I've been less into dresses and more into shorts this summer and conveniently shorts are going on sale this time of year, and there are plenty of ways to wear shorts through October (at least here in DC where I stay sweating through October).

Here are some looks I like that can work outside of just summer:

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I bought these black & white Aztec shorts at a thrift store for $8, but they are at Forever21 for $19. I love them because they are made from quality material (F21 steppin up!), lined, and not booty shorts at all.

F21 also has these blue and white geo pattern shorts for $17 and these striped denim shorts for $9.

Also love these $15 boho embroidered shorts from Nordstrom Rack (they remind me of the last image!), and these fun bright shorts from Old Navy. 

Asos curve has some bomb plus size shorts.


Question: would you ever wear shorts to work?


Pattern Shorts Under $20

Thursday, August 27, 2015




I'm wiping my eyes as I write this post because I just finished watching Dogs on the Inside on Netflix and it gave me a REAL GOOD CRY. A good happy cry. A good, happy, very very ugly cry. Everyone needs those once in awhile right?

This recipe was an experiment gone good (I've had a few gone bad recently so it was quite a relief when this went right). And it was easy! Here it is:

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients
  • 2 lbs chicken (I got the organic at Wal-Mart for $8)
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp basil
  • ½ cup frozen (or fresh) raspberries
  • ¼ cup water

For the marinade, I used this recipe.


Before I left for work I put the chicken in a ziploc freezer bag and scooped about 1/2 cup of the raspberry vinaigrette in and let it marinate in the fridge for the day.

That night we grilled the chicken. We ate it with salad topped with the leftover raspberry vinaigrette and it was delissshhh. If you don't have a grill (  ):  )  you can put it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. 

(PS note my bootie coffee mug photo bombing the chicken and salad pic)

Paleo Raspberry Chicken (I know it sounds weird but it just works)

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Eating:


Breakfast salads for approximately 2 meals per day. 2 eggs over easy or soft boiled + diced tomatoes + spinach + salsa verde + sriracha. Yes. OMG yes.

Watching:


Do you ever put something on like "oh this will be boring enough to just have on in the background and I won't pay any attention" then 2 hours later you are on the edge of your seat over gamers in South Korea who accidentally killed their baby because they confused reality and video game world? Just me? This "background" documentary was called Love Child on HBO. WTF. Don't watch it before bed because this thing takes you inside the video game and you'll be having nightmares about running through a rainbow tunnel from a winged Arnold-Schwarzzanegger-esque monster.

Reading

Just finished In the Woods - murder mystery in Ireland. It was ok...I didn't love Lovely Bones either, and I think this is a book for that crowd. I've been on a North Korea kick - the more I read about it the more I'm like WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON EVERYWHERE. I started with Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea - memoirs of North Korean defectors and am now on The Orphan Master's Son. F*cking fascinating.

Looking forward to:


Government is out which means DC shuts down for the summer which means I get 4 day work weeks in August. Yes. Yes yes yes yes yessssss. It's crazy how one less day of work each week actually makes me more productive.

Dreading

Doing the dishes. I spent years in apartments and houses with no dishwashers. Now I have a dishwasher. Now I want more. Someone to come to my house and do my dishes for me perhaps? A live-in staff? LOLLLLLLLOLOL.

Exercising with:


"To thank everyone for getting us to two million followers, we're going to kick your a$s!" Thanks Fitness Blender! But for real, this 1,000 Calorie Workout is a good one. 

Confused by:

Kylie Jenner. Is she ok? Why has she been allowed to date this grown man? And did the Kardashians really have an intervention with her re: plastic surgery and if so wouldn't it have been a little easier to just not sign off on a child getting plastic surgery? AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE? And wtf happened to Rob? is he alive?? 

Wanting:


How beautiful is this dress. And how far out of my price range is it...womp womp,

Feeling

 Reflective. I hit my 2 year anniversary at work this summer and am so thankful for the work-life balance I have been able to achieve with this job while still making a difference. Also going to friends' weddings has me reflecting on my own relationship. A lot to be thankful for over here!

Planning

Upcoming travel - Richmond this weekend to get my sister-in-law moved into college (tear!!), Richmond the next weekend for a one year old birthday party, Labor Day wedding in Charleston, Boston wedding the next weekend, cabin weekend in Luray, VA with friends, and a winery wedding. Thank you, Rover for always keeping me stocked with awesome, affordable dog sitters.

