PEACE OUT 2016

I just wrapped up my last email for the day...and realized it was my last work related email for the year! So fun. It's crazy to think that December is over already. I realize I say that every month...but seriously, where did it go? 

Naturally....I can't believe the year is over.  Y'all know I love the promise of a new month...and especially a new year...but I don't want to rush these last few moments of 2016. I'm looking forward to C being off the next 3 days. We've got some fun things planned as well as some serious lounging time on the docket. Love when he is home!!! I've gotten SO spoiled to all his vacation days this month!! 

I've been doing a lot of reflecting this week. There have been a lot of great things that happened this year. Lots of family time and fun road trips. New experiences and new friends. And, certainly the Dallas Cowboys are a bright BRIGHT spot for me! Ha.  But 2016 has also been a difficult year - mostly of my own doing. We had some issues at the beginning of the year that I let get to me in a major way, and I never really snapped back. I just felt defeated all year long. And....I'm officially over that feeling!! 

source

I am SO looking forward to changing things up next year. I have a tendency to make lists and get excited but then quickly lose my motivation. If you've been following my blog for anytime at all...you've no doubt witnessed this pattern. I think a lot of my problem was not really knowing what I wanted. Total lack of motivation...in just about every area of my life. I've been doing a lot of soul searching...and it's come down to asking myself WHAT I want....and then following it up with WHY. And, that seems to have unlocked an entire section of my head and heart. 

AND THAT IS SO EXCITING!!!

Seriously...I'm not sure how to adequately share my excitement over the changes I'll be making in 2017. Like jumping up and down giddy - excited. I can't wait!!

I hope each of you has an amazing last few hours of 2016...and here's to new beginnings in 2017!!

LET'S CHAT :: CHRISTMAS DECOR

Hey!! It's Tuesday!! That means it's time for another Talk About It Tuesday! And apparently...it's the only day of the week I post anymore. Ha!

So, we thought it would be fun to have some Christmas prompts this month...but you can always post about whatever you want to "talk about". Today's prompt is Christmas decor. Which, I LOVE. But, sadly...I'm not pulling out any of my decor this year. I KNOW...such a bummer. But we are about to move and and all of our stuff is in storage...and it's just not the year for all of that. 

I did want to show my tree though...from last year (or maybe the year before?). I just LOVE the traditional green/red/white but with a fun twist.

And here is my wreath. I think it needs some stuff though!!

I am working on my mom's tree this week (late!)...and we are doing gold and red...so I'm excited to see how that turns out. I thought I would also show some my FAVORITE Christmas decor inspiration. If you don't follow Dina...well, you should!! SO MUCH FUN!!

I can't wait to see your Christmas decor! And be sure to check out my friend, co-host (and marathon runner!) Melissa.

LET'S CHAT :: A CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

Hey y'all..it's Tuesday! Which means it's time for another TALK ABOUT IT TUESDAY!! Today, I'm talking all about my Christmas wish list.

C and I don't always exchange gifts. If we go on a trip or do something more exciting than usual around the holidays, we sort of call that a gift. This year, we are going on vacation the week before, so we promised we wouldn't buy each other gifts. I mean, we still end up getting a little treat..but nothing major. And I'm so okay with that. I really do cherish just getting to hang out with my family. I do LOVE buying gifts for other people though. Especially kids. And...I'm not going to lie...it is always fun to get a little something special!

Here's a few of the things I've been eyeing recently (or in some cases...for a while). 

perfume / monogram necklace / cd / earrings / phone case / dak prescott jersey / glitter keds / dishes

That perfume smells SO amazing. I've been wearing the same perfume for years and it is time to mix it up. I am loving this scent!!

I've been eyeing this necklace FOREVER. This is one of the items that is actually on my weight loss rewards list. Just in case. 

Miranda can do no wrong. And, yes, I still love cd's. 

