A Bit Fallish But Who Cares!

*I liked to take a moment and express my deepest sympathies to those victims in yesterdays horrific Boston Marathon events! Prayers are continuous and I hope that they can all find peace and comfort during this time! Boston, you will prevail and evil... evil will never win!*

A few weeks ago one of my favorite local go to lunch spots {Gourmet Gang} had this to-die-for salad as a special! Anything with pumpkin and goat cheese is a win in my book so I had to give it a try! Who knew I could fall deeply in love with a salad?! After devouring this goodness I knew I would have to recreate it at home and of course add a little meatiness {the shrimp} to it for the hubby!

What You Will Need:

1 pound of shrimp {I use frozen but you can use fresh if you'd like}
1 bag of Ready to Eat Leaf Spinach or Baby Spinach
Goat Cheese
Sunflower Seeds
Dried Cranberries
Roasted Sweet Potatoes

For the Dressing:
Pumpkin Butter
Apple Cider Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

{If you noticed I don't have any measurements so just eyeball how much you would prefer}

Pumpkin Butter-Shrimp-Goat Cheese-Sweet Potatoes- Spinach- Sunflower Seeds-Dried Cranberries

Directions:

Peel, Cut and Cube Sweet Potatoes {One Sweet Potato should be PLENTY}. Toss in Extra Virgin Olive Oil until fully coated.

Spread out evenly on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

While roasting sweet potatoes sauté shrimp until cooked thoroughly.

After shrimp and sweet potatoes are finished cooking, fill bowls with spinach, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries. Then top with goat cheese, shrimp and sweet potatoes.

To make your dressing combine equal parts pumpkin butter, apple cider vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl and mix together until blended. 

Drizzle over salad and ENJOY!!!

XoXo,

Weekend Recap!

Helllllooooo my darlings!!! I trust all of you had a splendid weekend?! For those who commented on Friday's post about my dog bite, I promise, promise, promise I will respond soon and I am not ignoring y'all!!! Life is getting busy with the increasing warm temperatures and home improvement tasks and I can honestly say I did not check my e-mail once this weekend! I did instagram per the usual so here's a recap of our weekend through my IG photos!

Friday evening was our typical relaxing evening in! When I got home I headed to the gym to get in a hard workout! I clocked a one mile run on the treadmill, one mile on the elliptical, and three miles on the bike! I then came home and made Poppyseed Chicken {minus the poppyseeds because we were out of them} while the hubs spent the evening doing an online driving improvement course {Can we say too many speeding tickets?!}. After dinner, Baby Reef crashed, the hubby studied and then studied some more, and I got started on painting some wine glasses! It's funny how Friday nights are so different than they were several years ago! I certainly wouldn't trade them now for anything.

Our Friday Night! 

Saturday, the hubby woke up early to cover some more driving improvement lessons. While he studied, I went for a refreshing one mile run. Early afternoon consisted of going to watch the hubby coach a baseball game! Sadly I didn't take any photos! I took Baby Reef and while he was on his best behavior and I was so proud of him for being calm, keeping my full attention on him made it hard to whip out the camera and take photos of the game! 

The hubby and I decided after the game that we would treat ourselves to dinner out which we hadn't done since February {due to lots of family get togethers}. We had a gift card to a somewhat new restaurant in my hometown, Suffolk, named Harper's Table! It was a super cute place and the food was amazing!!! We started with Pork Belly Biscuits and shared a Fuji Apple Salad. For our entrees Todd had the Sea Scallops with roasted cauliflower, thompson raisin puree, pecans and brown butter and I had the Chesapeake Bay Flounder with fennel, new potatoes, peas and a chorizo vinaigrette and we shared a side of hand cut fries & bacon mayonnaise! For dessert we had a homemade donut with a maple glaze and buttermilk ice cream and corn pudding! It sounds like A LOT of food but they are smaller portions which I love {not tapas small but the correct portion small}! This restaurant reminded me of the restaurants we ate at while in Charleston, SC last summer! I loved everything about it and the fact that I felt as though I was on a mini vacation but I was only thirty minutes from my home! After dinner we came home and crashed from a legit food coma! 

Beautiful Morning sky during my Saturday morning run! 

When renovating and creating Harper's Table, they found this original painted ad that was covered up by a border wall! 

