Where Have I Been?

Yes, first let me say Merry Christmas to everyone! It has been way too long since I have blogged but honestly I have been sooo busy. This time of year is always crazy. I thought I'd fill you all in on what's been going on. First, I finished my half marathon. Hallelujah! Sadly, I didn't feel like I thought I would when it was over.  I thought I would cross the finish line and say "when is the next one?" but I didn't. I did finish under my goal time and it was fun but my I thought at any second my knees would fall off. 13.1 miles just can't be good for your body.

Secondly, I'm sure most of you already know by now but yes we are pregnant! It's still really early and I debated about whether we should tell everyone but it's just so hard to keep a secret like that. We had original plans to wrap up the ultrasound pics and give them to our parents for Christmas but after we got them in our hot little hands we couldn't wait another second. This week I feel pretty good but the last couple weeks have been pretty rough. Hopefully, I am getting over the hump.  Thanks to everyone for your sweet thoughts and prayers. Boy or girl, I don't care, I just want a happy, healthy baby.  Due date: July 24, 2011. 

May you all travel safely to your destination and be with the ones you love the holiday season. God bless!

                                   Maryanne and I before the Dallas White Rock Half Marathon

Bloggers Block

So where have I been and what have I been doing? The answer is I don't know. What haven't I been doing? So much has been going on I don't know where to begin. On top of that I can't single out one thing to write about. Please tell me I'm not alone here.  I did realize, however, that I have not blogged about the one thing that I am obsessed with. That is my dog.

Lola. Enough said. She is so the light of my life. She's a maltipoo who is 4 years old.  I got her when I moved back from D.C. to Ruston and was living by myself.  Do ya'll know that song, "whatever Lola wants, Lola gets...?" Well, it fits her to a T.  She is so spoiled it really is sickening but I can't help it. It is a bad sign of how my children will be that is for sure. She has more personality than any other dog I've ever known. And oh my is she smart. You can tell her something once and she remembers. It's crazy! I think that's the poodle in her. Everyone says poodles think they are people and are some of the smartest dogs and she definitely is. Lola is the number 1 reason we bought a king size bed. We needed more space as she sprawled out horizontal in between us to sleep at night.

I dress her up for Halloween every year. This year she is gonna be a hot dog. Literally. A big bun and weenie in between her body. Hilarious.

Lola when she was about 8 weeks old

Not happy about LSU Gameday

Cheering for the Saints!

She loved the snow!

Last year's halloween costume-a bumble bee.

Baby Haddox?

Just to clear up any questions you might have had when you saw the post, no I am not pregnant.  So I'm sure are wondering what is this post about?  Well a little website called morphthing.  You may have seen the segment Jay Leno does where he takes two celebrities and shows the audience what their kids will look like.  You can use this website now for yourself and a celebrity or another photo you upload.  I thought I would give it a try.  First off, you need photos where you are not smiling.  It's hard enough for me to take a picture with Ben, but to find a pic of us not smiling was near impossible.  So I uploaded a pic of us smiling and the baby's lips came out really Angelina Jolie-like (see pic 1).  I just had to scan some new photos.  The second photo was better but the baby had adult-size ears (see pic 2).  Oh well, it could have been way worse.  Ben and I showed this to our family one night and I feel the same way as my grandmother does.  In her words, "that's a cute baby but it's not my grandbaby."  Enjoy and try it out for yourself!

Declutterization

Over the past month I have been trying really hard to get super organized. The problem with my house is that I don't have an office I report to every morning. Therefore my office is my house and my house is my office. We have an extra bedroom that we use as my office but all my stuff rarely makes it there.  I need several shelves and a file cabinet but maybe one day I'll get around to that.  I went through everything and discarded things I know I will need not again and moved alot of my study materials to my storage unit I have for work. Then I took my reject fall and winter clothes to a consignment sale called My Girlfriends Closet.  This Saturday I decided to participate in a multi-family garage sale. I sold even more clothes and a few furnishing items that we haven't used in forever. Ben and I both had our own houses before we got married so we have been renting a storage unit for over 2 years just storing things we don't have a place for. Ridiculous if you ask me. Hopefully we will get that cleaned out soon enough.

