...He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.
-Matthew 28:6 (NIV)

AT Days, my favorite "God" place.

My favorite detail of the story has always been this little tidbit found in Luke:

"Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened."
- Luke 24:12 NIV

Jesus was in no rush.

Take your time today to meditate on Him.
Enjoy your family and loved ones.
Pray for, and comfort those who are hurting because they are unable to do so.
When today comes to an end, don't forget the command at the end of the story:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

-Matthew 28:19-20, NIV






Have a blessed day, friends.

So, last week, I mentioned to Sean that we should try a vlog. He was all cool with it...til it was actually time to do it. Granted, we've both had a long week, but with all the typing he did and answering-my-answers, we may has well have just done it anyway. The good news is, you all won't have to see me wearing Sean's answer to the last question!





1.Where was the proposal? How did it all go down?

Sean- She said no!
Bekah – This is true. He told my mom he’d cut my wrist off if I said no, so I had to test him!
Anyhow, he made reservations at Lewnes’ which is a local fancy steakhouse (obviously pre-veg – he is over here still annoyed that I ordered “the cheapest” steak on the menu).
We are casual people who don’t make reservations for ANYTHING,  so he kind of gave himself away…but that’s OK. He got down on one knee and popped the question after dinner.
Sean- No one noticed which is kinda sad and good in both ways. The only one to notice something was up was our waitress as Bekah was making the ring sparkle in the candlelight.

2. Name one thing that makes you similar to your spouse and one thing that makes you totally opposite from your spouse.

Sean- Goofiness is our similarity. Probably sports would be our opposites.

Goofy? Us?

Bekah – This is scary, but we are similar in wardrobe tastes. We have dressed separately for church only to realize we’re practically wearing the same thing! Really we’re like minded on many issues, but somehow, we are drastically different on politics.

3.When was your very first date?  What did you do?

Sean- Sometime in January I think. We saw the Aviator at the theater; I explained some technical tidbits to her, she commented on Leonardo Decrapio’s lipstick and we were subsequently told to shut up by a woman in the row in front of us (the movie was nearing its theater run, and I think we sat in our seats first anyway).
Bekah – It was January 31 of 2005.  It snowed that day and this was our first time meeting in person (we met online). I wanted to back out after some not-so-stellar other dates, but he offered to drive down, so I picked a town I knew well but didn’t live in. So yeah, we talk during movies. And the lady told me to shut up. I was pretty sure he’d have no interest in seeing me again.

4.How many boy/girlfriends did your spouse have before you?

Sean- I can think of only two boyfriends she’s mentioned.
Bekah- (really it’s four but I don’t discuss exes much I guess).  He had three – his super long term high school girlfriend and two in college.

5.Complete the sentence:  My spouse is a natural born ________.

Sean- Wannabe Russian spy.
Bekah-Ha! I always ask him if I can have crazy dangerous jobs. He doesn’t appreciate it. Sean is a natural-born addict of beer and volleyball.
Sean- I didn’t start liking the taste of beer til I was 12. Volleyball on the other hand- I went to my first vb tournament when I was 2 weeks old and my dad stuck a volleyball in my crib since day one.

6.Our marriage would be absolutely perfect if we could just agree on __________.

Sean- Sexual positions. Kidding, we never disagree on that.
Bekah – You know what? No more censored! I’m leaving that for everyone to read.
Anyway, if we could agree on moving out of Maryland to a warmer and more affordable state, perhaps?

7.  Which of these does your spouse have more of, in your opinion?  
Sense of Humor, Sense of Time, Sense of Adventure, Common Sense.

Sean- Sense of humor with common sense being a close second.
Bekah- Same.

7.Where is the oddest location you have ever shared a kiss with your spouse?

On a rock in Maine? Not weird enough?

Sean- A bathroom perhaps.
Bekah – Yeah, we’re that married couple who chat with each other in the bathroom.  I can’t think of anything “odd.”

8.Complete this sentence:  I knew I had found the love of my life when my spouse ______.

Sean- When she was able to out-belch the vast majority of my friends.
Bekah – Proved to actually BE a gentleman versus guys who ACT like one for a short while to make an impression.

