I’m also going to take a spin class and do my C25K run.

I’m planning to be aggressive on Sunday.

On Monday, I’m planning to be a gluttonous slacker.

Speaking of slackers, no one comments on my blog anymore.

Is it because I’m not saying anything interesting?

Do you not like posts entitled “Banana  Hammock?”

Did that make you think of a fat old man in bikini trunks on a public beach?

I need to go to the beach.

My legs are SO WHITE it’s offensive.

Even I can’t stand to see myself in a skirt or shorts.

But Banana Republic tells me I need I want to get some new shorts that fit.

It’s not even June, yet, and it feels like the summer is almost over.

Is that weird?

Maybe I should stop looking at my calendar.

I have two calendars on my desk and yet, only use the one in Outlook.

Hey, it’s Friday…and a long weekend.

This satisfies me.

My living room was very traditional, but lately, I’ve decided to go in a more transitional direction; the canvas of italian vines, as I previously thought I wanted wasn’t really going to work now. And because this whole update was focused on bringing brightness, color, and light to the room, I was stumped.

But I knew the red couches couldn’t define the space anymore.

Since making the decision to update my living room, I’ve found some great pillows and tchotchkes and I FINALLY found an art piece that I love (from Z Gallerie!) and believe will work.

She’s called The Bather and she’s a gigantic canvas (almost 5 feet tall!).

I can’t wait for her to arrive and try her out in my space!

The day I got my keys, I had purchased one thing…a mattress. Everything else for my home was purchased spontaneously and quickly. I’m an impulse buyer and always have been…and usually, my gut doesn’t lead me astray!

I can remember walking through Target on one of MANY trips during those early days – my mission was to get dishes, utensils, and glasses. I found everything I needed at a decent price, but when I was rung up for the set of dishes, I was flabbergasted to know that the entire service for 8 was on clearance and cost ELEVEN DOLLARS.

And to this day, those eleven dollar plates, bowls, mugs, and salad dishes, are alive and kicking. Only one has a chip and none have been broken.

Of course, had I purchased a pricier set, you know they would have died long ago.

Oh, the irony.

In other news, I just signed up for Instagram…finally. I’m so on trend.

My cousin is one of them.

Growing up together, I always knew that I liked her. We danced together, played after school together, and watched the movie Nadia like 17 million times.

After college had passed and she married a man every bit as cool as she is, they started throwing BBQs and birthday parties. After a while, I noticed the group starting to get larger and more unique. That’s when I realized they were people magnets…very few were insusceptible to their charm.

The parties got much larger and kids entered the picture. This tribe of people has grown up together and are raising children of all ages, and though their lives may be very different, there is still great love, affection, and respect to be found.

A couple of years ago, they moved into a slightly smaller home, but the gatherings have not changed one iota – which has really given me a great deal to think about.

—

I’m a lover of people; always have been. I count myself blessed by the friendships I have made throughout the years. And I love a good party, too.

Every year, on December 23, I hold a Christmas Eve Eve celebration, but that’s really the only time throughout the year that I’ll invite large groups over…and it makes me sad. My mother instilled in me the great love of party planning, hostessing, and sharing gifts of hospitality at an early age. But I’ve always felt like my little house wasn’t big enough to entertain (someone needs to read their own blog posts, eh?!).

And due to the size of my house and my fear of hosting parties where guests might be uncomfortable, I really haven’t blended my group of friends all that much. I’ve got church friends/wine club friends/political friends/work friends (you get the picture), who have rarely met and only sort of know who I’m talking about when telling a story.

And I realized this weekend while at my cousin’s home, that she probably doesn’t have that problem.

—

Though I’m two years older than my cousin, I’m going to try to be more like her as I keep growing up! I’m not going to wait until I have the bigger house to start enjoying my friends and entertaining the way I’ve always dreamed of doing.

Let this be the year where I truly believe my condo is my castle.

]]> http://www.theblahblahblahger.com/2012/05/people-magnets-large-houses/feed/ 2 http://www.theblahblahblahger.com/2012/05/banana-hammock/ http://www.theblahblahblahger.com/2012/05/banana-hammock/#comments Fri, 18 May 2012 10:00:21 +0000 JJ http://www.theblahblahblahger.com/?p=1847 I love bananas, but they seem to go bad and turn brown really quickly in my kitchen…even if I buy them green and pre-ripened. However, at work, they are always fresh and pretty throughout the week.

I have a stupid theory.

If I had one of these, my banana quandary would be solved.

Agree? Disagree? Thoughts? Am I total tool for blogging about this?

AND YOUR MIND IS BLOWN AND SUDDENLY YOU FEEL CRAZY OLD.

But here’s the deal…35 is not old. I’m still young…at least I feel that way most of the time!

Biologically, I’m still fertile (please Jesus, at least for a few more years!) and I have no major physical maladies. Sure, I’ve got loads of grey hair and bags under my eyes, but most of the time, I forget that I’m not a gal in her 20s.

Just as it’s hard to notice how much time has passed here in CA, due to the lack of seasons and the ever-constant weather, I think I’ve missed the passing of time, due in large part to the lack of changing seasons in my own life (i.e. marriage, children).

I’ve spent enough of my life lamenting about my single and childless status, but in this case, I think it has kept me young.

Does that sound crazy?

