Baby's Got Back!

It's Monday! And after looking at a calendar this morning I realized that we are wildly close to the start of summer! Beaches, pools and bathing suits! It's time to kick our fitness schedules into gear and really kick butt these next few weeks.

Now I am a huge proponent of the saying "If you have a bathing suit and you have a body then you have a bathing suit body." But at the same time I struggle with self-confidence like everyone else out there. In the last few years I've found that getting to a place where you're working out and seeing results really helps clear some of that self-doubt fog that slips into our minds, especially when that new VS bikini is staring you down. I don't even think it's about getting a six pack (although I wouldn't turn away some nice ab definition) or about having the perfect booty, but rather just knowing that you're taking care of your body. It's like the difference between waking up feeling groggy and gross from over eating and drinking the night before and the accomplished happy feeling you get after a long run or a hard circuit!

Basically, I just feel better and I'm in a better mood when I'm exercising. Knowing I want to sit by the pool in a public place in a few weeks and soak up the sun proudly without hiding under a beach towel is just my little motivation to really eat clean and hit the gym a little harder.

So now for some booty work!

Love you lots,

Burning Calories with Chobani

Earlier this week I got an email from Chobani about a new campaign were they encourage us all to  "'crunch the numbers' by dedicating themselves to living life a little lighter. Whether it’s 100 more stairs a day or 100 less calories." Since I love being fit and active and there were four cups of Chobani yogurt in my fridge I was thrilled to participate and share a few of my favorite ways to burn some extra calories and live a healthier life! 

Of course, the best way to burn calories and work up a sweat is to hit the gym. I workout with a trainer (Matt and Tessa) twice a week and do my best to squeeze in a spin class on Monday nights. Then I have a few go-to home workouts that I love to do in my house/garage in the evenings! I love doing Mondays with Matt workouts (This is my current fav!) and Blogilates, too! But sweating it out in the gym or in your house is not the only way to burn a few extra calories in the day! 

Get outside!! I love going on a hike! There's a great trail close to my house that I, admittedly, don't utilize enough, but when I do I feel amazing. There's the benefit of getting some fresh air, soaking up some sun and vitamin D, plus if you're going up hill you're definitely going to get an awesome workout! I love adding in a few lunges as I go uphill. It adds some extra lower body work to your cardio activity! Just make sure you have a snack with you and some water! Once you get to the end of the trail or the top of the hill a refreshing sip of water is a must.

Hit the mall and do some shopping! Walking the mall and carrying all those shopping bags definitely burns some calories. Apparently 100 calories in 38 minutes! And I'm pretty sure my shopping excursions last longer than that! So grab some of your girlfriends and your trusty credit card and go get healthy and buy some new clothes. Plus, you can shop for some cute new workout clothes to really stick to your healthy lifestyle! Now, when someone gives you grief for shopping you have a pretty good excuse! Just a tip for getting really fit: Shoes weigh more than frilly tops, so adding a few new pairs of to your closet is a perfect way to get toned arms (see another great excuse)!

Bake a treat and give it to a friend! Baking might seem counterproductive when you're trying to be healthy, but trust me it's a pretty great calorie burner. I love baking and while I do have a sweet tooth, I've found that if I bake with the intention of giving the final product away I get to enjoy a favorite hobby of mine AND I'm not tempted to snack on it! Moving around the kitchen (and cleaning up the mess afterwards) can keep you on your feet for a couple of hours. I keep all the flour and pans in low shelves, so while I'm baking I also work in a few squats! Not only are you burning your extra 100, but you're going to put a smile on someone's face when you deliver those homemade treats! Then invite them on a hike so you can spread your healthy lifestyle around. 

What are you're favorite secret ways to burn a few calories?

Love you lots,

Thanks Chobani for including me in your campaign!

Friday Fitness Fashion!