9.Explain the outfit that you love most on your spouse.

Sean- Lingerie! (see, aren't you glad this isn't a vlog now?)
Bekah- This blue sweater he wore on our first date. It brings back fun memories. He still has it (and pretty much all his clothes from high school to date).

That's the one! I "suggested" he wear it the first time we had nice pics taken together.

Last month, while doing some blog snooping, I came across a post from a girl discussing her Cara Box for February. I don't remember which blog or what was in the box, but I did know I loved the idea and wanted in. I promptly headed over to Wifessionals (great blog!) and threw my name in the hat for March.





Cara Box is essentially a care package version of pen pals. Bloggers are matched together and get to know each other a short while before sending inexpensive gifts of encouragement out.

Each month, a theme is assigned to the boxes to make things more fun. This month, we needed to get to know our partners well enough to choose gifts that began with the first letter of their name.

I was assigned to Becca (awesome name!) over at Faith, Love, and Babies.



To check out the deets of what I put in her box, check out her post here.

Assigned to me was Britt over at ittbritt.com. I was very pleasantly surprised in regards to how well she studied my blog and chose fun things that I am enjoying:

A reusable bag. Super cute...and green!

Photo brackets. If you've read my bio, you know I work with and LOVE dogs!

Beautiful Day - a new BBW fragrance for spring!

Baking cups - little does she know I was recently mad that I wanted to bake cupcakes but had run out of these, yet again.

Basil and Beans...I love the idea of growing my own food. Here's to hoping my black thumb turns green!

A fun note of encouragement - her last line was the best! "I ate steamed vegetables for dinner. Just vegetables. Somewhere, my mom is grinding her teeth wondering how you did it..."

I absolutely loved the items Britt chose and I can tell she really paid attention to this here blog and put major thought into it. I'm so excited to continue participating! If I've piqued your interest, head on over and sign up yourself. Even non-bloggers are welcome!

Welcome to part 2 of 3 of the story of my choice to go vegetarian! I began last Monday with a prequel that you can read here.

I discussed my eating habits growing up, and hopefully you noticed that many pieces were in place all along. I ended with a memory of myself actually admitting I could "survive" as a vegetarian if I had to. But that was over ten years ago, and I didn't make the choice then. Why?

The sad but honest truth comes down to laziness, plain and simple. Meat is accessible and socially acceptable. It's so much easier to grab a meat-based entree at any place you go versus scouring the menu for alternatives. Eating meat is "normal," and we've been conditioned all our lives to think we must have it, because it is the only source of protein there could possibly be. I continued eating meat simply because it was easy and non-taboo.

The major turning point in my story overlaps with the story of why I choose to become an Arbonne Independent Consultant. Please don't get turned off into thinking that I am trying to plug my business here; the bottom line is that I love Arbonne, and they were a major influence when it came to making this decision.



Going back to when I was 20 or 21, my friend Kelly attended an Arbonne party and fell in love with the products. The consultant gave her a skincare sample which she gave to me. It was for our RE9 line which is Arbonne's anti-aging skincare system. At that age, I obviously didn't need the product, but I was curious and gave it a try.



I was AMAZED by the results. My skin looked incredible. I was also SHOCKED by the price tag. At the time, I only knew two things; the products were the best thing I'd ever tried, and the price tag was out of my reach as a college student. I didn't buy anything at the time, but I was in love. Whenever I would come across a consultant at an event, I would feign ignorance to get another sample (they last about 5 days!). Pretty pathetic, huh?

Fast forward about six years.While Facebook surfing, I see a post that a local consultant is having a free product drawing from all the new "likes" to her Facebook page. Guess who wins? The recently made-over, full size skincare line is MINE! Hallelujah! (except this time, I got the age-appropriate FC5 line!)



Like any good consultant, she didn't stop at giving me some free stuff and sending me on my way. She sat down with me and went over ALL the products that were offered, what they did, and why they were different.

I know new that in addition to being effective products, they are safe products; vegan-certified, gluten-free, paraben-free, and more! Where I once thought the products were overpriced, I learned that they last FOREVER, thus being cost effective as well (I won the skincare in February 2011 and now in March 2012, I am still using my SECOND set of skincare! Don't even get me started on other product I earned that I am still using to this day, over a year later!)