I remember seeing an Oprah episode last year about de-cluttering your life and I have decided that's just what I need to do.  I went through all the do-dads that were stocking stuffers and nick-knacks stuffed under my bed. I kept what was relevant to me at this time in my life and the rest was discarded.  It really does feel good to be able to walk into our garage storage and have room to spare and actually find what you're looking for.  Plus, I finally came to the realization if I couldn't fit in it last year,  chances are I won't this year so even though they might be really nice jeans, it's time to let em go.  At least I made some extra cash out of the situation.  Thanks to Joanna, Rachel, and Ashley for letting me participate in the garage sale. I have also made a conscious effort to be super careful about my spending habits. Am I going to get good wear out of that dress or will it be a one and done? It's definitely a work in progress! 

De-clutter your life today. I promise you'll feel brand new!

CCHS Class of 2000

It's been awhile since I've blogged but last week (and this week for that matter) has been so crazy.  Last week was Homecoming week at the creek and it was also our high school reunion.  Homecoming week was always one of my favorite weeks of the year during high school and it has gotten soooo much better now than when I was there.  We had the big pep really Thursday night that lasted for an hour and a half. That's a long pep rally!  The best was when all the homecoming king candidates did a talent and we voted on the best and then the king was crowned.  There were a variety of talents from a unicycle to an impersonation of "The Situation" to a serenade to the queen. You couldn't have paid me to get up in front of the whole school and parents by myself and make a fool.  It was really entertaining, especially when they had to give their best pick up line to the queen.

Friday afternoon I went to the homecoming assembly to see all the pretty girls in their dresses and listen to Ben speak.  Later that night all alumni were invited to tailgate in the end zone of the field and it was so fun to catch up with people I literally haven't seen in 10 years.  Most of my class left at halftime and I finally got to watch some of the game. Thank goodness we won. No one wants to lose your homecoming game and everyone told my husband that all week. No pressure or anything!

Saturday it felt great to let lose. The weather was beautiful. However, I was still collecting money like a mad woman and trying to decorate was stressful but it all worked out.  We ended up about $100 short so I waited til everyone had a couple drinks and were feeling generous to donate a few more dollars. I will definitely let someone else handle that job next time around.  We had several classmates over to watch the LSU game that afternoon and I'm really not going to waste anyone's time commenting on that game.  Les Miles needs to go. Period. After I was all worked up from watching the game we headed out to Lincoln Hall. There were several people that couldn't make it out to the game the night before so we caught up with them. We only had about a third of our class there and I was hoping for more but I know it's hard for everyone to be in one place at once.  They were missed. We watched a hilarious slide show of pics from HS then ate some good food and enjoyed a band play some music (and attempted to get the dance floore started).  We also voted people for several categories like "least changed,"  "most unique job," longest marriage," ect...and visited until they kicked us out.  After that we headed to 3 Docs and visited even more. I couldn't tell you the last time I remember staying out that late. It was a blast and everyone says the 20 year is even better.  I don't think I can wait that long. Below are some pics.  I am sick I didn't take more but I was too busy being social. Enjoy!

      we were a few people short so we did it again and we still didn't get everybody in it!

Monday Morning Meltdown

Well, I thought I would take the opportunity to recap all of my teams' games and how frustrated I am with them. If you read any sports blogs or listen to ESPN radio you will find everyone complaining so I thought I would join the crowd.  Friday night I had a relaxing girls night with my dog Lola.  We rented chick flicks and unfortunately they were all pretty terrible. I also listened to the CC game at Many and listened so long that my battery went dead again for the second time this week.  And they didn't even win.

Saturday morning started off good.  I met my running partner and my sister-in-law for the Race for the Cure 5K in Monroe. We were part of the Oncology Associates team and while it wasn't too hot, it was still pretty miserable. We were running in cotton shirts that didn't breathe but overall I was pleased with my time. There were a reported 3,000 people participating. Louisiana has one of the highest mortality rates in the nation for breast cancer and 75% of the money made stays right here in Monroe. Pretty awesome! The rest of my day consisted of cleaning, pinestrawing the flower beds and of course college football!

