family time

Two Meatballs: Rain Rain GO AWAY!!!

In my former life, I didn’t like to do anything when it rained, so I didn’t!  But whats a gal to do when it rained 5 out of 7 days of vacation and then 8 more days straight when she got home!?   I am solar powered so this weather has gotten really depressing.  And this pressure in the air is a perfect storm (Get it) for my migraines.  And guess what, your calendar doesn’t just shut down because a hurricane is coming!

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Hahahahaha!!!  Lesson to be learned, life goes on.  The rain does wonders for the world.  It helps plants grow, it keeps us all hydrated, it offers so many cute fashion opportunities like rain boots and cute rain slickers and so much more…trying so hard to find the silver lining!!!  Guess it is time to embrace an umbrella and to wear my hair off my face.  Here are all the things I did that I wanted to cancel because of the rain!  I went to Pure Barre and Bliss Body Yoga on Saturday while it was raining sideways!  Yeah thats right, I did another 2 a day!

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Then I stopped by my parents and then my sisters to see her and the kids!

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They showed me all the fun games they created by dragging Chases’s mattress into the living room.  Then it was story time.  The kids love to go in a circle and tell stories…they can be true or made up or about dreams or scary things.

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Wyatt always instigates story time.  #likeaboss  And somebody look at Chase…

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He is an old soul at 5!  We had so much fun and then got showered up and went to dinner.  This was clearly supposed to be an adult only dinner and we somehow tagged along…but where quarantined in our own booth…fun was had none the less!  We tried Nantucket Grill and it was alright.  The company and magician made it great!  This is segment called the adults table:

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aka, the people intended to be at this dinner…this is a segment called, the kids table…aka what are we doing here haha!

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Then a magician came by and all hell broke loose!
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Now watch as Wayne blows Wyatt’s mind!

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He was freaking out…now Chase’s turn!

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Somebody look at these faces!!!

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I could have watched this all night…and we did!

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Love my family!

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Even if I’m 32 and still at the kids table!

I am glad that I went, even in the rain!  Then the next day I cancelled my pb class, slept in and then got ready for my cousin Eric’s wedding!

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I drove with Kelly and the kids, so much fun!  And look at what a cute little family!
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Wyatt did a great job of taking our pic!  We explored all around and me and Chase even caught a glimpse of Eric before the nuptials!  Then we found our seats and had some fun before the big event!

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This segment is called How many pics does it take to get everyone on the same page!? #ogbeards

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We made it through 6 before we got these three winners!

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#sideeye #dadisalwaystalking #theboysfaces

Then the wedding began!

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Leeann, Clyde and Anna walked down the aisle!

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Eric’s best friend officiated the ceremony!  And here comes the bride!

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This was one of the sweetest weddings I have ever been to!  Eric teared up as soon as he saw Gia.  It always gets me choked up!  This was the kids first wedding and it was so sweet to experience it together.  Look how happy these two are!

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Congrats to the happy couple!  They had postcards on the table for well wishes and advice and both the boys wanted to write something.  Then we went on a mission to find the couple and hand deliver our messages.  Wyatt was so nervous.  He know Eric is a gamer and I think he felt like he was a celebrity…it was adorable.  I will always think of Eric as the child shirtless wonder.  This kid never had a shirt on growing up!!!  I love this family so much and as always it was so great to be together.  Love you all and welcome to the family Gia!  The rain for sure did not put a damper on this weekend!

Two Meatballs: Let’s Give Em Pumpkin To Talk About…and AnnaVersaries!

Hiiii you guys!!!  Things have been so busy lately that I completely forgot that last Thursday was my 11th anniversary at the salon!!! That is a third of my life people!!!

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You guys….to quote my friend Cara, this is the longest relationship (besides my family) that I’ve been in.  And the most joyful and inspiring one.  And like all relationships, it has been challenging, rewarding, ever changing, full of growth, patience (on their side not mine haha), and so much fucking fun. I literally grew up in this place. I’ve had so many incredible opportunities to meet and work with the biggest names in the industry and to learn, create and observe living art!!!

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It’s so cool to look back over all of this!!!  I meeeeeeeean I have so many reasons to be thankful.  My bosses are the most wonderful people a girl could ask for…is it me or are we all starting to look alike!?

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#twinning

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#actualtwinning #laurenaandiaremorphingintotheameperson #garthpartyoftwo #howdidthisgetinhere #idigress

Last year for my big 1oth anniversary everyone in the salon dressed up like me!!!  It was so funny and touching.  I didn’t know that I had such a distinct style that it would be so easy to emulate but they murdered it right!?!!!

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Animal print, a bow with a side braid or bun, leggings and a cute little top and boots #nailedit It was so funny bc I walked in and thought gosh is it me or does everyone look amazing today!? bahahahaha Matching is my dream. To everyone that I work with (best team of life), my meatball and to all my clients and my bosses, every educator and brand members…ugh I could just cry every time I think about how lucky I am to have each one of you in my life. I learn something new everyday and I am forever grateful for y’all. Coming to work is a dream and it’s because of all of you.  I love you guys soooooo much and again to quote my genius friend Cara…thank you will never be enough!!!

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So after my love bath at work I celebrated my Anna-versary with my sweet pal Anna…get it now?!?! Anna was coming to my house so we could make dinner together! With this new winter like blast that ascended upon us today…what should we make!?

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Duuuuuhhhh…its time for soup!!!I love an at home cooking date with an old pal! Get ready for a little cooking segment called Pumpkin Garlic Soup Extravaganza!!!