The more I learned, the more I became addicted to the products and the lifestyle. I had previously had an interest in living holistically, but Arbonne inspired me to step things up in that department and take a close look at all the products I was using.



In August of 2011, I signed on as an Independent Consultant. In addition to being an example by being "a product of the product" (I use a lot of them!), I realized I needed to be more informed on the lifestyle Arbonne represented.

As mentioned before, the products are certified vegan. That sounds nice to me, but it wasn't something I felt I needed. I bet it sounds pretty darn awesome to a vegan, though! In an effort to get a realistic insight into that lifestyle, I turned to social networking.

The deciding factor in my becoming vegetarian all began with a few 'likes' on Facebook that I will be sharing with you all next week!

[update: read the conclusion to this series here!]


Thanks to Coastal Charm for sharing my story!

When I received my Cara Box from Britt, I really enjoyed reading the note that she'd sent along with it. I could tell she'd taken the time to read my blog from start to finish (thankfully, it's only a few months old and thus not too high in post count!).



I was surprised when she singled out a post of mine; it was the first one I'd ever written. I hate intro posts and about me posts because they are awkward to me. But they have to be done. Out of any post she could have chosen to jump out at her, that was the one.

I vaguely remembered what I had written, so I decided it was time to go back and revisit it myself. There it was, the talk of how resolutions are always broken so it was a shame I was beginning the blog in January and yadda yadda...

Basically, the idea was that I was avoiding this!

I shared three resolves that are currently shaping my life, and ended with this statement:

"Throughout the year, I resolve to share how I have acted on these resolves, and to share the new ones I make, with or without occasion!"

Whoops. Hopefully my posts reflect how I am living these things out, but I haven't really sat down to go over the nitty gritty of each and how I am doing. So, if anyone else actually read my intro post and was curious, here goes:

• "Start my Arbonne business. I had to take time off in July for a surgery just after I had returned from an unpaid vacation. I couldn't afford to be gone so soon again. I needed something more. I love Arbonne's products and resolved to give the business a try. This year, I renew that resolve by seeking out growth in my new business."

Well, I still love Arbonne. I hope that is clear in my recent post on how Arbonne was a catalyst in my decision to go vegetarian. I make a couple bucks here and there and LOVE using all of the products. Honestly though, I can't say I've grown as far as the business aspect. I hate to ask for things, and success here starts with me asking for others to help get me started (hosting events, etc). I clearly need to keep working on this.

• "Use more holistic products. Using Arbonne has inspired me to extend my use of pure, safe, and beneficial products beyond my skincare and makeup. Pinterest has made this easy as well as other organic companies. I began to clean with vinegar and make my own laundry detergent. I try to drink more water and reach for badger balm or other remedies before popping painkillers. This year, I resolve to continue and grow the habit."

Most of the products I use are from Arbonne which are safe, and I have continued on with the self-made laundry detergent, etc. I haven't stopped using any of these and I certainly notice a difference when I am in stores. I SKIP many aisles and don't even consider buying most of the products there now. My mind has   definitely been changed in this area and I feel like I am in a good place.

• "Eat Better. Around the time of my surgery, my doctor not only pointed out that I was now considered obese, but that my triglycerides were alarmingly high. I was advised to give up sweets (ha!) and red meat. I resolved to do the latter, only eating it if served at another's home. This year, I continue the resolve and take it further by expanding recipes and incorporating vegetarian and vegan meals into our home."

I think this change is the most obvious. If you are a new reader, I will clue you in: I went completely vegetarian shortly after beginning my blog. It's been a little over two months now. I feel GREAT! I will be honest and say I still like my sweets and occasional junk food, but going meat free and cutting back on the other animal based foods I was eating has made a huge difference! I feel great, and again, have really adjusted my mindset in terms of what I eat.

 I went beyond incorporating vegetarian/vegan meals to making them the norm. My hubby has also cut back; I love that he is doing this alongside me! 