Calia Pink Wrap Sweater || Zella Print Crops || Cynthia Rowley Bag || Adidas Shoes ||

Alo White Tank || Free People Crops || Swell Water Bottle || New Balance Shoes ||

Nike White Tank || Teal FitBit || Nike Shoes || Nike Running Shorts || North Face Bag ||

I haven't done any athletic wear shopping in a long time. I've been spending my money on clothes that I can wear during the day, but I've been thinking it's time to add a few new pieces as the temperatures start to rise and my workouts head back outside. I'm loving all of these pale pinks and my all-time favorite turquoise!

In the next few weeks I want to start running again. I miss running and my knee is feeling good again so I can't wait to hit the pavement! As I get back into a running routine I want a few new things to round out my athletic gear, especially some new tanks! I love the ones with built in sports bras in contrasting colors. The first ones I saw were at LuluLemon, and now Nike has caught on to the trend. I also can't get over how cute these white shorts with the turquoise compressions underneath are!

I think it's cool how athletic wear designers are playing with shapes, details and cutouts. These Alo and Freepeople pieces both have cutouts that add such a cute touch to your exercise outfit! Carrie Underwood does a lot of the same details in her Calia line and I've been lusting after her pale pink wrap sweater for a few months. The pink is super cute and it's a great piece to throw on after a workout to keep your muscles warm. Or, you know, to wear to brunch...

So I guess it's time to hit the pavement, the gym, and maybe even a spin class this week!

Love you lots,

March Favorites!

Essie 'Cabana Boy' (Gel Setter) || Neutrogena Color Sticks ||

Covergirl Oh Sugar! || Revlon Colorburst || TreSemme Heat Protector ||

DV booties || Geranium Studs || Mama Chia || Grace & Style ||

March was a pretty great month! I hope you all enjoyed Easter and the start of spring! I made sure that all of these favorites were springy and could be worn/used/enjoyed the rest of the summer, so I hope there's something here that you love, too!

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed each of these products. I am currently carrying all of the lip colors in my purse because I don't want to be without the perfect shade. Excessive? Maybe, but it's better than being caught without my fav colors!

 What were your March favorites?

Don't forget to spread some sunlight this month!

Love you lots,

Napa Date Night!

Stitch Fix Top (Similar here, here, here & I love this white one!) || Levi Jeans ||

Charles David Java Sandal (Love these, too!) || Old Navy White Jacket ||

DIY'ed earring (inspired by these!) || Similar Bag || MK Watch ||

Living in the Napa Valley the only thing to do is drink wine and go out to eat at restaurants. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I just have to exercise a lot more than before ;) So last night we decided to go grab dinner at one of my fav places: Harvest Table. They make great drinks (try the smoke eater!) and the grilled octopus is really yummy! So if you're in the area definitely give it a try! 

I wanted so badly to wear a dress yesterday because it's finally warm enough, but a spider kind of attacked my leg and until the bites (yes, plural!) heal I think I'm stuck in pants for a few more days. So bare with me while that gets better and then there will be no stopping all the summer looks I've been saving!

These shoes are about a year and a half old and they've been a favorite since I got them new in the mail. Jeffery Campbell and Vince Camuto both have a ton of laser cut sandals out right now and I just love the extra details on them! I paired them with my new fav nail polish, Cabana Boy! I also wore these shoes in this post last week. They're super versatile!

When it comes to date nights, I always take a sweater or a jacket because I am always cold when the sun goes down. Plus, restaurants always have the air turned up full blast. Denim jackets have come in and out of style, but I always keep and white one and classic denim one in my closet. I love adding the crisp white during summer and you can't beat a classic, semi-distressed jean jacket! I'm waiting for the Madewell in San Francisco to get my size back in stock and then I'm going to grab this one and get it personalized (note: they run small)! It's going to be a great travel piece this summer!

Love you lots,

Are you INTHEFAM?