Yesterday, we slept in a bit later than I would have liked, however I know I needed the extra sleep! One thing I love about my hubby is that he is a master breakfast chef! He can whip up any breakfast related dish and it's always fantastic! He treated me to fluffy chocolate chip pancakes and bacon! The pancakes were to die for! Seriously, I'm not sure if it's because I haven't had any in some time, but holy moly they were amaze balls!

This is the hubby's plate as I devoured my pancakes before even thinking about snapping a photo! 

After our late breakfast, the hubby headed to take his driver improvement test! This allowed me to start working on things around the house: laundry, dusting, straightening up, creating the grocery list and starting the removal of the wallpaper border in our kitchen! Once the hubby came back home {with a A on his test} he gave our yard some close attention with some good ole dandy yard work!

Starting to remove the '80s wallpaper border!

Later in the evening, I headed to good ole Harris Teeter to do some grocery shopping and was so excited to pick up some pretty tulips to brighten the coffee table as well as some scrumptious fresh fruit! Strawberries and Watermelon scream warm weather and I love that I can add them to my breakfast routine now!

Watermelon, Strawberries, and Tulips! Gloriousness!

After putting the groceries away we decided to head out for a nice evening walk with Baby Reef! We don't walk him often because in the past he would pull and drag me along {even with the gentle leader} but after seeing how well behaved he was Saturday at the ball game we figured maybe he has matured a bit! To our surprise he most definitely has matured! The walk was great {and over a mile long} and I loved being able to do it as a family! Maybe I will be able to take Baby Reef on my runs here sooner than later! 

What did y'all get into this weekend? It was beautiful here in my area and I'm beyond thankful for it! The house is still a work in progress but I feel accomplished on what we did do this weekend! Here's to more fantabulous weekends! Cheers! XoXo!  

Heads Up, Heels Down is Not Just for Horseback Riding!

Saaaaay what?! Is it really Thursday! My week seems to be all mushed together and to be completely honest, I felt like yesterday was Tuesday! I know, it's a nice surprise to learn I was a day behind! Since it's Thursday, y'all know the dealeeo! Ashley reached out to me after finding my blog page on Facebook! Come to find out she lives like 45 minutes away, her mom used to live in the area I live in now, and her uncle owns an auto body shop that my friend's husband works at! Small world right?! This gal right here has the sweetest most genuine heart I think I've ever encountered! I can't wait to arrange this blate and I hope it involves horses and riding since I've been dying to get back in the saddle after almost 15 years of saying goodbye to my beloved sport! Enjoy Ashley and wish her a Very Happy Birthday - it's today!!!

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Hello sweet girls!! Birthday girl here, Ashley, and I ramble over at Horseshoes & Pearls! I turned the big twenty-three today! Woo hoo! I actually found Miss Lauran through her blog's Facebook page right around the time I was debating on whether or not to start a blog of my own. After visiting hers and others that I found via Lauran's, I decided to press forward and enter the blogging world. I am so thankful and happy that I did! I have met some amazing women, including Lauran, and I am so thankful for the friendships that have been created. Not to mention, I'm totally in love with Baby Reef, Lauran's lab and her sense of style and the honesty she puts into her posts. OH, and ps, we still need to arrange a blate! 

Hi! That's me!

So, a little about me real quick before I go into my post. I am a newly engaged, wife-to-be to my best friend, Chris. We are currently chin deep in wedding plans, planning and preparing for a September 2013 wedding! See how he proposed, here or view our engagement pictures, here. We live in a small town of Southern, VA with our two fur babies Chevy & Oliver, and two horses, Bailey & Paddy. I'm a very positive person and I try to find the positive in any negative situation. I'm a God fearing woman and strongly believe in the power of prayer. Making people smile makes my heart happy. I've been riding and showing horses ever since I was old enough to know what one was. Graduated from Virginia Tech in 2010 with a degree in Animal & Poultry Sciences, now continuing my education to become a large animal LVT (licensed veterinary technician). I'm very OCD when it comes to cleaning, making lists, staying organized, and making plans. I'm addicted to Pinterest, Instagram, cowgirl boots, Mason jars, the color pink, Kate Spade, polka dots, and Criminal Minds. I love to cook, bake, try new recipes, tackle DIY crafts and projects, decorate, and then re-decorate again. Anything rustic, vintage, or antique is right up my alley. I'm the girly girl who loves hunting, fishing, shooting sports, and sports. Jeans, cowgirl boots, and a strand of pearls is typically my outfit of choice. Closet book nerd and an aspiring professional photographer. And now, on to the good stuff... 