I may be the only girl without a pair of Kendra Scott earrings. I want a pair SO bad. The turquoise is my favorite.

This phone case is adorable!!

I NEED this jersey. And...I'm going to need it before the Super Bowl. Cause you know we are going to be playing that day. GO COWBOYS!!!

Funny story. I saw these shoes at Kohl's the other day. And I laughed because I thought they were childish. I tried them on to take a silly picture. But, then I fell in love. OOPS. Now I want them on my feet all the time. 

Every time I go to Anthropologie, I eye these dishes. And every time,  I try to convince myself I don't want or need them. I'm a plain white dishes kind of girl, I tell myself. But these are just so dang pretty. Food will taste better on them. I'm sure of it. 

What's on your list? Be sure to visit my co-host Melissa and then link up!! 

Also joining Victoria and Sarah! 

HELLO DECEMBER

Well, now that the 2nd day of December is almost over, I thought I'd come share my goals for the month! I still can't wrap my head around the fact that the year is almost over. SO crazy. C and I were sitting on the couch (watching the Cowboys win!!!) last night and said we could not believe that Thanksgiving was a week ago. It feels like yesterday!

I'm not even going to pretend that I have it together, like ever. But this year has taken the cake for being OUT.OF.CONTROL. Y'all know that The Sound of Music meme with Julie Andrews dancing in the field with the caption "this is me not caring about..."? That basically sums up my year. The dot dot dot and everything. Yikes.

But...I so do not want the year to end on that note...so I'm going to try my darndest to make the most of these last twenty something days of 2016.

First, a check in on my November goals:

NOVEMBER GOALS

1. Make my monthly checklist/graph (and do it!). 

2. Blog more. I have some fun stuff planned for this month, so this should be easy!

3. Go to my Weight Watchers meetings and recommit. 

4. Finish the 30 Day Shred (level 1).

5. Try to take a photo every day on Instagram (follow me!!). 

6. Read 5 books. 

7. Go to Waco/Silos with my Grandmother (and C!).

8. Celebrate our 8 year anniversary!!!

9. Clean dressers and organize paperwork.

10. Get Christmas Cards done!

11. Do my first 5K!

Not great. But not awful. I did go to most of my meetings this month (except Thanksgiving week). But I'm not sure "recommit" would be something I could check off. Ha. I also failed miserably on the 30 Day Shred. Our current living situation makes this a bit tricky...and requires extra planning for space...and obviously I just didn't make that a priority. I think I read a book this month? So not a year for reading. I did get my Christmas card pictures made. Just need to get the design done! I'm putting off the 5k...maybe I'll do it this month...but for sure in January!

One thing I wanted to do was make some Weight Watchers specific goals. I see a lot of girls on Instagram doing this, and I thought that would be fun. And, hopefully...motivating for me.

Here's what else I'd like to do this month!

DECEMBER GOALS

1.  WW goals

2.  Make my monthly checklist/graph (and do it!). 

3.  Blog more

4.  Enjoy vacation!

5.  Try to take a photo every day on Instagram (follow me!!). 

6.  Start brainstorming ideas for making 2017 FABULOUS.

7.  Go see Christmas lights. 

8.  Clean dressers and organize paperwork. 

9.  Get Christmas Cards done!

10. Slow down and enjoy the season!!!

LET'S TALK :: FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES

Hey y'all!! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I was so sad the 4 day weekend was over yesterday!! I love hanging out with my family (especially C). We had so much fun over the break...and I may have gotten a little spoiled to having him around all day! 

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time to dive in to Christmas!! AmIright?!! I thought I would kick things off with a Talk About It Tuesday :: Christmas Movie Edition! Fun!!!

Let's just get this out of the way first: I've never seen It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street or even A Christmas Story. I know! You'll soon see that I prefer my Christmas movies of the cheesy variety. Totally okay though, right? 

British movies for the win!! I also LOVE to watch the Harry Potter series during the Christmas season..it's not especially Christmas themed...but it fits.