This week I had the pleasure of joining up with Michelle of  Little Homes and Big Hearts as a co-host for her weekly "lots of love" link-up! I encourage you all to check her blog and some other bloggers out over the weekend!




So this week, I answered the questions in a word document and then had to go to work. I left the document open. Sean is rarely online, so I was surprised when I came home and he said "I answered all  the questions!"

Lesson learned for me: let him type them in on his own lonely time instead of interrupting him when he wants to watch TV. It was so fun to read these when he'd taken the time to think them out,and we had so much more fun discussing them!

Sorry for the lack of pics this week...not that I had much to go with these anyway, but it was another hectic week. We may venture into doing this as a vlog next time.

1. Which does your spouse prefer: Summer or Winter Olympics?

Bekah: Summer because he’s a volleyball freak!

It may have something to do with these ladies...especially the one who shares our last name! via

Sean: Summer, anything winter saddens her. (so true, though I did enjoy the figure skating a lot when I was younger!)

2. What advice would you give your 16 year old self, now with the knowledge that you have found and married "the one?"

Bekah: I don’t believe in “the one.” That being said, if I changed anything, I may have not ended up with or even meeting Sean, so I’m good.

Sean: I don’t think anything. I didn’t screw anything up personally that I can think of. But what she said, everything happened and led to us meeting/dating/marrying.

3. What expectations did you have going into marriage? How have they changed?

Bekah: We went through pre-marital counseling (everyone should do this) and the biggest piece of advice (aside from including Christ in the marriage) was how dangerous expectations can be. It sets you up for disappointment, so keep them at bay.

Sean: That I’ll be happier because Bekah would be closer. No change. :)

3. When engaged, what did your spouse most look forward to about being married?

Bekah: Probably permanently living together. We dated long distance the first three years then I transferred to school near him and stayed on campus.

Sean: Living together, keeping her warm on cold nights (PG intended, mostly), and a puppy (unfortunately yet to happen).

4. What is your spouse's favorite meal that you prepare?

Bekah: I have asked him this in the past and he can never pick a favorite. He claims he is just happy that I cook for him.

Sean: Tomato sandwich. And she just informs me she NEVER remembers me making one for her. So I guess she will never have that honor again!

5. What is your spouse's favorite form of exercise?

Bekah: censored! Also volleyball.

Sean: Yoga.

6. What sport would your spouse most prefer to actually participate in?

Bekah: Volleyball. Wow. I’ve worked that in three times so far tonight. He plays and coaches, FYI. It used to really be nuts.

Sean: Dressage, synchronized swimming or diving or golf (jk, not “sports”). Probably (bedroom) wrestling. (wow...I guess we got over the whole "censored" thing. Seriously though, I'm a performing arts geek, not an athlete!)

7. What is the strangest food your spouse has ever eaten?

Bekah: He likes really spicy foods and tries more than I do, but I wouldn’t classify any of it as strange.

Sean: Unfortunately it quite possibly may be beer. I’m a craft beer fanatic and in the past desperately I tried to find a beer she may like. I still do if it’s something I love or if I think she may find it tolerable (still  She’s had only what I can count on one hand what she may find “drinkable” for a very short amount of time. The faces she makes on most of them are precious though (special segment coming soon?!).

8. Is your spouse a country gal/boy or a city slicker?

Bekah: Ha! Neither. We’re both suburban-ites. If we had to choose though, it would likely be country.

Sean: She fares well as both part-time, but more so country leaning (Appalachian Trail days type location).

10. Who is the "handyman" in your home? You or your spouse?

Bekah: Depends on what we’re working on. He is always cleaning bunny hair/hay out of the vacuum so it actually works, but I do most other things. When we moved in, I hung the curtains, pictures, etc.

Sean:  I am if it’s fixing or figuring out something physical.

...and there you have it! We are away for the weekend (my first Saturday off since my surgery last July!) hope you all enjoy your weekend as well!

It seems that kale has been all the rage lately. Both on TV and Pinterest, I am constantly seeing people making their version of kale chips and simply discussing how great the stuff is.

I am embarrassed to admit that as a vegetarian, I've never tried it. Until now. I was at work yesterday, and when a conversation steered in the direction of kale, I realized I'd waited long enough. Thanks to watching an episode of The Engine 2 Diet, I knew exactly how I'd try it first.