Let's start with the Alabama game. Uhhh. I so do not like them. I just knew Arkansas was gonna pull out the win.  But in the end, the tide rolled on. They have a pretty tough next couple weeks but I think if they get through it they will go undefeated (for the 3rd year in a row).  LSU certainly doesn't stand a chance the way they played on Saturday.  I am so frustrated. First off, our defense is incredible. Yes I've said it once and I'll say it again. Patrick Peterson is a freak.  If only we had an offense. I actually got excited when I saw Jared Lee going in with 9 minutes left on the clock. But of course, he just went in one series and handed the ball off.  Jefferson makes horrible decisions. He is not going to be a great quarterback. Period. Next, Terrance Toliver is the worst flop. He could be a specimen but can't hold on to the ball. Who they need to get it to more is Reuben Randall. He caught every pass on Saturday and on the only thrid down we converted on, he made the catch.  I can't type anymore cause I could go on and on about our play calling.  Even La Tech couldn't pull out a victory.  We went to bed pretty put out with the whole night.

Sunday we were in a pretty bad mood around our house after the Saints game.  Devery Henderson played horrible and so did Drew.  I understand it was a short week cause they got home on Tuesday morning after a Monday night game but it showed on the field. I can't believe Hartley missed a routine field goal. That's his 3rd miss already this season. I would be getting pretty nervous if I was him. 

I'm gearing up for homecoming week at the creek and cooler weather. Have a great one everybody!

Patrick Peterson striking a Heisman pose after a punt return for a TD Saturday against W. Va.

Happy Fall Ya'll

It's official! While it doesn't feel like Fall, we can now say it has arrived. The weatherman says it's going to be high 80's next week. That's awesome and a little sad at the same time that we are excited about 88 degree weather.  Fall is by far my favorite time of the year. First and foremost FOOTBALL! Those of you that know me accept the fact that I really am obsessed with this game. There comes a day when you wake up and say it smells like Football. The air is starting to grow crisp and the leaves are beginning to change. I love it! It brings me back to the high school days of cheerleading uniforms and being done with your day at 3 o'clock. If you haven't seen the Kenny Chesney's Video Boys of Fall check it out ASAP!  I am really not a huge Kenny fan but this song and video (feat. Sean Peyton giving a pep talk at his old high school) will give you chills. I've attached the link. Just click on Kenny's name above.  It's Awesome!!!


Second, need we say more? BOOTS. I think if you've read my previous posts you realize I have a slight shoe obsession. I love those mornings you can wake up, drink your coffee and read the paper outside(without breaking a sweat) and get dressed with your oversized wrap, skinny jeans, and boots. So comfy and classy.

                                                   Dex Double Layer Drape Front Cardigan

Vince Camuto Fays Chestnut Boot

Finally, FOOD! I love soups.  With Fall around the corner soon it will be time to put out our pumpkins and mums and cook chili and tomato basil soup.  The best thing about soup is you can make a ton of it then freeze it in individual servings to pull out for a day when you don't feel like cooking.  In case you've never had La Madeline Tomato Basil Soup, I'm posting the recipe for you. Enjoy!

La Madeline Tomato Basil Soup
1 Quart (8-10) tomatoes
1 Quart tomato juice or chicken stock
12-14 washes, fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup Half and Half and 1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
salt

combine tomatoes, juice and/or stock in saucepan
simmer tomatoes and juice (or stock) for 30 minutes
puree, along with basil leaves, in small batches, in blender or food processor.
return to saucepan and add cream, while stirring over low heat
garnish with basil leaves and serve