Here's us! :)

And here's a sneak peek from our engagements... about to play kissy face! ;)

So, after reading Lauren's Bare It All post on Friday, I decided what I would write about here today.

I've struggled with weight all my life and am constantly struggling with insecurities and doubts that it puts in my head. I was the "thicker" girl growing up, elementary school all the way through high school... but it wasn't until that day that my weight changed my world upside down. I had a legit "enemy" all through elementary school and middle school. Her name was Ashley, too, and to be completely honest I can't remember why on earth she hated me so much.  I remember the day so vividly that sometimes thinking about it still stings my heart in ways that I just can't really explain.

Gym class, my 6th grade year, we had to start "changing out" in front of other girls in the bathroom before and after class. I knew, compared to my classmates, that I was "bigger" than they were but it didn't really bother me until this.... I was cramming myself into one of the corners of the locker room trying to change for class without really letting anyone see me (regardless of my weight, I still felt super uncomfortable changing in front of other girls, it was just super weird to me). I had just gotten undressed down to my skivvies when my enemy walked over with her little posse of friends and they started shoving me back into the wall. Of course I lost balanced and fell backwards, dropped my gym clothes that were in my hands, leaving me completely exposed, they started laughing, calling me names, mean names that I'll never forget, they grabbed my gym bag, all of the clothes and ran out of the bathroom, leaving me there with nothing but my panties and bra. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't run out after them. I couldn't go get a teacher. I had no clothes. I was just left there, exposed. About five minutes later I started hearing people walking down the hall towards the bathroom and I thought, thank God, the teacher realized I was missing and has come to find out what was going on. No. It wasn't the teacher. It was a group of boys in my grade being led by the enemy and her posse to come see the "fat girl naked." The boys started laughing and calling me mean names right along with the enemy and her friends. This went on for about five minutes until our gym teacher finally realized that there was something going on and came in to cease the chaos.

I was devastated. Of course the boys, enemy, and her posse were suspended, put in detention and other disciplinary actions charged against them for bullying. But that wasn't any good. It had already scarred me, cut me deep, for life. Still to this day it haunts me. I blame this incident for being the stem of all of my insecurities and self consciousness. It's ruined past relationships and caused me to think very little of myself every now and then. Of course it got better, a little, as I got older and out of high school, but I'm still nowhere near my best. I have my good days and my bad days. My good months and my bad months. My good years and my bad years. But I still occasionally struggle with feeling like I always have to be "skinnier" and "tanner" and "blonder" and "wear more make-up" and "buy cuter clothes" and "always fix my hair"... and honestly, the majority of the time when I'm not these "things", I feel very insufficient.

Chris has been an amazing support system with my insecurities and knowing how I feel about certain things he always makes it a point to encourage and lift me up. He's the first man that I feel 100% comfortable with and we've decided that together we are going to work towards a healthier lifestyle. It's a work in progress, and probably will be for years to come, but I know I'll be just fine!

Of course there's more to feeling the way I do, ie media, social expectations, etc. these days... but I feel like this incident that happened in 6th grade was the base, the stem to all of this. I wanted to share this story to encourage Lauran and others who may be dealing with the same insecurities. It's a very difficult thing to overcome and feeling insufficient about anything can be a real heavy burden on someone. If you struggle with the same insecurities, or ones like it, and want to talk about it and try to encourage each other, I am more than willing to open my arms to anyone and listen, talk, discuss, or be a support system if needed.

A big thank you to Lauran for having me today! And thank you'll so much for taking the time to read my ramblings. I hope that you'll come visit me over at Horseshoe & Pearls! I look forward to meeting you!