PS – if you look at me and see a wrinkled old hag, please do not ask me to remove the rose-colored glasses. ; )

While they were running late, I had my sister snap a few shots of my outfit. As you know, I’ve been struggling with my wardrobe lately. My first instinct is always to grab dark colors and/or denim…and accessories aren’t even a part of my wardrobe vocabulary. But on Sunday, I really feel like I pushed myself and did alright!

I’ve had this tank for a while now and it’s a favorite. I love jewel tones and green really just pops – my great big secret is that I bought it in the Nordstrom Brass Plumb department and it was super cheap. DOUBLE SCORE. I have no idea where I got the cable knit circle scarf, but it just seemed to be the perfect addition. The white skinnies are from Banana Republic and I love the way they fit!
The tank is a favorite because of the racer back. I feel cool and hip in it! (Photo tip: if your photographer is taller than you, have them squat down and take the photo from hip level…otherwise, your legs will look squatty like mine do below!)
Mom and Dad finally arrived. Not a bad way to travel!!!

It was a hot day in wine country, but my light outfit felt cool! My mom is wearing heels, while I’m in flats. Usually, I tower above her. : )

I randomly blended the accessories together. I see this done all the time and think it looks cool, but didn’t know if I could pull it off. No one said I looked weird that day, so I’ll take that as a positive! The wrap around bracelet is from Stella & Dot, the spike bracelet is from Noir Jewelry. Earrings were from Silpada; sunnies are Dior.

Clearly, I’m on a wardrobe journey, and that involves shoes, too. I’ve never been much of a purses and shoes gal. But I was determined last season to find cute flats that weren’t flips. I love these Steve Madden’s. I just saw them at Marsall’s! (PS – pardon the foot shot…at least I had a pedi!)

No matter how good you think you look or how much you like your outfit, your little sister still might get up close and say, “DUDE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF GRAY HAIR.” Should that happen to you, your only option is to have another glass of sparkling wine.

Linking up with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday! Hi all!

I’m sure you’re no different…when a friend comes to town, you consider your favorite things to do. Finding a way to entertain and show off your hometown should be an easy choice, but all too often, we overthink it.

I knew we’d have time for lunch, so I knew I had to take her to Crystal Cove and The Beachcomber for lunch.

Going to Crystal Cove is like going back in time. Think of Beach Blanket Bingo or the original Gidget and you can almost place yourself there. Now a California State Beach, the cottages are available for rent (but get online at midnight two years before you’d like to go, otherwise you’re chances are better seeking cancellations). It’s hidden away and has no car traffic, but the one restaurant is open to the public and thriving – it also is known for CRAZY long waits.

Kate and I had a wonderful time there catching up after an hour or so window shopping in Newport Coast. It’s my favorite spot in the OC and I’m so glad I had the chance to take her there. And if YOU come to the OC, I’d be happy to take you there, too.

It's risky handing your camera off to total strangers...never know what they're going to snap!

There are 13 cottages available for rent, and 17 in a restoration program.

It was a GORGEOUS day at the beach. The ocean was captivating!

I seriously need to get on the waiting list...I'd have no problem commuting to work from here!

Do you have a go to spot in your hometown that you like to take visitors to?

It’s so awesome that I can spend whatever I want, go wherever I want, and live in absolutely squalor without having to check in with anyone! I can eat ice cream for three meals a day, watch terrible chick flicks, and drink rosé* straight out of the bottle. I can decorate my house in pink frilly froufrou decor and have dance parties to the 80s station without judgement! Life is AWESOME!

And sometimes it’s all:

Just an FYI.

*For illustrative purposes only. I wouldn’t be caught dead drinking rosé straight out of the bottle…now chardonnay, that is a totally plausible scenario.

When I began reading blogs, I was drawn to people who were just like me. I loved reading all about home projects and renovations. I was working on my house diligently and I loved seeing the guts of other people’s projects, too. I was also learning to cook and finding new step-by-step recipes was very helpful. But then my house was finished and I had built a solid degree of confidence in the kitchen.

I found myself stumbling upon bloggers I had never heard of before…not because they weren’t popular (in some cases, they were exceedingly so), but because they were focused on life stages that I was not presently in. In other cases, it was because of the gabillions of blogs on the interwebs, I had only come across a minuscule handful of them. And I’m so glad I broadened my horizons because I have read things that have made me laugh and cry and have flat out blown me away.

Here’s a few blogs that are inspiring me lately!

Emily, The Pilot’s Wife, challenged herself to learn to fly and she just nailed her first solo flight yesterday! She posts videos from inside the plane and even when her landings aren’t perfect, she keeps practicing and going back for more. PERSISTENCE

Arianne (To Think Is To Create) recently moved across the country, and between organizing her new home, raising her children, settling into a new town and way of life for her family, she’s helped launch and runs Simple Design (one of the Simple Living Media sites). Oh ya, and she’s blogging consistently! TENACITY

Megan from Sorta Crunchy, wrote and released a book on parenting. She received advice from all over, read countless books, and still felt the calling of her heart to do things a little differently – so she did, and birthed a manual for Spirit Led Parenting. VISION

Leigh (HopefulLeigh) left a job she knew and excelled at to move states away from her comfort zone because she had a novel her soul was waiting to write. She’s finished the novel and is in the process of finding a publisher. FEARLESSNESS

Which blogs do you find inspiring? What draws you back time after time? Do you prefer niche blogs, humor, lifestyle, or good old fashioned writing???

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