, hey, I haven't written in too long and I think about it every day but then I just lose track of time and I haven't forgotten about you and we're up to a lot and I wish I could take the time to sit and write and tell you all about it"

Hi.
I can't seem to go a day without thinking about this sweet little space and what we built and what I wish I could find inspiration to do again.
Seems like every week someone asks me why I don't write any more.
Or they tell me they finally stopped following.
And I just keep thinking about writing and how much fun it was.  And how much I really loved to take pictures of sweet/funny/mundane details in my life and post them here.
I'm really busy.  It's a story I tell myself, but with the dog and the man and the job and the workouts and the work at home and the yada yada yada, sometimes I choose to catch up on New Girl rather than get creative here.
So, cheers to choice.
And here are some things.

My girlfriend has a blog.  It's a big goal for her to have lots of readers and for her to spread the love.
www.helloclementine.com
Put it on your list.  Leave her comments.  Her heart will spill over.  Yours will too.

Our friend broke his arm and we had a bake sale to raise money for his ridic medical bills.  We baked for 2 long days so we could bring only the best.  I didn't eat a bite (maybe one) because I started Pump and Shred 2 weeks ago.

We Martha Stewarted the shiz out of that bake sale.  Cute wrapping, amazing treats, and we raised almost $500.
And we have matching shirts.  Because why not?

More to come, I hope.
Also, my blog is spammed and I get about a bazil anonymous comments a day about chinese paper factories and employment opportunities.  So I should figure that out.

If you're normal and you know it...

We had a good time at D's office Christmas party last weekend!!  The photo booth was a total hit!

We're in a new city, but it feels like we have plans every night.

I love that.   So many new friends in our lives.

We're getting to explore a lot of new places, hear a lot of good music, shop a lot of good vintage, and a lot of the time we stop and say, "Do we really get to live here?!"