 

Follow along...

xo, Ashley

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First off, I cried like a baby when I first read this post, so if you are crying, it's only natural! I think Ashley is already a beautiful person and I'm so glad she is on her way to accepting herself! I still remember being 23 myself! It's definitely an in between stage where you thought you knew who you were but you're starting to find out who you are meant to be! I certainly believe in karma and I believe that you reap what you sow, therefore, I will go ahead and assume that Ashley's enemy is or has paid for the horrible, cruel, and sick way she treated Ashley! Children can be so mean and hurtful and it's sad that they have no clue as to how deep such behavior can affect someone! I'm certainly proud of Miss Ashley for sharing her story with all of us! It takes a brave soul but it's also a way to heal. I think you are on your way to being healed! Keep your head up loves whether you're riding a horse or riding life! 

XoXo, 

Baby Reef Had a Photo-shoot!

What I Love Wednesday will be back next week! In the meantime, check out this precious pup child of mine! This little man has my heart! Side Note: Don't judge my photography skills! I've never claimed to be good with a camera though it doesn't help that this guy couldn't be still for longer than 3 seconds!

Baby Reef and I both hope y'all are having a stellar week so far!!! XoXo!

I Could be a Vegetarian, Just Not a Vegan, I Like Cheese Too Much!

Here is another Pinterest worthy recipe, first appearing in Fitness Magazine, to add to your recipe boxes!!! It's a Vegetarian dish and even though I'm not a Vegetarian I really enjoyed it! The goat cheese was my favorite part and this was the first time I made caramelized onions! Yuummmmy!

What You Will Need:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 teaspoon sugar {I used Splenda}
1/4 teaspoon salt
9 ounces baby spinach {I used ready-to-eat Leaf Spinach}
4 8 inches whole-wheat flour tortillas
4 ounces semi soft goat cheese
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

Whole Wheat Tortillas-Splenda-Onion-Tomato-Spinach-Goat Cheese-Olive Oil

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, sugar and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is dark golden brown.

Remove from pan.

Add the spinach and 1 tablespoon water to the skillet; cook 2 minutes, or until spinach is just wilted. Remove from skillet and turn off heat.

Spread a quarter of the goat cheese on each tortilla and top with spinach, tomato and onion.

Fold closed and press lightly. Heat the skillet and place two folded quesadillas in it; cook two minutes per side, or until golden brown and lightly crisp. Repeat.

Enjoy!!!

I hope y'all are having a fantastic start to the week! The weather here in Southern VA has been beautiful which makes the beginning of a work week so much more bearable!! XoXo!!!

Five Truths You Didn't Know About Me!

A few weeks ago I was tagged by the beautiful Natalia over at All the Things, Etc. to admit some truths to my readers!!! I've done a few of these "types" of truthful-bet-you-didn't-know posts in the past but they were usually linked to some kind of blogger award. There is no award for this one, no rules, no have to dos, just honesty, and while I would love to just copy and paste Natalia's, because the majority of hers were me to a T, I can't! So here we go with some honest secrets about me that you may find interesting, funny, or down right strange!

Via

Truth One:

I am a horrible housekeeper! I'm not the worst out there, but I am pretty terrible! If you notice, I don't take many photos of the inside of our home because I'm ashamed of its condition! We always seem to have stuff piling up every where, crap on the desk and dining room table, dirty clothes piles waiting to be washed, and don't even get me started on all of the dog hair! It's literally everywhere! It's gross, but I feel like it's so bad that I just can't even get motivated to vacuum and mop regularly! It basically has to be a daily chore. The hubby and I have discussed trying harder to keep it up instead of hiring a cleaning service and I'm hoping to come up with some kind of cleaning schedule to help tackle this disaster! Admitting this secret just inspired a new Bare It All Friday post and I can't even believe I'm thinking about doing it! You'll probably want to stay tuned! 

Truth Two:

I cried on my wedding day and not just happy tears! Only a handful of people know this as they were standing with me when the tears came, but it's something I'm not ashamed of and don't mind sharing to outsiders. Our wedding was one of the best days of my life because I said "I do" to my hubby and to the rest of our lives, we became one and I would never be ashamed of the day that all happened. To say it went off without a hitch or drama, well that would be a lie. During our reception, my feelings were incredibly hurt and with all kinds of emotions already running high, it wasn't long before I ended up in tears. Luckily I had some awesome bridesmaids who stood with me afar from the party, in the middle of my childhood home front yard, and snapped me back to reality with hugs, a cigarette {yes I used to smoke}, and a touch up of makeup! Even though I still remember that moment, it's a foggy distant memory because it didn't matter! At the end of the day and looking back on it, our day was perfect for us and that's what matters! 