My kind of classics! C has NEVER seen Christmas Vacation! I've tried to get him to watch it several times and he always falls asleep?! I don't get it!! When I was younger, my entire family used to spend Thanksgiving at my grandparents, and would all curl up and watch it over and over and over.

I told y'all, CHEESY!!! But there is something so fun about these films. We just watched Christmas with the Kranks Sunday night!!

More classics, in my opinion. And after you watch these, you should probably follow up with the sequels. Especially if corny is your thang!

So The Family Stone is a movie I have mixed emotions about. I HATE watching sad movies. I get so mad when a movie makes me cry (again, cheesy is where it's at). And this movie made me ALL kinds of emotional. BUT...I also cried from laughing SO stinkin' hard...so it works out. And y'all? The 12 Dates of Christmas is pretty much the ultimate in cheese, but I can watch it over and over and over. Probably because Zack Morris is in it.

And, what's Christmas without a little Vince Vaughn? I love 4 Christmases. So cute.

What are your favorite Christmas movies? Feel free to link up and Talk About It!! Don't forget to visit my friend and co-host Melissa!

**Also linking up with Shelly and Katy as well as Crystal for their Tuesday link-ups. Be sure to check them out too!!

LET'S TALK :: ANNIVERSARY

Happy Tuesday Y'all!!!

Excited for the second week of Talk About It Tuesday. So glad you are here (and you are linking up, right?! RIGHT?!!!). Be sure to check out my friend and co-host, Melissa, for her post!!

It's my anniversary!! Well, mine and C's anniversary. I can not believe we have been married 8 years. We have officially been married as long as we dated. HA! I have spent the last 16(and a half) years with C...and I still feel like I need to pinch myself to make sure it's real. I love him SO SO SO much.

We met at work. I had just started working a temp job in "real" office. Prior to this, I'd worked in a gym and ice cream shop (LOL). I was having a hard time with the whole "adulting" thing of getting up early and sitting at a desk all day. I really thought I was going to leave at lunch and not come back when C came through the office. He'd been on vacation the first several days I worked...and thank goodness I didn't fall prey to my irresponsible nature before he returned. I ended up working there for almost 5 years, right along side him. Not exactly right beside him all day...because I would probably be telling a completely different story right now (can I get an amen?!) but at the same location.

He's the most gentle, patient human being I know. I am a hot mess like 98% of the time and always a bit frazzled. But he keeps me somewhat sane. And, for that, we are all grateful!! He's a hard worker and has an enormous heart. He would do just about anything for anyone. And he's a COMPLETE GOOBER. Like hiding and scaring me, chasing me down the aisle (acting like a gorilla) in Target goober. Sometimes I'm afraid he's going to work my last nerve, but then he makes a joke and I fall in love all over again.

We have been through a lot together: mostly good times, but sometimes this world is heartbreaking. I'm so very glad to have him in my corner, holding my hand, and cheering me on. I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else. I can't wait to see what the next 8 years (and many, many more) hold! Thanks for making me a MRS, C!

What are you talking about this Tuesday?!!

MONDAY RAMBLINGS

Happy Monday!!! The weekend just FLEW by. But they all do.

Yesterday would have been my step-dad's 59th birthday. He passed away in 2013 and I miss him SO very much. His favorite place to eat (other than my mom's cooking) was Texas Roadhouse. So, the first birthday after his passing, C and I went to Roadhouse to eat and sort of celebrate him. Then we went again the next year. And last night, we ate dinner at Roadhouse for the 4th time without my dad. It's definitely a sad day, but I do enjoy spending it where we would have likely spent it anyway.

I got new Nike's on Friday. I have been walking more and more in this quest to lose weight. My poor old shoes (which I LOVED) had pretty much been worn out. I wore the new ones for a quick workout on Saturday and a 3 mile walk this afternoon. They are very comfortable, but I am still breaking them in, so by the end of the walk today, I was definitely feeling it. Looking forward to those walks getting easier! That probably has more to do with my weight than my shoes...but still.

