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Fall Decor in Our Home (Simple Updates)

Fall Decor in Our Home (Simple Updates)

Slowly but surely I’ve been welcoming the Fall season into our home.  One of the quickest ways to change up the decor seasonally is by switching out the pillows on the sofa.  Over the weekend, I spotted two plaid! pillow covers at Pottery Barn and brought them home.  They add the perfect cozy feeling I want for Fall with the pattern and colors (brown, tan, orange, and cream), but also have light blue, which goes great with my drapes and existing blue pillow and throw.

With the sofa properly outfitted,

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Salted Chocolate Caramel Brownies (and Other Party Food)

Salted Chocolate Caramel Brownies (and Other Party Food)

I know, I know, just last week I wrote all about my efforts at eating healthy and shared with you my breakfast Protein Pancakes and now . . .  I tempt you with this post about dreamy Salted Chocolate Caramel Brownies.  But really, once in a while, how can you possibly resist these? 

Which are very easily made with these . . . 

I admit to having a big sweet tooth that craves chocolate, but eating clean during the week helps me feel less guilty about indulging every so often.  My Ghirardelli cookbook has a recipe for Chocolate Caramel Brownies that I made this weekend and shared with a few friends who came over on Saturday night.

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My Top 3 “Eat Clean” Meals

My Top 3 “Eat Clean” Meals

My weight loss journey has hit many plateaus, but not surprisingly, I’ve always seen the biggest improvements when I’ve eaten a really “clean” diet.  For me, that means finding something high protein that I can eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for about 5 days straight, then switch to something else.  And when I’m eating really healthy, I’m also more likely to workout.  Conversely, if I’m in a “bad” eating rut, I’m not likely to be hitting the gym. 


I’m no dietician or nutritionist and only know what has worked for me.  

via

RECIPE:

Extra lean ground turkey (1 package)
Low sodium black beans (1 can)
Brown rice (1 cup)
Taco Bell low sodium seasoning

I make the rice in a saucepan while I brown the turkey meat.

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Boot Camp

Boot Camp

A gorgeous blogging buddy from Houston invited me to participate in a boot camp, Houston Area Adventure Boot Camp, the longest-running boot camp in the Houston area.  Over the last seven years they have helped more then 5200 people achieve their fitness goals.  I immediately knew I wanted to bring my girlfriend (and workout partner since college) since she’s always up for these types of adventures.

We showed up just before the class was about to start at 6:30 p.m. (although they offer morning classes too), with the Houston heat not letting up a bit.

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Spa Water

Spa Water

When I’m out and about, I always carry a water bottle to keep hydrated.  I live in the South and it’s so hot and humid, I never want to be without water when I’m thirty.  Recently, at home, I made some “spa” water, aka, water with fruit cut up in it and served up in a fancy container:)  I found this glass jug at Target for $19.99.

I sliced up one orange and one lemon and added it to ice and water from the fridge.  

Are you a fan of flavored water?

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Protein Pancakes

Protein Pancakes

One of the main components to getting or staying in shape is eating clean, healthy foods every few hours.  I’ve read that it’s best to start the day with breakfast within 30 minutes to one hour of waking to jump start your metabolism for the day.  When your body doesn’t get food for several hours (as in while you are sleeping), it shifts into starvation mode and stores fat.  I think Shape.com explained it well: “Skipping breakfast or eating too little forces your body to switch into conservation mode and burn fewer calories, which means you’re more likely to hang onto body fat.”

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How I Lost the Baby Weight (55 Pounds)

How I Lost the Baby Weight (55 Pounds)

*This post was originally written and posted on April 26, 2011.  

Let’s start at the beginning.  

All my life I’ve been in pretty good shape, but I didn’t start working out until college.  I liked the way lifting weights helped turn my skinny body into a stronger, more muscular shape.  In the six months before I got pregnant, I was working out with a trainer a couple times a week, doing a couple days of cardio, and eating pretty clean.


My goal was to get in bikini shape for my sister-in-law’s wedding in Vegas that June. 

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TOP 10 Pinterest Fall Inspiration

TOP 10 Pinterest Fall Inspiration

As much as I love summer and flip flops and swimming pools with days staying light well into the evening, the next trio of months are extra special with all the coziness and holidays ahead.  Food, togetherness, and a chill in the air make me giddy.  Not that we have an actual chill in the air yet here . . . but, hopefully, soon!  My sweaters, boots and leggings are practically jumping off my closet shelves, just aching to be worn.    