prep time: approx. 15 minutes
total time: approx. 1 hour

Weekend Review

Hello everyone and hope ya'll had a great weekend. I could pretty much sum up mine in 1 word: FOOTBALL (no complaints from me).  Friday, I went to watch CC take on the #2 team in the state St. Mary's. Unfortunately, it didn't end good for us but they played great and it was an excellent game until the 4th quarter.  The boys should be proud. Saturday I met my running partner for a run (which was the most miserable thing because it was soooo hot) then laundry and more football followed. I always start my Saturday with College Gameday. You have to have a little Kirk, Lee, and Chris in your life. I am real excited that Erin Andrews is on there this year. I love her!  In the SEC: I can't believe Arkansas beat Georgia. Better than that, when was the last time Georgia started 0-2?  I always cheer for the SEC West teams cause I want it to look better when (hopefully) LSU beats them.  Ben and I then headed to tailgate at the Tech vs. Navy Game at around 4pm. Wearing Capris was not a smart idea. It was so hot. BTW, I am not okay with the music being played at the Tech game this year. I mean really, we are not the ghetto. It was embarrasing and uncalled for. You never go to a LSU game and hear that.  Maybe play one song but I'm pretty sure there was some words that shouldn't have been played over the loud speaker.  Tech is very family oriented and I have a sneaky feeling (fingers crossed) it won't be played this week vs. Southern Miss. We decided to leave at halftime and went home to watch the LSU game.

I know, I am that fan that is just never happy. Yes I know the Tigers won but that offensive performance is just not gonna cut it this week or the weeks to follow. Here are my thoughts (my complaints and critiques):  I don't remember a team kicking 4 field goals in the first half and never getting a TD in the endzone. That's just unacceptable that we can drive down the field but not get a TD.  I don't understand it.  Why does Les get so conservative when they get ahead? The second half we needed to continue to throw and score for practice. But no, all we did was run up the middle. Ridiculous. Third, you are going to put Jared Lee in but not give him a chance to throw a pass?  Is that really going to help him improve? To end on a positive note,  the defense played outstanding. They really are distgustingly good.  We are so loaded with talent there is just no excuse why we shouldn't be dominating ballgames.  Maybe they can pull it together. I doubt it though. Geaux Saints!

Have a great week everyone and stay cool!

Save, Steal, or Splurge?

Do you ever really want to buy something or try out a new makeup or hair product and wonder is it really going to look good? Or is it worth the extra money? This happens to me all the time and I'm left wishing I had that Glamour or Elle Best Products article in my hand so I can decide on what anti-aging cream to buy or what new blush to try.  Sometimes though, I splurge on a product and it's a complete bust. It's so disappointing. Recently I decided I was in need of a hairspray. I've been wearing my hair a little wavy and decided I needed a hairspray that would hold the curl but not feel stiff and help reduce frizz since it's always so humid. Well, on my search for the perfect hairspray I found something better.

I went to Amazon and searched for hair products. I always start with the highest star ratings first so I can read some reviews. I found a product called Alter Ego Hasty Bright and Shine LUX Glossing Spray.  There are only 7 customer reviews but they all gave it 5 stars. While the spray really isn't marketed for super hold (which is what I wanted), I decided to give it a try. I have been using it for about 2 weeks now and it really is great. It reduces frizz and adds shine to your hair without leaving buildup.  Usually my hair only feels this soft when I leave the beauty salon.  This product is so great that I'm not even flat ironing my hair right now!  And because it leaves no build up I can go about every 3 days before washing my hair. Before I washed my hair every other day. The best part is it's on sale at amazon right now for $8.50. This makes it a STEAL. If you want shiny, silky hair without the frizz, you gotta give this product a try. I can always find extra hold hairspray anywhere, right?

Capacity Overload

Okay, so do ya'll ever feel like there is just not enough time in the day to get things done? I'm sure you do. For some reason, I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off the last couple weeks.  Fall is always just way to busy. On top of my monthly little clubs I'm a apart of, I am helping plan my 10 year high school reunion and my reunion for chi-o pledge class at LSU.  It's not easy trying to find people that aren't on facebook or you haven't laid eyes on since you left.  Not to mention collecting the money. Nightmare! Let's squeeze in my job throughout the day, workouts, choir practice on Wednesday nights and cedar creek football on Fridays and all you're left with is maybe 1-2 nights at home a week. It's fun but last night I had reached my limit. 