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Let me start off by saying that we subbed out the white whine for white vinegar and just like 1 tblspoon of that and 1/2 can of coconut cream instead of the heavy cream.  Also, we added garlic powder in addition to the minced and I would highly suggest lots of texas pete and green onions to garnish! Here is us in action.

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#checkoutthosecans

And the result…

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The yummiest, most fall-y, comforting soup of your life!?! Best let it cool off before you try!

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Last suggestions…try it with Plantain Chips instead of crackers for a paleo pairing!

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Also, I dumped the rest of the carrots and mushrooms with thyme that we cooked earlier in the week and it made a good thing even better!  Thanks for celebrating in a healthy way with me Anna…I love our cooking segments and more importantly…you!!!  Seriously make this soup! #hikelly

For the rest of the weekend I hung tight with family and hibernated!!! I made more yummy food…

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Went to the gym and hung out with family alll weekend!!!  You guys should def go see Big Hero 6!!!

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This last one is my favorite!  My grandma has the first water bed…it has tubes filled with water that over time stretch and need to be refilled!  I asked her to pose on her bed when it was all said and done and this is what she did! Bahahahahahahahahaha!!!  She said put that on your Space Page!

Best weekend of life! xoxo

 

Two Meatballs: 1000 Practical Ways to Avoid Cleaning Out Your Closet!!!

You guyyyyys!  Being back in the game feeeeels famazing!!!!  I don’t know how to handle not feeling sunny so I couldn’t be happier that the clouds have lifted.  Jenny mentioned a few posts ago that her room was messy and full of shopping bags and was there a correlation between the state of her room and how she was eating!?  Well I think that there is and I can totally relate!  Every single time that I am focused and on point with my eating and exercising, my home is pristine (or as pristine as a four can handle) and my car is spotless, my budget is air tight, my sleep habits are predictable and it is pretty easy to stay in this place.  I have also noticed that I am very malleable and I adapt very quickly to change.  Soooooo, if that change comes in the form of eating Dairy Queen Blizzards everyday then the following is to be expected…skipping the gym, staying up later and sleeping in like crazy, super messy home, closed curtains, filthy trash heap of a car, no care in the world when it comes to my budget, and sooooo mannnny newwwww clothes! My home and car are literally a reflection of my body.  So, what’s a girl to do when she wants change!?  It’s time to clean out my closet and my car….figuratively and literally! So I called my sis who is the living best person to tackle a project with.  Now all these words sound great right!?!  Making myself tackle a project is like trying to put your cat in a warm, bubbly bath.  I will do ANYTHING to avoid the project!!! This girl just wants to have fun!  So I suggested that Kelly pick me up and we get right to cleaning…right after  we go work out and have breakfast with the fam!

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Ok now lets get serious…time to clean….right after we go bring coffee to our favorite cousin Kristina…and get some play time in with her sweet little boy!!!

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Isn’t he the living cutest!  Catching up with Kristina and Tim is always my fav and who doesn’t love babies, coffee and cousin time!?  Ok onto the next distraction…lunch with the fam!! Yummmmmmm.

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But what next!?  Shopping!? (Guess I wasn’t totally over the hedonistic phase haha…can you say avoidance!).  This is a little segment I like to call This is How You Get Lice!  Welcome to Anthropologie!

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This one is called…Make Yourself at Home Ladies…#dontmindifwedo

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#findthehonorarymeatball

Next is Fun Finds…

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#ijudgebooksbycovers #bestsmellingcandleoflife

This last gem reeled it in for me!  I loved this healthy lady finding her way above water…time to clean! Oh yeah but first…I need to order a new #meatballnation tank from KC Batik on Etsy because MINE IS TOOO BIG! Wahooooo! #squirell

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Now onto the task at hand…Right after we  go grocery shopping…dammit all these well placed distractions!

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#didanyoneknowthatthisishowbrusselsproutsgrow!? #icantNOThugapumpkin

Time to clean for realzzzz like right after this hang out time on the porch, come on y’all this day was gorgeous!

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Enough pokey dorkin around…time to confront the problem and clean out the mess! Grow up Sara!!!  Car time!

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Jane Honda is SPOTLESS!!! #dontforgethownicethisfeels

Onto the main event…lets get rid of all my clothes that don’t fit anymore and are taking up valuable real estate.  This will also give me one more excuse not to EVER GAIN THIS WEIGHT BACK!

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After countless hour, 4 rounds of Black Widow on the radio and several fashion shows later…

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I thought is was going to be so hard to get rid of all these clothes with so many fond memories attached to them but you guys…it wasn’t at all!  They don’t fit and they served me well!  Look at this…8 totally full bags!!!  This also inspired me to clean out alllll of my drawers so I ended up getting rid of 4 bags of jewelry as well!  One of my favorite clients came over to give them all a good home! #xojulie

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So when I got up this morning, I made a super healthy smoothie to start my day with the yummy groceries that we bought #notallthedistractionswereawastehaha…

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And getting dressed was the living easiest thing on the planet.  I felt like Cher in Clueless….except nothing was spinning around I was merely ABLE to walk through my closet to see my options!

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#nailedit

To my sweet sister Kelly…first of all thank you for everything that you do.  Your support is so amazing and I just couldn’t love you more!!!  Who has fun cleaning out cars and closets…we doooooooo!!!!  You are the best thing that ever happened to me.  I don’t know what people without sisters do.  Love love love you.  And to everyone else…I love y’all too!  Even if if takes you awhile to tackle whatever road block is in your path, that’s ok as long as you get there.  A wise woman named Joelle once told me….you don’t have to WANT to do it…sometimes you just have to do it. And take it from me…it feels sooo good when you do. Xoxo

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