Speaking of weight loss, I stumbled upon Heather's Instagram right at the beginning of her journey. Unlike my past attempts at weight loss, Heather KILLED it!! She is down 80 pounds!!! She also has a fun Insta feed and blog. I LOVE her Mani-Monday's...and I think that is something I want to start doing. At least, when I have something to show. I mean, right now, my nails are really pathetic. But, I'll show some of my most recent nails :)

These were my Cowboys nails for the watch party we went to last weekend. The blue is Sinful Colors Ciao Bella and the silver is my favorite silver...it's Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear in Celeb City.

Y'all!!! The COWBOYS are KILLING it. It is SO much fun to watch. Also fun to watch? This just cracks me up!


And this....which, I LOVE. You wouldn't think picking up your own trash would be that big of a deal. But, for whatever reason, this made me smile.

Remember kids: if at first you don't succeed, try again😊 pic.twitter.com/oeaA1yF7CX

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 21, 2016

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for Talk About It Tuesday, where you can post about anything you want and link up with us!!

LET'S TALK :: MAGNOLIA MARKET TRIP

Hey y'all!! Welcome to the first ever "Talk About It Tuesday" link up!! I'm so glad you stopped by and I hope you will link up your blog post below. And don't forget to visit my co-host (and friend!) Melissa.

So for today, I thought I would talk all about our little trip to Waco last Thursday.

Y'all are probably all familiar with the show Fixer Upper on HGTV.  I remember stumbling upon it mid first season. I could not get enough of it!! I just adore Chip and Joanna: them, their family, their designs. LOVE it all.

I talked about them so much, that we decided to just go see the shop last year. Waco is only a little over an hour from here, so it's an easy little trip. They were still in her original shop on Bosque. I was shocked at how tiny it was. But, it was all so very Joanna. And it was quite the place to be; there were a ton of people there...on a random day in the middle of the week.

My grandmother has been talking about going for months, so C called her up a few weeks ago and asked her if she wanted to go with us. Such a sweet man!! The new silos have been open over a year, but it's still really busy, so we planned for another mid-week trip.

We got there a little after 9 and it was already so crowded. We parked near the bakery...and y'all...the smell was AMAZING. We knew we were stopping for kolaches on the way home, so didn't indulge...but it could have been so dangerous. I've heard the cinnamon rolls are to die for. Next time!

I have seen pictures all over Instagram of people visiting the new silos and market, but I guess I didn't know what to expect. When we went last year, we drove by the silos, but it was all still very much under construction.  I couldn't believe how it was all pulled together. And so pretty.

The landscaping was incredible. I wanted to rush home and redecorate AND plant ALL THE FLOWERS! I just kept taking pictures of plants. Ha!

This is the only picture I got inside. It was VERY crowded in the upstairs part. And it was like sensory overload. I seriously could have bought one of everything, but I didn't know where to start! So, I bought a t-shirt. HA!! I told C that it was just a warm up trip. Next time will mean business!

Such a fun trip. So grateful for that time with my husband and my grandmother. If only we could have seen Chip and Jojo!!

Also linking up with Crystal for Tuesday Talk. Be sure to check her out. 

FRIDAY FAVORITES

It's Friday!! This week just seemed to zip by. I am so looking forward to this weekend. We have had plans every weekend, and this is the first one in a while where it is just going to be C and I. We are heading out on a little mini road and shopping trip tomorrow and I am TOO excited about it!!

Speaking of exciting...I thought I would link up with a few blogs and share my favorites for this week!

NFL Memes

1. The Dallas Cowboys won (in overtime) Sunday!!! The first part of the game was a little iffy and I was feeling the stress. By the end of the game, I was bouncing off the walls.. SO intense...but so so so amazing. I am telling you...it's SO much more fun to be a fan when you are winning!! Added bonus? C's old boss is a huge Eagles fan...so he likes to give me a hard time. He was A LOT of talk all day Sunday but suspiciously quiet on Monday!! Ha. 

