Three years

Three  Years. 

August 8 marked my third anniversary with my husband.  It's hard to believe it's been three years already.  I feel like so much has happened since that blessed day.  

We've moved four times (that's a lot!) but each time we learned more about each other.  Learning to live with another person isn't easy, but I like to think we are doing a good job. 

We've learned to communicate with each other.  Communicating is something we will  work on for the rest of our lives.  But after three years, I would say we have made great progress.  Especially Husband. He is SO good at reading me and my tone.  I think he understands me more than I understand myself.  How wonderful and weird is that?  I love it.  He knows exactly what I need when I'm stressed out.  He knows exactly how to suggest improvements for whatever it is I'm doing.  And that is a feat in itself.  

We have taught each other so much.  How to play billiards together.  How to cook together.  How to take road trips together.  How to travel with each other.  How to play tennis together.  How to read each other.  How to provide for each other.  

To celebrate the last three years and toast to the next 30, we headed to Ten. Ten is a sushi restaurant in downtown.  It was swanky, low lit, minimal decorations.  Husband said it felt 'sterile,' which isn't such a bad thing when you're talking about raw fish. 

The food was delicious.  We ordered a sushi bowl, which reminded me of Chipotle...rice on the bottom, avocados and lettuce sprinkled in along with cubed tuna.  It was really, really good.  I would have been happy with just that.  But since we were celebrating we ordered the chef special.  Honestly I was expecting sushi rolls like so many I've had before, but the waiter came back with a plate of sushi lying on top of beds of rice.  

I was skeptical but I wanted to share the experience with my husband.  I put on my big girl pants, mixed a teeny bit of wasabi in with my soy sauce and got ready.  In the end it was all very tasty.  

After dinner we stopped by Dicks to pick some tennis balls - our latest hobby.  Before coming home we swung by Sweet Frog - my favorite frozen yogurt.  I love me some Sweet Frog.  

It was a wonderful day together.  I look forward to many more with him. 

Shopping, for real

I put together a list of items I was crushing on after reading J's Everyday Fashion: How to Set a Clothing Budget. I found her post immensely helpful.  Everything she mentions makes perfect sense and at one point or another I probably thought about all of those things.  But it was something about reading them all in one place, at one time that really helped it sink in for me.  She has an awesome blog and it's quickly become one of my favorites. I highly recommend checking it out. 

After making that list and having an idea of what I wanted to spend, it really helped my focus when walking around the shops.  Here's what I came home with.

From left to right...
Gap red, white & black striped cotton dress ~$30
MINT pants!  $70
Ann Taylor orange pencil skirt $30
Ann Taylor magenta skirt $30
Ann Taylor lace pencil skirt $40
Ann Taylor teal pants $30

The Gap dress was on sale (woot!) but sadly the mint pants were not.  But they were the one item I was willing to pay full price for.  Ann Taylor was having a GREAT sale and I find that Ann's clothes fit me well and I love the quality.  She's just a bit expensive so finding all of these on sale was a definite victory.

I've already worn everything but the orange skirt so I'll post those outfits soon.

I also was able to find a pair of tan, cute, but comfy flats.

 They were a bit expensive but I plan on wearing them very often this fall and winter.  Honestly I don't mind paying a bit more for shoes because I feel like the quality is worth it.  If I had bought a pair of cheap flats they would probably only last a season or two before falling apart and they would more than likely hurt my feet.  I would rather pay a bit more and get better quality that will last me much longer. 

Happy Friday!
Peach

Shopping

It has been a while since I went shopping, but I have been window shopping online (mainly with Pinterest).  I have a couple trends I am loving.

Like pencil skirts.  It is so easy to look pulled together when you're wearing a pencil skirt. With a crisp white button up shirt, or tee with a cardigan, it all looks good. 

Source: theshortandthesweetofit.com via Allison on Pinterest

Turquoise pencil skirt.

Source: citified.blogspot.com via Allison on Pinterest

This is one of my favorite ones. 

