Fourth of July Weekend! And True Blood Review

Good morning everyone. I hope you are enjoying this lovely Tuesday.

I leave tomorrow morning for Michigan, and I can not wait.

There will four-wheeling and go-cart races in the country!

Fireworks and celebration near the church! I still become giddy while firework watching. 

And... boat-tubing, tanning, and talking on the water! 

I hope you all have an absolutely wonderful fourth of July weekend with your family and friends. 

The fourth of July is my favorite holiday because of the communal positive feelings that are abundant everywhere! 

I will be away from the computer for a few days. I'll miss you, but I'll be back soon with fun stories and pictures. 

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Before  I leave, I must do a review of True Blood! 

Immediate Reaction: Hallelujah, Eric is back and in full force! The beginning was rather weird. 

After thinking about it: Eric. Eric. Eric. I feel like he is going to be very present this season, more so than the past. Also, Bill! Love his new position in the show. Very happy for Tara, and Sookie's house. 

If you have HBOGo, you were able to watch the second episode, and it was much better than the first. A lot of important events happen in the second episode. Can't wait for the third! This is my favorite show, and it never fails to impress. 

Cheers to good TV! 

Happy 4th of July; party safely! 

Twenty Days till...

Cape Cod!!!

Took this in 2009; Martha's Vineyard. 

An "In The Pink" Store! 

I have so many happy memories of Cape Cod. I can't wait to go back with SisterT and the BFFS! I am in shock there's only 20 days till I leave. Where is the summer going? Happy weekend to you! 

(True Blood is on tonight!!!)

Jennifer Aniston Fashion Friday, Revamped Fridge, and Baseball Game

Good afternoon! How's your day going? I worked out this morning for a solid two hours, made a delicious protein shake (chocolate whey powder, 1% milk, frozen assorted berries, banana, peanut butter, nonfat plain yogurt, and ice), organized the house a bit, and read by the pool! I am now relaxing on the deck with my darling Raquel playing with her stuffed duck! Summer Fridays are the best kind of Fridays!

Last night I went to the baseball game! I had so much fun with BFFLex! There were free backpacks, fireworks... and we were both interviewed on the JUMBO screen!!! We were so giddy with excitement. They didn't play the video till after the 7th inning, and when we saw it we were in shock! They asked us if you could go anywhere in the world where would it be? Lex said, "Hawaii, because I've never been there before, and I want to learn how to surf." I said, "Monte Carlo, for the shopping!" They asked me a follow-up question on the spot, on what I'd buy. And all I could come up with was, "Gucci shoes!" Which totally came out in a high-pitched screech. It made for a memorable night.

I ran into my favorite little princess, Maddie, at the game. Look at her build-a-bear! 

I also organized my family's fridge. 

I put all the meat and dairy in the produce drawers, and all the fruit, veggies, and healthy snacks where I could see them right away. I am hoping it helps me snack healthier. 

We often have tons of eggs readily available for: hard-boiled eggs, scrambled, pop-eyes, etc. They make for an easy meal or snack. 

I have done about five manicures and a few pedicures using PinkLouLou's technique, and it works wonderfully! I use acetone, a paintbrush, nail strengthener (for that pinkish color), and a thick jelly topcoat. 

BFFLex & Moi

Thank you to Kori again for Fashion Friday! 

Today's Topic: Jennifer Aniston in Just Go With It.

I love her outfits so much in this movie...

She's definitely one of my fashion&fitness role models! Look at those arms. 

Oops, how did this get in here? ;) 

Here is werewolf Joe Manganiello from True Blood, which starts this Sunday. Can not wait!

Happy Tuesday! Father's Day and Weekend Recap

I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day! SisterT and I celebrated with our father and stepfather. Unintentionally, we all ended up wearing Lilly Pulitzer! It was a beautiful day, and we had tons of fun! 

We first visited the Darcy's at their new home. 

Moi, Mrs. Darcy, Mr. Darcy, Step-sisterA, & SisterT

We forgot to take photos with the faja and his girlfriend, but we had a memorable dinner with delicious food! 

Fresh scallops with creamy basil polenta, and seasonal vegetables. Mouth watering! 

After dinner, we went to Big Lots for some putsin' around! We actually found some fun stuff, including plastic magnetic rollers (work wonderfully), a handful of movies, and Paula Deen beer bread mix! 

All the above... $3 each! 

Crazy story... as I have mentioned earlier, I am going to Cape Cod in July for a few weeks and I am stirring with excitement! I've been researching activities to do with the BFFs besides the usual beach & Baxter's... and I stumbled upon the Cape Cod baseball league. I did not know about it, since I am sport-illiterate, but it sounded like a really fun atmosphere. I told the faja about it and he said the Cape Cod baseball league is a huge deal, and he told me to watch the "silly" movie Summer Catch. Totally forgot about it, till while looking through movies at Big Lots I found it! 

Just watched it yesterday, and now I am even more excited for this summer! I would love to meet a Freddie Prinze Jr. ;) 

 I miss the ocean!

I also visited an adorable dog bakery yesterday called Three Dogs Bakery. There are a couple locations around the country. Look what the BFFs and I picked up... so cute!

That is a slice of "Wagamelon"

OOTD from the weekend!

 Walking through Nordstrom, I found this BCBG dress (left). LOVE it! Reminds of something Jennifer Aniston would wear. 