I’ve been browsing Pinterest for all things Fall and have put together a “Halloween and Fall”

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Our Living Room & Toy Organization

Our Living Room & Toy Organization

Why can’t I be one of those moms where when I look about our living room strewn with toys everywhere, I happily, joyfully, and peacefully smile to myself and say, “a child lives here.”  Well, actually, I do that sometimes.  But then there are other times I just.get.tired.of.seeing.toys.everywhere.  We sometimes, we go for days, weeks? where the toys don’t get put away, and lately they seem to be multiplying.  And when they do get put away, they’re really not “put away”, they’re just pushed to the side of the room, piled high in numerous baskets.

I admit it.

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Fitness Food (Protein Pancakes) & New Blog Friends

Fitness Food (Protein Pancakes) & New Blog Friends

My blog tends to reflect my life, and since I’ve been getting more involved in fitness and healthy eating, I wanted to interject a few fitness posts.  I have no formal training in exercise or nutrition, but I have lost the 55 pounds I gained during pregnancy (albeit slowly), and have managed to gain back a lot of the muscle tone I lost.  It’s been a long, difficult road paved one day at a time, but definitely worth it to feel confident in your skin.  (Speaking of skin, that post-pregnancy extra belly skin is a whole other post- I have it too,

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Neiman Marcus Beauty Event

Neiman Marcus Beauty Event

For all you Houstonians, I wanted to fill you in that there is a soiree (with cocktails and a swag bag of goodies for the first 250 people!) in Houston at Neiman Marcus in the Galleria tonight from 6-8 p.m.  Several Houston bloggers will be there and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone- thanks to Sam from The Peak of Tres Chic for filling us in on the event.  I’ve had lots of fun meeting other bloggers- it’s exciting to get out from behind the computer, get dressed up, and mingle in person!  I hope you can make it!

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James (Age 2 1/2) and the Guitar

James (Age 2 1/2) and the Guitar

Up until age 2, I did a monthly post about my son.  Now, I’m updating periodically, and saving precious memories that are making up his childhood.  I want to remember that at this age (2 1/2), my son was obsessed with guitars.

Even Friday afternoon, when we went to the bookstore and I told him I wanted to get a magazine before we headed to the kids section to play with Thomas the Train, he ran right to this and said, “You wanna get a guitar magazine Mama?”

Before we bought him a little ukelaili,

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Our Fall Table (2012)

Our Fall Table (2012)

This year, a burlap covered wire basket was the initial inspiration for our fall table.  I love the rustic and country feel, and was so happy to find it at Michaels 50% off- and they had several sizes.  This medium-sized one perfectly holds an assortment of mini pumpkins and apples in beautiful fall colors.

This bundle of wheat grass is my “floral arrangement” for the table.  The texture is so cool and it fit inside a glass serving bowl.

The only other “new” thing I got for the table were the amber colored glasses,

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New Entry Rug (Beni Ourian)

New Entry Rug (Beni Ourian)

We got a new rug for the entry way and I’m kind of in love with it.  It’s the Moroccan-style Beni Ourian  rug from Pottery Barn, in a super plush, unsheared pile.  I’m glad I went to check it out at the store first, because the plushiness surprised me.  I love the look of flat weave rugs, but can’t stand how they feel on my feet.  This rug, on the other hand, feels so good on my feet.

Here it is in the store . . . 

and at home:)

I’m changing up a few things in the entry way and will show you soon!

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Our Fall Mantle (2012)

Our Fall Mantle (2012)

Bring on fall!  While I enjoy summer so very much, I am really looking forward to all the cozy opportunities the fall season brings.  This weekend, I discovered that Starbucks’ fall line of beverages is out, which totally means fall is here!  Have y’all tried the Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa?  I treated myself to one on Sunday night and it is a super yummy indulgence.

And on the home front, I tucked away the summer decor and decorated our “mantle” for fall.  I dressed up a table too and will show you that soon.

The mercury glass lamps on my mantle are from Home Goods (of course!).

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Getting Organized for Back to School (Household Calendar)

Getting Organized for Back to School (Household Calendar)

As I sit down on Monday night to write this post, I’m relaxed from a long weekend and energized about a productive day earlier today.  James is clean and sleeping, the fridge is stocked with healthy food, the house is clean, laundry is folded and put away, the backpack and lunch are packed, and we await the “first day of school” tomorrow.  He’s got a new pair of tennis shoes and a few new shirts, but we’ll wait until it gets cooler to buy more clothes.

James goes to a wonderful preschool part-time.  I had a hard time calling it “school”

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