It took me all of about thirty seconds. Talk about an easy salad to make on your lunch break at work without worrying about sogginess. Bring your ingredients,and assemble when ready. I chose to go the dirty route, straight up mashing everything together with my hands, but of course, there are more civilized ways if need be. :)

I won't lie; I'm not in love with the stuff. I don't hate it either. I will have to let kale grow on me and keep playing around to see how I like it best. Regardless, I'm thinking if you are already a kale lover, you'll enjoy this!

Quick & Dirty Kale Salad

You Will Need:

1-2 large kale leaves
1/2 avocado
1/2 lemon

Instructions:

Rinse kale leaves and tear into bite size pieces. Add 1/2 avocado and juice of 1/2 lemon. Mash and mix all three ingredients together. EAT!

So hard, right?

Kale lovers, help me out - what is your favorite way to enjoy this stuff?


Thanks to Coastal Charm, Clarks Condensed, Jam Hands, Hun...What's for Dinner?, & This Chick Cooks for featuring this post!

As mentioned previously, I'm totally awkward when it comes to describing myself. I swear I used to be social and fun! Now half the time I just smile because I have no clue what to say..who the heck am I? Here are some questions courtesy of My Beautiful, Crazy Life and lala Lists to offer some insight:




1. Do you celebrate St. Patty's Day? How?
I'm part Irish, so naturally I love St. Patrick's Day! I'm not big on holiday apparel, but I do have a few cute items I've accumulated over the years plus a necklace we found in an estate case some time ago for like 15 bucks. Best believe I'm wearing green! Most often I'm working (or at church like this year; it is a religious day, after all!) ;) so I don't usually get to go out, and honestly, I'm not a big drinker. I just enjoy the day and friends whenever possible.





2. It's March which means spring break! We want to know how your spring break went or if it hasn't happened yet, what will your spring break consist of?
Ha! You're funny. I'm OLD...like 27 and out of college. Even then I was broke and couldn't afford a spring break (seriously, how do you kids afford trips to Cancun!?). I will be working. However, my brother WAS home for his spring break and came up to visit me last weekend (my mommy too!)




3. A Zombie Apocalypse happens and you're stripped of all your luxury items. What beauty product would you miss the most?
First off, I find it interesting that in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, our first concern is our presentability.
My under normal circumstances answer, however, is definitely mascara. One day, I learned my eyelashes were blonde and I thought I looked faceless without it. Still do. All those years in icky glasses must have kept me from dwelling on it sooner! Enjoy these crude bathroom selfies to illustrate my point (Sans other cosmetics or even dry hair. You're welcome):




4. What is the one cause that you feel most passionate about?
Only one?  Yikes. I'm cheating. Missions and Animal Welfare.

Left: a favorite pup from work Right top and bottom: AT Days missions trip (yes, we visit a prison!)

5. What's the #1 most played song on your iPod?
According to iTunes, it's "Sooner or Later" by Michelle Branch.

I have to start this by saying how very blessed I am. I constantly see posts on facebook and various forums from vegetarians and vegans all over who constantly face ignorance and judgement from people who don't understand, like, or support their dietary decision. I have a vegan friend and several members of Sean's family are vegetarian, so not only do I deal with minimal judgement, I am also surrounded by like-minded people which really makes this new journey a lot more pleasant.

People deal with this every day. I am so fortunate to not be one of them.

Although I never feel judged, I do hear one question very often (no, it isn't "how do you get your protein?" Thank God.). It's a legitimate question and I feel it is important to have solid reason if I am to keep myself accountable. The question is simply "why?"  Why am I doing this? Why now? What on earth made me choose this?

Fair enough. I will briefly go over my decision in a short series of posts over the next few weeks. Today is a prequel of sorts. Looking back, I feel this decision has been a long time coming.

I grew up with very simple tastes and in a home with a not-too-adventurous dinner list. Spaghetti was by far the most-served entree. Nobody in the house liked seafood or coffee (and to this day, only my sister likes those!). Ground beef was most often used, and again, we rarely ventured out to try new things. With three kids who were picky in their preferences, I can't say I blame my mom too much for not wanting to bother.

