by Joey | Oct 2, 2014 | Throwback
>> Limiting dairy. I’m like a broken record, I know. I thought it would be impossible. Cheese! Ice cream! Pizza! How could I cut that out? But you know what? In my regular daily life, the only real dairy I ate consistently was cheese, milk in my cereal, and my french vanilla coffee mate creamer. I quit cereal. I quit adding cheese to my sandwiches. And I switched my coffee mate creamer for non-dairy, lactose and soy free almond milk. I’m not eliminating dairy completely…the fact that I had a mcflurry for dinner the other night proves that point, but just making those changes to my daily life have changed everything for me! My stomach is so much more reliable, less bloated, and much happier!
>> Writing is…hard. Half the battle for me, I know, is showing up daily. But actually pounding out words? Sheesh. Some days it’s like pulling teeth. I know that’s usually how first drafts go, but I miss the fun part. Huh. I didn’t realize how much I prefer rewrites to writing! It’s hard for me to turn the “perfectionist” side of my brain off. The only point of a first draft is to get the words down. Why is that so hard sometimes!!
>> I’ve been staying up entirely too late. I know it’s mostly because I want to see J when he finally gets home, but I think I need to just let that go and go to sleep!
>> Along the same lines, I need to get back into my old schedule. I think another reason I’ve been staying up so late is because I find that I’m still working at 6 or 7 because hey, my husband isn’t here anyway, might as well keep on keeping on. But then I can’t turn my brain off, so I need to unwind with a show or a book. And the next thing I know, it’s after midnight.
>> I was looking through the Harlow & Sage instagram account the other night and sharing different videos/pictures with J. Now he’s convinced himself that we’re getting a puppy. We’re not getting a puppy.
>> October is jam packed for us. September flew right on by, so I just know that in a blink of an eye October will be behind us. How does that even happen?
by Joey | Oct 1, 2014 | Throwback
so…Izzie Stevens from Grey’s used this mug in an early episode and I’ve eyed it at CVS ever since. i finally pulled the trigger a few weeks ago.
CURRENTLY…
READING Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult! I’ve been obsessed with our local library. Please tell me I’m not the only person on the planet who still (excitedly) goes to the library weekly…
EATING Brownies. Or at least until the pan I made for tailgate on Saturday is gone. We’ve also been eating a lot of fruit and eggs (not together…duh). J’s doing well on the whole 30 thing. I’m doing well on the eat anything I want but limiting dairy thing. I can’t even begin to tell you how much better my tummy sits after my morning coffee without dairy creamer. Life changing.
DRINKING Water. Lots and lots of water. And chai tea. Man, I love chai tea.
WATCHING None of the fall premiers. Not even on purpose. I just have such little time for TV right now that I prefer to settle in with Netflix (cough, Drop Dead Diva) for an episode or two when I have time.
LISTENING TO Or rather, obsessed with, the Sara Bareilles Pandora station. I’m an odd duck and actually run to this station. I like songs with lyrics that speak to and inspire me while I’m running. Loving it. Looooooving it!
EXCITED FOR So much! Going to visit the BFF! The next home game! My first 5k! Our 10 year high school reunion!
LOVING Stolen moments with the hubs. Coffee shop writing sessions. The fall weather. (Still loving)Our new couch. Eating real breakfasts.
Happy Hump Day Friends!!
by Joey | Sep 29, 2014 | Throwback
You all know the situation.
Someone catches you off guard and throws something out there
that you just don’t want to do.
But you’re standing there.
And the silence hanging in the air is suffocating you.
You can’t for the life of you
think of an excuse fast enough.
And then, before you can stop yourself, you’re saying yes.
And you hate yourself for it.
Often times, when I offer an excuse (whether valid or not) for something I don’t want to do, I’m met with a rebuttal. And I could only be so strong, and then–even after I’ve said no, I’d find myself reluctantly agreeing.
I had to get to a place where I was comfortable just saying no. Because in all honesty, when I reply with just “no, thanks” or “thanks, but we’re not interested” what else is there to say?
…nothing.
That overwhelming desire we have to make everyone else happy? What is that. Because all too often we sacrifice what we want for the sake of others. And you know what? You don’t always have to do what everyone else wants you to.