2. The CMA's were on Wednesday night and they were the best they have been in a while. I LOVED hearing a lot of the older music. It reminded me of my childhood. Here are my favorite looks for the night. I thought I would also share my favorite performances, but it ended up being like 10 so I'll just say again that it was awesome!! 

3. I will share my favorite new song though. Little Big Town performed it at the show the other night. It's so good. And, Taylor Swift wrote it!!

4. I finally painted my nails yesterday. They were looking pretty sad. I love the look of fresh nails but I HATE painting them. Even though the fall weather is still not quite here, I broke down and painted them a nice fall color. It's "flirt" by Sally Hansen. I also love using their base and quick-dry top coats.

5. I got this magazine a few weeks ago when I was sick, but I am just now going through it. Like everything else from Chip and Joanna, it's amazing. AND....we are going there next week!! My grandmother is a huge fan of the show and she has been wanting to go to the shop for a while. C and I went last year, but it was right before the silos opened, so we are excited to go back with her!!

Have a great weekend!!

[linking up with Momfessionals, The Farmer's Wife, and A.Liz Adventures]

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE :: STRUGGLES

I have wrestled with posting this for a while. And after last night's horrible weigh in (but really inspiring meeting), I've decided I just need to come clean.

Y'all, I am struggling SO much with my weight loss journey. This really isn't anything new. I've struggled with my weight my entire life. But, I have recently had success with sticking to a healthy eating/exercise plan, so it's hard to accept that I have fallen so far off track.

A little backstory, if you are new. Like I said, I have struggled with my weight my entire life. I've lost weight several times, but have always gained it (and more) back. About four years ago, I decided I had finally had enough. I took myself back to Weight Watchers and gave it my all. And surprise! It worked. I lost about FORTY pounds and was feeling amazing. I still had quite a bit to lose, but I felt like, for the first time in my life, THIS was going to be the time. I had pretty much cut sugar out of my diet. I walked almost daily. And, I wrote down everything I ate. 

And then, my dad got sick. I stopped losing.

And then, he got worse. I started gaining.

And then, he lost his battle with cancer. 

I gained all of it back. Plus 25 pounds. Not good. 

I finally rejoined WW after some time off. And... I managed to get about 38 pounds off by this spring. It was a slow process. And I wasn't nearly as dedicated as I was in the past. But I was plugging along. 

Nothing major happened this time around, but I just lost focus over the summer. I quit tracking. We started eating out more than normal and I started ordering less salads and more meals with french fries. And, the weight loss turned into small gains. And then bigger ones. 

One thing I have learned over the years is that I am CLEARLY an emotional eater. If I am happy, or sad, or stressed, or angry, or lonely, I am drawn to food. Sometimes it's healthy (yogurt, an apple and peanut butter) but mostly it's not. The problem is...it's never based out of hunger. I wish I knew why I was like this. And how to quickly fix the issue. But I am finally able to admit that it is a problem. 

Especially now. I gained SIX pounds over the course of two weeks. I don't even know how I did that. Well, I mean, I do know how I did it. I'm just so frustrated that it happened. Fortunately, the meeting after my weigh in was JUST what I needed. Several people joined and ALL of them were returning to Weight Watchers after having had major success in the past. It showed me a lot of things. The program works. Three of the new girls had lost over a hundred pounds each!!! That is amazing. Everyone stumbles. Life gets hard and messy and this gets pushed to the bottom of the list. It's not that I want that to happen, but it's helpful to know that I am not the only one who struggles. Because, let me just say that when you are in the middle of the mess...it feels very lonely! 