To illustrate how conservative our eating habits were, I dated a guy right out of high school who loved tortellini. Not only had I never tried it, I'd never even heard of it. I'm pretty sure I also thought Filet Mignon was a fish entree and had no idea there were different "levels" of steak, as it were.

Aside from our boring menu habits, I do enjoy vegetables. We were all (and still are) HUGE lovers of broccoli. There was never an issue getting any of us to eat that. It was frozen broccoli, but hey. Also, my dad grew (and still grows) veggies in our backyard: corn, cucumbers, radishes, and tomatoes primarily. Yum. Tomato sandwiches to this day are a favorite of mine, but those tomatoes only come from a garden or farmer's market!

Before I finally made the choice to go vegetarian, I'd noticed something more and more. Whenever I ate out, I would inhale the sides/veggies before I even touched my entree. Often, I would end up too full to eat said entree anyway. I certainly didn't feel like I'd missed out, though I did feel wasteful.


I think this was the reason that in high school, I once said to friends that I could easily survive as a vegetarian.     This was my freshman or sophomore year, so over ten years ago. Everything was in place, but I didn't make the choice.

Check back next week to find out what influenced my decision!

[update: read part two here!]


Thanks to Coastal Charm for sharing my story!

 I'm definitely finding that Karla's Newlywed Game link•up is a favorite of mine. It's fun to ask Sean the questions as well as to blog about something besides food. People are always curious about other people, but I am super awkward when it comes to talking about or describing myself, so these serve as a fun prompt.

Without further adieu...here are the musings of Sean & I this week:


1.  What is your spouse’s favorite room in the house?
Bekah- The living room - he is always playing Gran Turismo on the PS3!
Sean - The dining room cuz you are there all the time with the laptop
(sorry, no pics here....both areas are always victims of our clutter!)

2.  What was the first picture of you both? Where were you/when was it?
Bekah - Shortly after we met, he came to meet my mom who photographed us on the sofa together. I still think it looks awkward.
Sean - I think it was when I went to go meet your mom - in your living room.

Don't zoom on this. It was STILL at my mom's house in a pile of something as it's not in such good shape. But here you go. Our awkward, thinner selves at 19 and 20.

3.  Describe a typical evening at home.
Bekah - See question #1 - we are both tired after work and resort to our preferred media before bed!
Sean - I'm tired from work on the Playstation and you're tired from work on the laptop.

4.  What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you & your spouse in public?
Bekah - I can't recall a time we've been embarrassed together.
Sean - Nothing I can think of.

5.  What do you like best about your spouse’s personality?
Bekah - He is supportive of everything I do and still tries to make things fun.
Sean - You're smart; you're caring.

6.  When it comes to ________ my spouse would win first prize.
Bekah - Censored.
Sean - Censored.
 (He felt that we had too much censorship here, so he added making/finding vegetarian dishes).

Of course this is what we mean when we say "censored!

7.  What is your spouse’s best physical feature?
Bekah - His smile - most guys don't smile often, but he is always generous with his. Also- he's taller than me (at 5'10, this is a must-have)!



Sean - It might be your eyes.



8.  What is your spouse’s most indispensable possession and why?
Bekah - His car - he loves to drive!
Sean - Your skillet. (nice answer! I LOVE my cast iron - it's been featured more than once in this blog:)






9.  Do you think your spouse will be a good Mom/Dad (why or why not)?
Bekah - Absolutely! He is playful still- kids love him! He also was a built in babysitter for his (way) younger siblings, so he has experience.
Sean - I don't think you'd be a good dad. Of course you'd be a good mom cuz you'd be disciplined AND fun.

10.  What is something that your spouse is optimistic AND pessimistic about?
Bekah - His job. He enjoys what he does but he is being seriously overworked.
Sean - Your dishes (cooking) cuz you find them and want to try them then you aren't sure about how they turn out.

I'm really loving that my mags all arrive around the same time. For the second month in a row, I got my Redbook and Good Housekeeping in on the same day. I'm assuming I'll be seeing my Better Homes & Gardens (I know, I'm old!) any day now.