This does not give you license to be rude. No. But in my opinion, as long as you aren’t stopping them from doing what they want, why can’t you do what you want?
We get caught up in this fear that we’re going to be perceived as selfish. And you know what? It’s okay to be selfish sometimes. We grew up learning to be nice and to share. But how come there wasn’t ever a lesson on making sure we’re nice to ourselves? How come it was never beaten into our heads that while it’s important to share, it’s equally important to make sure we’re also happy.
When J and I first got married, we found ourselves drowning in expectations. Our holidays were spent running ourselves ragged only to leave us silent on the drive back to where ever we called home at the time because we were spent and unhappy. It’s not that we didn’t want to see family. No. That wasn’t it at all. But we forgot to factor our own happiness into the equation. We forgot to ask ourselves what we wanted.
Most of us are people pleasers. It’s how we were raised. Be polite. Share. Be nice. It’s not all about you.
But sometimes you are enough.
And sometimes what you want is enough.
And sometimes you can just say no without needing a excuse at all.
by Joey | Sep 26, 2014 | Throwback
finger paints: pincurls and pouts pure ice: studette
cat hair and drizzle. sigh.
>> Rocked a topknot (and a filthy mirror) for the first time yesterday and actually kind of loved it!
>> Fall like weather. You can stick around…
>> Drop Dead Diva–don’t you judge me. I ran out of shows to watch on netflix so I gave this a go a few weeks ago. It’s got an awful name, but the show is cute.
>> Clinique Acne Solutions. I can’t wait to show you guys progress pictures. After only one day on the system my skin was already less inflamed and starting to heal. Hallelujah!
>> Home game this Saturday! I’ve been looking forward to it and tailgating with friends all week
>> Lasting less than 7 hours on whole30. Okay, so I knew I wouldn’t actually follow the rules going in, and the whole thing is fascinating to me, but I like bread and dessert and and and. BUT. I am eliminating dairy for the month, and I’ll be eating the meals I prep for J, so that counts for something…right?
>> Not having it all balanced this week. Ugh. At one point I just looked at myself in the mirror and was like…you can’t always do it all. My roles were painfully out of balance this week. I was definitely more “housewife” than “writer.” It’ll balance out some soon, I hope.
TNF; FridayFavorites
by Joey | Sep 25, 2014 | Throwback
>> First of all? You guys are so my people! If I’m being 100% honest, I wrote yesterday’s post back in February but saved it in drafts because I was nervous to post it. So all the love I got yesterday kind of rocked my world!
>> I had a little meltdown on Monday morning because J asked for a towel after his shower. Let me explain. I washed all the towels on Sunday. When I took my shower Sunday night, I realized I’d forgotten to grab one. So there I was, dripping wet, and I had to run through the house to grab a towel. Whatever, it’s what I had to do. But when he called out for one Monday morning, something snapped. All of a sudden it just bummed me out that all those normal things that he and everyone else always have someone else for (you know, like asking them to grab them a towel), I have only myself to rely on most of the time. Football…it kind of sucks sometimes. (This is me being dramatic–please don’t take this too seriously).
>> I met Carson (one of the football wives) for dinner last night and it was just what this gloomy week needed. It was great to hang out and the food was deeeeeelish! We went to a small hole in the wall Mexican restaurant and oh it was so yum! And I might have gone out with a bang with an ACC (Arroz con Camaron – translation: rice, cheese dip and shrimp). Holy yum, y’all. I say I went out with a bang because…
>>We’re going Paleo. I know. I know. I don’t even recognize us anymore. Suddenly we’re the kind of people who work out and eat right? I mean…what? But in all actuality, J is starting the whole30 today. I plan to follow along. I’d like to see if the elimination of dairy would help with my stomach (as well as the added sugars, etc). So here’s to 30 days of no dairy, legumes, added sugars, grains or alcohol. Well, sort of. J’s doing the whole30. I don’t know if I’m eliminating alcohol. I have football games to tailgate for and my 10 year HS reunion. But…you know.
>> Cam has been a special breed of weird lately. This is how he fell asleep Tuesday night. He was sitting up with his head smashed into my hip. Um? He’s a sweet little boy, but man– he is weird.