Palm Top || White Top || Embroidered Top || Striped Crop ||

Fringe Earrings || Geometric Bikini Top & Bottoms || Shorts ||

Palm Bikini Top & Bottoms || Fringed Cover Up || Embroidered Dress |||

Tan Bag || Embellished Sandals || Tortoiseshell sunglasses || 

Copper Candle || Flamingo Candle || Wedges || Flamingo Glasses & Pitcher ||

Espadrilles || Pineapple Candle || Absolutely Beautiful Things || 

Love Style Life || Pineapple Mug || Floral Tumbler ||

So if you've been under a rock for the past two days or you just don't follow a ton of fashion bloggers, you might not know that SHOPBOP IS HAVING A SALE! The Friends and Family Sale started today and runs until April 7th.

Basically, all of your summer essentials are 25% off when you use the discount code. I'm definitely going to add a few things to my closet. It's not often that you can get a quarter off of your favorite designer/higher-priced pieces! So if you have any vacations coming up take this chance to grab everything you need! I don't usually get excited for anything 40% or more off, but most of these brands and pieces don't really go on sale. So treat yourself! 

What are some of your must-have sale picks? I'd love to see what you add to your shopping bag!

Love you lots,

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

*Psst* Click the picture to find a copy

An epic romance. A historical fiction. The first in a trilogy! The Bronze Horseman had a lot of hype when I decided to pick it up. It's not a quick read by any means, sitting at a little over 700 pages I definitely had to be in the mood to pick this book up. It was next on my shelf and I was tired of not knowing what all the fuss was about, so at the beginning of March I grabbed it off the shelf and dived in. Let's just start by saying I wasn't disappointed.

I'm a history nut. I have a history minor and in order to get that minor I took two Russian history courses in college. My favorite being about 20th Century Russia. When I bought this book I was expecting it to take place during the 19th century or during one of the many revolutions in Russia, but to my pleasant surprise it takes place during WWII and shows some pretty in-depth research on the Siege of Leningrad. Having already learned about the siege, the living conditions of the Russian people and the state of the Soviet Union during WWII, I loved getting another (although fictionalized) perspective. And it's instantly clear how well-researched this book was. 

The story follows a young girl named Tatiana and her struggles during the siege. And within the first few pages Russia declares war on Germany and her life is turned upside down. Within another few pages the male lead, Alexander, enters the picture. This book wastes no time.

I think Paullina Simons did an amazing job at capturing the desperation of the city. I also think she did an amazing job at capturing Tatiana's naïveté throughout the whole book. There is no doubt that she's an amazing writer and why her trilogy has gained so much traction. And while I might be reading into it a bit, it felt like the romance paralleled the siege and the war. Their introduction happens when the war begins, their feelings get stronger as the war builds, and as the blockade continues and seems like it will never end the relationship seems as hopeless as their living situation. The parallels continue, but I don't want to spoil any plot points. I just thought it was a cool storytelling tool (which might not have been on purpose).

My only complaint of this whole story actually lies in the relationship itself. I know, it's an epic romance, but it kind of weirded me out a bit. I think partly Simons was trying to stay factual and in-period, but the overbearing, over-protective male character kind of got to me. More than that Tatiana is built up to be a strong, courageous and resilient character, but kind of let's Alexander walk all over her. I don't know how to say a lot of this without spoilers (Comment below if you want to discuss more). However, I will say that what was probably supposed to be the most romantic part of the book was my least favorite. There were quite a few cute parts and "awww" moments, but the "conflict resolution method" made me a little upset. Basically, I just wish Tatiana would have remained a stronger female character throughout, without so much pandering to Alexander's needs and temper.

It's a great story, especially if you're interested in WWII. We don't learn a lot about what Russia went through in most of our history classes even though we were allies, so I liked continuing that part of my education. I've already ordered the second book, Tatiana and Alexander, and plan to finish the whole trilogy! This one ends on a cliff hanger with a lot of unanswered questions so I can't wait to see where the story leads. Just don't read the descriptions on Amazon because it kind of gives away the mystery...

Any other recommendations? I really want to read City of Thieves by David Benioff, The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean (also about the Leningrad Blockade) and Ruska by Edward Rutherfurd.

Love you lots,