Source: johnna-cameron.polyvore.com via Allison on Pinterest

Classic.

Another thing I'm loving is lace.  So pretty and feminine.

Source: escloset.com via Allison on Pinterest

I'm such a sucker for pink.  So of course I love this pink lace skirt.  I would find a way to rock this during the fall too, with some charcoal tights and boots and some sort of sweater or long sleeve tee.

Source: anthropologie.com via Allison on Pinterest

How sweet is this red lace dress?

Source: g-images.amazon.com via Allison on Pinterest

A pretty lace skirt in cream.

I love that bright colors are all over the place.  Bright blouses, skirts, pants!  Love it.  And I adore the colored pant trend.  I have a pair of red pants, which are great, but I also wanted mint pants.

Source: smallshopstudio.com via Allison on Pinterest

I think this is the pin that confirmed that I needed mint pants.

Source: refinedstyle.tumblr.com via Allison on Pinterest

And this one helped me realize that mint pants can transition to Fall - something I was concerned about.  I want to be able to wear most of my clothes year-round.

Source: stylecaster.com via Allison on Pinterest

The mint pants make this outfit (as does that Tory Burch bag).  This lovely lady could be wearing jeans and it could be a ho-hum outfit, but those light mint pants just turn it up a notch.

Some other things on my list...
 -Flats - for those busy days at work when I'm running from meeting to meeting.
-Easy dresses - for those early mornings I need to be at work.
-Cute tops - I'm always on the hunt.

I wonder what everyone else is loving these days...anything I'm missing? 

A couple reasons why

Did you know you do not need to dial the area code of a phone number in Charlottesville?!  I LOVE that!  I think the last time I dialed 7 numbers instead of 10 was when I was in sixth grade.  

AND!  In Charlottesville you can get your oil changed and be back home in 30 minutes.  The last time I had my oil changed was in NoVA and I had to make an appointment. 

AND, I started a bucket list for Charlottesville.  Two actually, one for things to do and another for places to eat.  I feel like everywhere I turn, people are making bucket lists.  It's a great idea so I'm jumping on the band wagon.  I'll share as soon as I have more than three things on each list.  :) 

 iPhone pic from our visit to Veritas winery. 

Hope you all are having a good start to the week. 

I did it

Saturday morning I forced myself out of bed before 7am.  Half asleep I threw on running clothes and woke slumbering Husband.  Eventually we got ourselves to the car and headed to a new part of town.  It was a gray morning...



We pulled in and I saw crowds of people with numbers pinned to their shirts.  They were all moving towards the starting line.  Navigating the car through the grass 'parking lot' we parked and checked in.  This little tennis swim club was hosting a 5k to benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.  I like my races with good causes.



The race started, in a bit of an anti-climatic fashion.  I ran.  Most everyone burst forward with more energy that I could muster at 7:30am.  I seriously considered keeping pace with an older couple because they definitely looked like seasoned runners.  With their hats on, sure footing and running posture, you could tell they have been doing this for years - decades even.  Eventually they passed me sometime between mile 1 and 2.  I knew I should have kept up with their pace.



Luckily it was a cool morning.  A very nice change to the 90-100 temperature weather we had been experiencing.  Then came the light mist - this was nice and refreshing.  Yeah, running a race, decent temperatures and now a light mist to keep me cool.  This is not so bad.  About 10 minutes later that nice-light-mist turned into I-will-drench-you-rain.  Awesome.  I really should invest in a hat.



About 22 minutes in, I was desperately searching for that 3 mile marker.  Silly me, when I finally saw that glorious "3" my legs took off.  Now I was searching for the finish line.  I turned a corner hoping to see that blessed line...nope.  Turned another corner, crossed a bridge, and turned another corner.  I was ruing myself for sprinting at the 3 mile marker.