Hope you all have a lovely evening! Fitness post tomorrow.

Happy Father's Day Faja! Love you!

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful dad! Love you everyday more and more!

My dad and "Nono" (Italian Grandfather). 

When my sister and I were little, my dad would always playfully ask us, "What's my favorite thing to do in the whole world?" And we would say, "Watch movies with your favorite babies!" And we would rent movies and get ice cream, and have a fabulous night! 

Thank you for all that you do for us! 

Also in remembrance of my mother's father, Alfred Koeppe. 

Happy Father's Day to all the father's out there, and those who serve as father figures! 

You are much loved! 

Fashion Friday on a Budget!

Happy Friday to you! I love summer weekends, but not ones full of rain and clouds. I miss the sun! 

When the sun eventually comes out, I plan on wearing this cute dress I purchased on the Re-Lilly facebook page. I have never purchased anything on there before now, and I can't wait for it to come in. I paid a total of $47! Great deal! I think it is a perfect beach dress with all the detail and ties. 

Have you ever used the Re-Lilly page or Shopaholic's Preppy Closet on facebook? 

Fashion Friday, thank you Kori!

OOTD

I wore this OOTD to an outdoor restaurant for lunch the other day. All items were budget-friendly finds. 

~Banana Republic Shorts: Bought these last year for 40% off

~ I.N.C. top from Macy's: Paid 20% of the original price last winter.

~Honora jewelry from RueLaLa

~Target Wedges that are so comfortable!

I am a true believer in that you do not have to spend a fortune to look trendy & fashionable!

My outdoor lunch! Have you ever heard of Pi pizza? 

President Obama had it shipped to the White House a few years ago for Easter. 

There are a few locations in and around St. Louis. But for those of you in D.C., you will be able to enjoy it very soon. Click here for the website for locations and more information! There pizza is hands down, my favorite! 

Cornmeal crust, spinach, onions, crushed tomatoes, mozzarella cheese. All organic, all delicious! 

The BFF's momma gifted this adorable towel to me! A reminder of our funny little incident last weekend.

 I hope you have an absolutely fantastic night! Stay out of the rain!

Fitness Fun: Successful Workouts that pass like a party!

It is no secret that I love a good workout! Truth is I am only satisfied with my workout if I am sweating on the floor and it is hard to walk down the stairs afterward. This feeling is the absolute best, because I know my body will thank me later.

Why am I such a workout advocate? Since January 2009 I have lost quite a deal of weight. Yes, some had to do with diet, but predominantly I transformed myself from a couch potato to a workout machine. I went from sitting at home feeling sorry for myself to feeling empowered and secure in who I am.


For those of you who do not have access to a gym, I highly recommend the following DVDs.

P90X
Many of you have probably heard about P90X, and how it has become a nation-wide craze. Reviews and success rates don't lie. This program works. A few of the guys at my gym decided to do P90X to form tight and distinct muscle. After the program, one was offered a modeling contract. No lie, this DVD is hard, but you will feel unbelievable after, and so strong.  P90X now has a second. You can check P90X2 out here.

Insanity
Insanity is a similar workout in matters of difficulty, but no weights or equipment are needed. It is full of cardio blasting plyometrics, which are my absolute favorite due to their high caloric burn. Insanity would be a fantastic workout for you and a friend or significant other to do together in the comfort of your home. If you don't have someone to workout with, no problem, because trainer Shaun T is enough motivation to get you moving. He may be my favorite of all the DVD trainers; he's hard core and encouraging.

I saved my absolute favorite for last... 

Turbofire
This is my favorite workout available via DVD. When I hear "Jab, Cross, Jab, Knee" my body gets in the zone and there is no one that can stop me for the next hour. In my opinion, this is the most fun and goes by the fastest. The music is party-worthy, the moves are easy to get the hang of, and the trainer Chalene is fantastic! I burn roughly 600-800 calories in Turbofire workouts in an hour. If you follow the link above, there is a video playing... check it out, because all those feel-good vibes oozing off the screen are why I do Turbofire workouts! It is also absolutely wonderful for your abs/core, you work them predominantly off the floor; you don't even realize it!

What are some of your favorite at home workouts? I love learning about new routines/programs. Has any one of these worked for you?

I hope you are having a fabulous Thursday. I saw Tree of Life last night, and my mind is still too boggled to write a review. It'll be up tomorrow!

Katherine Hepburn Stamps! And a makeup question... MAC brushes?

Happy Tuesday to you! I went to the post office yesterday and picked up some stamps... and I was so happy when the postman put Katherine Hepburn's gorgeous face on the cards I was sending. Her stamp is beautiful. If you have not yet checked them out, they are a sure fire way to glam up your letters and bills!

Absolutely Beautiful! 

PinkLouLou's blog introduced me to the Pixiwoo makeup videos. They are amazing! This LINK will take you to PinkLouLou's post featuring two of their amazing videos. I wasted two hours Sunday watching them... they are that good! 

The Pixiwoo girls use Mac numbered brushes. I was wondering, do any of you use them? I've looked up the 24 pcs set and it ranges between 49-98 dollars depending on the website/ebay/etc. If you do use them, do you like them? 

Here's a picture of the 24 pcs set. 

Do you know of any other makeup brushes that work well with advanced eye makeup tutorials? :) 

Hope you are having a great night! I have a fun fitness post planned for tomorrow!