Truth Three:

I do not own anything by Lilly Pulitzer! I know, I know, this is almost a crime! I was so sadden to hear of Lilly's passing yesterday. Her designs have been so classic and timeless, which are the types of designs and styles I go for! Without a doubt I loooooove anything and everything Lilly Pulitzer, but I've never owned an LP piece! Part of it is my inability to spend money on myself {if you follow me you know this is an "issue" I'm working on} and part of it is there are only a few stores in my area who sell her items and they're not in the most convenient locations for me to get to - and before you say shop online, the answer to that is NO! My body type is too wacky to shop online! I just ordered some shoes not too long ago that I ordered in a 9 {I wear an 8.5} and had to send them back for a 9.5 because they were too small! Seriously, if I have issues with shoes I most doubt will have issues sizing clothes!

Truth Four:

I can't listen to a lot of country music! I love being from the "country", I love riding horses, I love my southern twang, but Lord knows I don't love listening to country music! Don't get me wrong, I love love love country music. I actually love ALL genres of music, but I DO NOT LOVE listening to country music. It's extremely emotional for me! For instance, I happened to have it on one morning last week and "I Drive Your Truck" by Lee Brice came on and before it even got to the chorus I had tears streaming down my face! Miranda Lambert's recent song "Mamma's Broken Heart" gets me all teary eyed, even with it's upbeat chords, because where I come from, it's the truth. Been there done that with a broken heart but you never forget how it made you feel! Crazy, lost, revengeful, and the list goes on just like Miranda describes! Don't even get me started on all of Toby Keith's songs about our soldiers and America! I lose it every time he sings about his American pride! I'm beyond grateful and blessed to say America is my home! I cried watching the ACM's last night.. yea.

Truth Five:

I used to love eggs, now I find them hard to eat! I have no idea if it's a texture issue or what, but I can't eat eggs unless they are scrambled and dried out. If they have any moistness or sliminess to them at all I will gag. I used to love love love deviled eggs but now it takes great effort to eat them! I got through two of them at Easter but had to cut them up in small pieces! They tasted great and the whites weren't slimy so I was good to go! Egg whites on a fried egg make me gag as well and I can't eat a hard boiled egg so save my life! The reason I can get through a deviled egg is the mayo and mustard that is mixed with the yolks! I can't even put hard boiled eggs on my salads anymore or enjoy egg salad! This saddens me because of the protein I could get from eating them but I guess I'll just have to enjoy it's momma more...actual chicken! 

Did you learn anything new about me today??!! Hope y'all had fantastic weekends!!! I enjoyed the beautiful weather, had my hair done, enjoyed a manicure and pedicure afternoon date with the hubby, did a few house things,  perused Home Depot, planted an herb garden, worked on YAAA! obligations, spent time with some family, clocked 3 miles total this weekend, and had a photo shoot with Baby Reef. All in all a pretty darn good weekend if I do say so myself! 

Happy Monday! XoXo! 

Bare It All Friday!

I'm still debating whether I want to start this series or not. It's been in the works for some time now and I'm hoping, that if I stick with it, it will turn into a link up for the rest of you to participate. I'm keeping it solo right now to see how I feel after opening up to all of you on some of my insecurities, fears, doubts, hopes, and dreams. There is a lot I always want to say or explain about myself, but it comes at a cost. The cost of baring it all to the public. Everyone knowing the inner battles I struggle with is not what frightens me, it's more of the judgmental attitudes and scrutinization some will give.

My hope for this series is that it will allow you all to be inspired to always be honest with yourselves! I find, here in blog land, that many writers portray their lives in a certain light, a very positive light, which I think is great! However, for me every now and then, I'd love to see some raw emotion and honesty. That is what I hope to bring to you who come, read, and support my daily rambles. Life isn't always rainbows and butterflies but what is life without storms and rough seas? It's pretty damn boring would you not agree? 