I woke up yesterday with a renewed since of motivation. My main goal this week is to track what I eat. I can't really see where I'm going wrong (I mean other than the obvious french fry indulgence) if I can't see what exactly I am eating throughout the week. I have selective memory when it comes to food. I remember the salads and chicken. Somehow the other stuff slips in the dark places (near my hips, undoubtedly). 

I know that there are people out there who make up their mind to get healthy, make the changes, and find success immediately. I am not one of those people. And, that's okay. This may take me the rest of my life (but God, please don't do that to me). I won't quit though. I want to be healthy. And confident in myself. And neither of those things are determined just by the number on the scale. They are developed over time... with each small change. Each new day.

I'll be perfectly honest and say that struggling with my weight for all these years is not a journey I would have picked for myself. But, I know there is SO much good that can come from the process. And that is part of the reason I have decided to be a bit more open about the journey (including the bad). It's a little scary to put myself out there. I'm normally hiding behind the shame of the struggle. But I don't want to hide anymore. I hope that anyone who is struggling can find inspiration here. You aren't alone. Let's do this together!!!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 

COWBOY BOOTS

Maybe it's having being born during the Urban Cowboy era, or maybe, it is just from being a Texas girl. But I confess - my love of western wear runs deep. Case in point: 

looking super cute with my dad and my step-dad

Admittedly, it has been a while since I've worn a feather embellished cowboy hat or a fancy pearl snap shirt, but my love of cowboy boots remains as strong as ever. My mom  just found my first pair of little boots! I was probably wearing them in the two pictures above. And, I actually changed into a pair of boots for our reception. Much easier to dance in boots than heels! I think some western wear can be a bit trendy and easily fade into a dated fad (I mean, will you look at those hats?!) But, cowboy boots are just so timeless. 

Some of my favorite girls (and style icons) have been known to rock a pair of boots. And, if it's good enough for Carrie, Miranda and Reese? It's good enough for me!

C likes to do most of his shopping at western stores. I love to tag along and make a beeline for the boots. Rows of colorful, detailed boots is one of the prettiest sites there is. And the smell of the leather? Lord have mercy.

King Ranch Saddle Shop has such a fun selection of boots. They have something classic and something a little bit more embellished ... and lots of things in between. The great thing about boots is that you can dress them up or down. I thought it would be fun to showcase some of my favorites from the store with some ideas for styling them. 

shirt / leggings / jacket / necklace / earrings / cross ring / clutch / red boots

Y'all red boots?! So sassy. But so so fun for a night on the town!! I love the idea of pairing them with a leopard clutch and a cute little leather jacket but keeping the rest of the outfit simple. I'm LOVING the silver cross ring from KRSS. These boots would be great with all black as well!

sweater / leggings / cross boots / turquoise earrings 

These leather boots with cross embellishment are giving me life. I think they are just gorgeous. I'm a big fan of brown leather. And crosses. They just scream comfort to me. So I paired them with a cozy sweater and leggings. Kept the jewelry simple with this gorgeous set of turquoise earnings. So fun. I would seriously wear something like this everyday!

shirt / jeans / earrings / bag / sunglasses / turquoise boots

Speaking of something I'd wear every day....denim on denim (aka the Texas Tuxedo). It is such a classic look. And how gorgeous are these turquoise boots? And this bag is may be one of the prettiest things I've ever seen! LOVE it.

Once you've got a new pair of boots, you'll need to take care of them. The sweet people at King Ranch Saddle Shop were kind enough to share these tips on keeping your boots in the best shape. They also have some leather conditioner that is amazing!

If you have read my blog any at all, you know that I am currently on a journey to better health. I am down over twenty pounds! I still have a long way to go, so I have set up some little rewards for milestones along the way. Naturally, a new pair of boots is one of these rewards. I've had my eye on these boots FOREVER. It was definitely love at first site. I mean, if I were to be a boot, I'd be this boot. And when I get them? I will wear them with everything....because that's just what you do with a signature pair of cowboy boots.