Wearing



Just got this  Club L Cap Sleeve Body-Conscious Dress in Watercolour Floral Print for $17 from Asos and loooove it. Asos you KILL ME and I LOVE YOU. Head's up: it runs real small. Also about to buy all these on ASOS 60% off work clothes sale (PS am I boring for only wearing black to work?):

Wanting to

Catch up on blog reading! I have missed being in the know about what everyone in the blog world is up to!

Limiting

Social Media. I have wasted so much time scrolling through my Facebook feed to see what people I haven't spoken to in years are doing. Limiting Instagram to once/day and FB to once/week (eeeek).



Currently

Thursday, August 13, 2015

I hit a point a few months ago where I was so freeeakkinggg tired of rotating through the same workouts. It was like, if I have to jump around with Millionaire Hoy or listen to Daniel and Kelly's voices I just ... I just can't. I realized the only way I can stay motivated is if I make sure I'm switching up the workouts A LOT. Variety is the spice of life, amiright? Here's what I'm diggin lately on top of running (with some new friends!):



  This killer weights workout is nuts. The kind of nuts that I think could get me very toned very fast. I mean just look at this lady.




I'm getting back into running again and this yoga flow is the perfect post-run activity. Can we just talk about how much yoga has changed the way I feel running? So much less sore and less joint pain. My grandma claims yoga is the reason she has made it to 93 "It's the cure-all for everything" and I'm starting to believe her.




Who doesn't love a little barre with peppy Jessica and that Peanut dog of her's?? This is my fav.




Ahh yes HIIT with weights. Let's all die a little. Right around minute 10 I began audibly suffocating. Around minute 17 my thighs gave out. Killer.

How do you keep from getting bored working out? Any videos you recommend?

Youtube Workouts I'm Diggin Lately

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Since the government goes on vacation in August I get August Fridays off, and somehow Monday still comes too fast. So fast. Maybe I'm more meant for a Tuesday - Thursday kind of lifestyle? Wouldn't that be nice. Anyway we had a wedding in town this weekend and it was nice to have all of Sunday to recover meal prep, clean, watch the Wet Hot American Summer TV SHOW (!!!!) and get life together a bit. This is my meal plan for the week:




And here it is all prepped up:


So I'm a goals person. Every summer I set some basic goals and this summer goal #1 was Master Grilling Ribs. I love ribs and am picky about them to the point that I only order them at restaurants if they are recommended by someone I know and trust because I am not about waste money on some chewy meat that does not fall right off that bone. *steps off soapbox*. Welp I can check #1 off the list and here's how it worked (2 disclaimers: I had nothing to do with the completion of this. It was all Harrison. 2, the ribs are not paleo. I cannot give up Sweet Baby Ray's. I just can't, it's not an option. Same goes for the bbq seasonings I use):


Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 3 hours
Servings: 3-4
 Ingredients: 
  • 1 rack pork baby back ribs (I got mine at Trader Joe's for $12)
  • 3 Tablespoons dry rub (we used this, paleo option here)
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce (As noted above I use Sweet Baby Ray's. Paleo option here)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Trim the membrane off the ribs. Cut up the ribs into individual pieces and cover with the rub. Place the ribs into a large baking pan (we use this for easy clean up) meat side down, cover with foil, and cook in the oven for 2.5 hours.

Remove them from the oven and drain the cooking juices into a bowl. Place the ribs all directly on the grill for 10 minutes, constantly turning them and basting them with the barbecue sauce AND the cooking juices.

After 10 minutes, put the ribs into another baking dish and put them in the oven on broil for 4-5 minutes on each side. 

Enjoy the ribs which Harrison describes as "fall off the bone-y and kind of wet but also crispy at the same time".  I served these with a broccoli salad that I adapted from my friend Amanda's recipe:

Paleo Broccoli Salad
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 0
Servings: 4


Ingredients:
  • 1 head of broccoli florets or package of broccoli florets ($3)
  • 2/3 cup Whole30 mayo (recipe here - don't let this ingredient scare you off! This takes less than 5 minutes to make!)
  • 1 handful craisins
  • 1 handful shelled sunflower seeds (optional swaps: any type of chopped nuts)
Toss all the ingredients together. That's it! So easy.

What is your favorite barbecue meal? 

Paleo Meal Plan for the Week + Ribs & Paleo Broccoli Salad

Monday, August 10, 2015