Finally I turned the last corner and saw the cheering fans and race volunteers.  Sprinting that last mile was not my plan and all I wanted was to cross that finish line.  "...the clock is the finish line!  Finish strong #11!!"  I think I scowled at that poor man.  But I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me.  I looked over and saw my encouraging husband and crossed that line.



I was panting like a husky that just finished carrying a small family across Alaska.



After cooling down, we headed home.  Stopping by Whole Foods to pick up bagels.  Because bagels and coffee were promised to my husband if he came and supported me.  He was a good sport.



I did the race in 33 min and 29 sec.  I'm happy with it.  I did it.  I'll do it again and I'll be better...and I'll have a hat. 

Home sweet home

I think moving is a serious life event.  You pack up all your things, and put down roots in a brand new town.  It's a new place, with new roads, new stores, new people.  It takes time and adjustments.  It's been about 4 months and I think it's time to show some details about this wonderful home I am blessed to live in with my sweet husband.

The Facts:

• We are in a great neighborhood with friendly neighbors...some older, some younger.  
• Our location is damn near perfect.  We're in the middle of town and about 5-15 min away from everything.  
• 3 levels
• 3 bedrooms
• 2 full baths
• a kitchen, with a gas stove 
• a dining room
• backyard deck
• 2 living rooms
• mud room
• storage
• I don't think we could have asked for much more

    When you walk in the front door, on the right is the living room.  I feel fancy because the room has crown molding.

Straight ahead are stairs leading to upstairs.

To the left is the master bedroom.  Yes, it is on the main level and I kinda like it.  The door on the right is the walk in closet (woot!) and my sweet husband is standing in the bathroom.

And then if you mentally walk back to the living room, on the left it opens up to a dining area.  And that sliding door opens up to the deck to the back yard. 

To the left of the dining area is the kitchen! 

With a gas stove!!!  No lie, gas stove and dishwashers were very high on the must-have list.  That little door next to the stove is the pantry and there's a door to the left of that, that leads us downstairs to the basement. 

creepy downstairs pic.  

But when you get to that landing at the bottom, on the left is a second living room with ceiling fan.  I LOVE ceiling fans.

Then on the right there's a muddish-type room with linoleum floors and side door (the one on the left) to the yard. The door on the right leads to the storage room where the washer and dryer is located.

Lets go back upstairs and head up to the third level. 

Up the stairs and straight ahead is the second full bathroom - standard stuff people: sink, potty, and bathtub/shower. 

The room to the left of the bathroom is what will soon become/is now my office!

 

It's tough to tell but this is a good sized room.  There's three windows, even though only two are in the pic.  And there's a good sized closet on the same wall as where the door is.  

Then across the hall is another bedroom.  Both bedrooms have great light and ceiling fans (woot!). 

This bedroom has a funny little room attached to it...

You see that door on the right...it opens up to a small room.  I'm guessing it would be for a baby's room or a child's play room...but right now babies are not in our future.  So I think this would be a good relax space.  

I think that's boring enough for now, but filled with pictures!  I promise to eventually post pictures that show how we're actually living in this wonderful little home.  We truly are so blessed to have found this place.  

Hope everyone is well. 

Love & Hugs.

I recognized those headlights

After spending 8 hours traveling from Georgia to North Carolina back into Virginia, being tired was an understatement.  I had just spent the last three days standing on my feet, smiling and talking, and "selling" my customer to the other conference attendees.  It was a good trip, but I like being at home so much better.

I picked up my brown and pink polka dotted carry on bag and headed out of my smaller town airport.  As I waited, I finally checked my email and passed the time until I recognized those headlights.  Higher up than most cars and close set, they were a warming and comforting sight.  The lifted Jeep with noisy tires pulled to the curb.  I could feel my face grow with a big smile.

He put the beast in park, hopped out, and held out a jacket for me.  My heart melted as I jumped in the topless Jeep and he drove us back to our little home.  With my hair blowing in the breeze I wasn't cold at all.

I love that man with his big boy toys.  He's a good man.  He even rubbed my feet when we got home.  I love being home.