As you all know, if you frequent here a lot, I have really been "working on my fitness" since January! The age of thirty is right around the corner for me. A little over a year and a half if you want the actual countdown! It's scaring the bejibbas out of me and I am noticing changes everywhere in my body! More cellulite, drooping breasts, flabby underarms, and a slew of other things I find disheartening. It's enough to make me want to go get some nips and tucks that's for sure! {side note: Nip/Tuck? Best show there ever was!}

Ever since I was young {as in early elementary school} I was ALWAYS "chunkier" than my peers! I wouldn't say I was fat, but I had a pooch that would put a beer gut to shame. All my peers?! Yea, they had flat little tummies without an ounce of chub! Just call me a cherub! I'm pretty sure my insecurities started at the age! 

Then there was middle school, where I had to change out for gym, in front of other girls, who were all thinner than me. Granted non of us had boobs or anything of the like to which, I'm pretty sure a rumor was started that I stuffed my bra with scrunchies in the 6th grade! Talk about scared for life?! If I still remember it, obviously it did a number on me way back when. 

Next was high school and of course I was still chubbier than all my friends! I was a base on the cheerleading squad for crying out loud. If that doesn't scream, I'm a "bigger" girl, I don't know what does. Although it did mean I was a "strong bigger girl" so that was a tad bit of a confidence booster! It still didn't help however, when I was called a "fat bitch" by certain mean girls. By the way, bullying has been around for years.. it's nothing new! There should have been anti bullying campaigns 10 years ago! As in middle school, if I can remember it, I still have scars from it! The other worse part about high school? I gained the college freshman 15 my senior year, before I ever went to college! 

My original college experience was a great one. Original as in, I did the whole go off to college for a few years thing, but then I transferred to a college closer to my hometown later and no longer lived on campus or close to campus for that matter. More on that in a different post. My first two years were great and bullies didn't exist, BUT the opinions of young men did! It would sting when a potential date would chose the skinny friend over me! I'm pretty sure that during the Spring of my Sophomore year, after going on a low carb diet and losing 20 pounds, one guy in a drunken stupor told me I was not skinny enough for him. This of course  also being after he lead me on for a few weeks! Luckily as a confidence booster I had other guys who were interested, but of course I ruined all of those because, let's be real...what girl wants to date the nice guy who thinks she's beautiful?! None! At that age, we want the douchebag jerk who tells us we aren't good enough! Oh my, if I could have known what I know now! 

I wish I could say since I started dating my now husband and have gotten married that I am comfortable with my body. Honest truth, I'm not! My hubby tells me I'm beautiful and perfect and wonderful and, well I'll spare you the rest of the mushiness. While I would like to believe it all 100%, I don't! My weight has continuously fluctuated since we've been together! Skinny and confident one year, chubby and down the next. This last year is a chubby down year for me as I just can't make myself feel good about my body or appearance! The last time I felt absolutely flawless was my wedding and honeymoon. Why?! Because I was the skinniest I'd been in a very long time! I had a jawline, neck bones, and my stomach was the flattest I think I had EVER seen it. How'd I get to that point?! I took over seas diet pills that you could only order online and that were probably really dangerous for my health. Why not take them again?! 1. I did, you can now get them in the states but the formula has changed to make them legal in the US, and they didn't work. 2. I know that's not the solution for long term healthy living! 

Long term healthy living is my ultimate goal but I do want to lose weight! I know exercise isn't the only way and that diet plays a HUGE role as well! While I haven't turned every meal into rabbit food, I am slowly making some changes! My love for food is a constant battle. I just want to get to where I was 2 years ago! I was happy with my body and how I felt in a swim suit! Now I'm embarrassed to even think about putting one on! I've lost my sexy and I need to bring it back! Even when I did have my sexy back I knew I wasn't as small as my friends and always held on tight to those insecurities when they were around. I still do! I don't know if I will ever truly rid myself of my weight insecurities, if I will ever truly think my body is attractive. Maybe if I went from Carrie Underwood American Idol days to Carrie Underwood now I would love my body, but let's be real, the girl works out like six hours every day! That's unrealistic for my schedule! 