Despite working a bit more than I would like, I got off a little early on Saturday and was able to enjoy flipping through the former two titles. While nothing was as nice of a feel-good read as the ones I pointed out last month, I still found some enjoyable highlights (and some that I straight up just needed to comment on).

Allow me to share:

[the new] Redbook:

Redbook had been mentioning on facebook that "the new Redbook" was  on its way. The masthead has been changed and overall the cover looks...younger. I'm not sure how I feel about that yet.

Before Redbook's last makeover, their tagline was "the married girl's guide to life." Admittedly, I started reading it before the wedding, but we had been together a pretty long time (we had been dating over 5 years when I walked down the aisle). I get that more and more young adults are opting to wed, so fine. But please don't keep going down this road. I stopped reading Cosmo and Glamour because I'm a young adult who is PAST "how to tell if he likes you," or "how to flirt in a bar." Can we keep this for slightly more mature women without getting too frumpy or too immature? This was the first issue, so I guess only time will tell.

Excuse the crappy photo quality - these are all scanned pages as the issues are brand new.

The ponytail project (starting on p. 50): I LOVED this. Regardless of what I do with my hair, it tends to wind up in a ponytail. Not cute by any means, but functional. What I like about this is that it recommends a more chic ponytail option by hair type instead of a one-size-fits-all deal. All the options look polished, and I feel like I could do most of them quickly and easily enough.

UGLY Shoes! It had to be said.

hi/lo Tasseled loafers (p.100): UGH! I know my fashion taste is pretty basic and straight forward, but some trends I just don't get. I was hoping this smoking flat/tasseled loafer trend would go away by now. I love a good pair of flats, but to me, these are hideous and tacky. Adding pretty colors isn't enough to call these a feminine must-have.

Good Housekeeping:

Break These Fashion Rules (starting on p. 80): I see articles like this one every so often. Sometimes I like them, sometimes not. This one was a love/hate.

• Rule 1 says we can now mix navy with black. Back in the day they said the same for brown and black. both are still HUGE no-no's to me. The demo outfits to prove their point really didn't catch my eye.
• Rule 2 was fine - mixing prints has been trendy for awhile, and if you can do it right, by all means, go for it!
• Rule 3 was what really prompted the UGH factor. It encourages larger women to wear fitted vs. loose clothing. Fine. The problem is the model used. In the words of my beloved Love Actually, "who would be calling her chubby?" If she is big, I'm screwed along with many others. I thought magazines were finally starting to move beyond the anorexic model mold and show real women. Redbook really has my blood boiling on this one.

Big!? Are you kidding me?

• Rules 4  and 5.... again, fine. Nothing shocking here. Mix and match your shoes/purse all you want and don't shy away from horizontal stripes.

Ok...so maybe that was more mediocre/hate than love/hate. Whatever.


How to be a Friend to a Friend who's Sick (starting on p. 105): I wish I saw pieces like this one more often. People go through trials in life all the time. I know I'm not the only one who wishes they knew how to adequately comfort someone through such things. What to say, what to do, how to help?? Who knows?

 This was an honest first-person testimony of a breast cancer patient. If you look at it and instantly think "TL;DR," don't worry, there is a nice footer feature on pages 106-107 that give you basic tips!

This was our dinner Saturday night. It isn't balanced. It isn't original or thought-provoking. It is, however, fresh and delicious. Sean and I happily nibbled away while lamenting the fact that there were no new episodes of The Office on Hulu for us to enjoy. So, we enjoyed our potatoes. We are Irish, after all.

Nom Nom Potatoes (told you this isn't original)

You Will Need:

4-5 small-medium potatoes of your preferred variety
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F
Wash potatoes and remove any eyes. Cut into small wedges.


Mix garlic, onion, parsley, and pepper in a separate container.

Place potato wedges in large ziploc bag. Add olive oil and spice mixture. Shake to coat.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until soft. Snack away!



Thanks to Coastal Charm, Jam Hands, Keeping it Simple, Say not Sweet Anne, Jam Hands, and Sumo's Sweet Stuff for featuring this recipe!