I wanted to share this with you all because it is a very large insecurity that I posses and to let you know that if you feel this way too, you are not alone! I very much feel a lone as many people I know either, lose weight very easily or just don't talk about their insecurities of it! One reason I don't speak much of it is because I don't want to hurt other peoples feelings! There are bigger gals than me who suffer these same insecurities and may look at me like I'm crazy for feeling this way! I know when thinner girls than me talk about themselves being "fat" it makes me want to slap them across the face! HOWEVER, I have to remind myself that we are our own worst critics! I can't judge a thinner girl for having the same insecurity about her body as I have. Just as a larger girl shouldn't judge me for my insecruity. Either way, I wanted you all to know that I am here to listen or offer advice or to be an accountability partner for your workout routine! Support is one of the best ways to reach a mighty goal! 

I really do appreciate y'all reading my blog! It is my goal to help make women feel empowered and stronger as females, individuals, and spouses {married or not} one honest bare boned post at a time!! Thank you for reading today and have a glorious weekend!!! XOXO! 

We Pulled a Switch-a-roo and Love Sam Steele Ponder Too!

I've come to the conclusion, that upon first glance, my Thursday posts titles will NEVER make sense and I'm okay with that! With that being said, I'm ridiculously stoked about my guest today!!! I know I've shared that I've made many blogging buddies through Instagram, but this gal and I share a unique IG friendship! We met through Samantha {then Steele} now Ponder. Don't know who she is?! Well, she has my dream job and is an ESPN broadcaster! She also married Christian Ponder, the Minnesota Vikings QB on my birthday this past year! If you want to know the rest of the story, you'll have to wait till the end of the post because I'm dying to introduce Taylor to you!!!! Enjoy this girly girl! She's a fashionista who shares my love for classic pieces, her furrbaby, Princess Kate and a cute pair of Hunter Wellies too! 

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Hi friends!

I’m Taylor from The Taylor Diary! I am a non-profit fundraiser during the day and am fashion and beauty obsessed by night…well, during the day too! I am a newlywed and a dog mom….a really obnoxious dog mom. I was a Fashion major in college and after graduation I worked as a shoe buyer in St. Louis, Missouri for a large online shoe retailer called shoes.com. It was a wonderful job but being from Kansas City originally, I decided to head home and be a little adventurous. Okay, A LOT adventurous. I opened my own boutique in downtown Kansas City and worked…and worked…and worked for three years straight. Overworked. Needless to say, that is why I am doing what I do now. (non-profit fundraising and event planning)

I decided to start my own blog after I got married (who doesn’t these days?!?) just to keep my creative juices flowing. My job is so much business during the day that I needed a little bit of fun and flirty on the side. When you visit my blog, you will see my ramblings, your typical outfit of the day posts, and lots and lots of beauty reviews. I’m serious. I love trying new beauty products and am always dying to share the latest and greatest with my readers.

However, now that spring is here and the days are longer (and much warmer) there will be a lot more fashion and a little less gabbing. Kansas City had one of the worst winters in a long time and it is really hard taking outfit photos in 24 inches of snow. You wouldn’t have been able to see the shoes! And those are sometimes the most important! Right?!?

I love new Instagram friends. (Just ask Lauran. It is how we met!) So stop by and follow me @THETAYLORDIARY.

I decided to put together a fun, spring outfit for y’all today. I love a girlie lace top, printed pants and statement extras because they make for a totally unique mix of pattern and texture, coincidentally one of spring’s hottest trends.

What I’m wearing:

Lace top: Karlie

Printed pants: asos.com (Vila Clothes)

Shoes: Emilio Pucci

Clutch: Sondra Roberts

necklace: Anthropologie

Lipstick: MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Sunny Seoul 

I want to give a huge thanks to Lauran for letting me take over her blog. It has been a blast being an honorary Real Young Housewife correspondent today! Head on over to my blog and see what Lauran has to say. We swapped! 

Xoxo,

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Is she not super adorable?! I know without a doubt if we lived closer we would be the bestest of friends!! I definitely could use her help in the fashion department, that's for sure! I've even used some of her IG posts as inspiration for my own outfits {I'm still working on finding my inner fashionista}! You really have to pay her blog a visit now, especially, to find out more about our initial meeting!!! It'll give you a chance to check out some cheaper cosmetic alternatives that I've come across recently too!!! Head on over and pay me a visit! 

Hope you darlings are having a bright and happy Thursday! Almost to the weekend! 

XoXo,