I was tagging clothes for a consignment sale being held this weekend at the Ruston Fire Station.  You have to safety pin an index card to your clothing with the price, consignment #, size, and description written on it. Then you must safety pin the pants or skirts to a hanger so they hang down not across the bar.  This had taken me several hours to do. When Ben got home, he said he was starving and ready to eat.  So I stop what I was doing and go downstairs to the kitchen. I fixed my plate and had sat down to eat while he was still flipping through channels trying to find the perfect show to watch while he ate (that's a whole other post). All of a sudden he opens the refrigerator and says "why do you put safety pins in the refrigerator?"  I somehow had carried the box of safety pins down the stairs and put them in the fridge. I didn't even get anything out of the fridge to eat! I sat and thought about this and really couldn't recall doing it. I seriously need to take a breather. Maybe I'll go to yoga class. Any suggestions?

Warm Weather Weekend

Good Monday morning everyone! I hope ya'll had a fabulous weekend. I was going through some withdrawals cause I didn't get to watch any college football this weekend. But I did go shopping in Dallas so I survived.  From what I gather I didn't miss anything. LSU played horrible and the Bama game was a blow out. I do have to give a shout out to S. Carolina for defeating Georgia. Also poor Va. Tech. I bet the country didn't even know James Madison had a football team until Saturday night. It doesn't make Boise's win look very impressive now.

I knew I was going to have a great shopping experience when we walked into Northpark Mall and saw it was Fashion Night Out throughout the entire mall! It was open til 10pm and every store had wine and champagne for you as well as sale's throughout their entire store! Neiman's had a fabulous candy bar and Ben Vincent was there on behalf of  thesexysketch.com. He draws your profile and outfit "Vogue" style with permanent marker in 3 minutes. It was really impressive! I scored these fabulous Tory Birch flats for 60% off!!!!!!!!! I was so pumped. I love these flats and really do think they are super comfortable. I have a suede pair and they have held up great. If you're gonna splurge, go for a pair in a color besides black. It will really add a pop to jeans or leggings.  After the mall, we headed to Patrizio's in Highland Park Village. This is one of my favorite restaurants when I go to Dallas. The sausage cannanoli and the Lemon Pomegranate martini is to die for. 

Saturday was market with my mom to fill in on merchandise for her store Embellishments. Believe it or not Christmas is just around the corner. We did have time for some shopping before bedtime though. I found these Nine West Grey suede pumps and Black Adrienne Vittadini suede pump/bootie shoes from Marshall's (I love a good deal). Did I mention I have a shoe problem?  Sunday was another day at market before heading back home. My feet were exhausted from walking up and down 12 stories of showrooms and when my head hit the pillow last night I was out. 

Thank goodness I was inside for most of the weekend cause it was really hot this weekend. I was so excited when I walked outside for my morning run that the weather was cool. It finally feels like fall. Not to mention my hair isn't frizzy today.  I'm thinking it could be time to break out the boots. At least I'll take them out of storage and put them out in my closet to make myself feel better.  I also remembered to set the DVR to Oprah (all new episodes) before I left for work today.  I have kinda been off the Oprah bandwagon over the past couple years but it is her final season and I know it will be anything short of fabulous.  I watched a special on the Today show this weekend saying she is trying to bring back every celebrity that has ever been on the show. Wow! And finally, Bachelor Pad finale is tonight. So sad. Who is gonna win the $250,000? Can't Wait!

Boots, boots, boots

I am so ready to wear fall boots. I thought for a brief moment this weekend when the low was 58 degrees I could break them out. But no, today it is 97 degrees and humid as ever. So I will wait. I am going to market this weekend in Dallas though and you can bet I'll be wearing some inside. Every year I say, I really don't need any boots. I bought so many pairs last year. However, every year I keep buying more. It seems that the style changes just ever so slightly that you keep coming back for more. Or maybe I have a shoe problem?

The boot I am probably most excited about this season is the over the knee boot. I admit, I was a bit scared of it last season but it has made a huge comeback this season. So I went ahead and bought a pair. I went for a flat, suede over the knee boot so it will look less subtle on than a leather over the knee boot. I will probaby only wear it with leggings or dresses but it will certainly add a punch to any outfit. 

Other boots I'm craving? A short bootie to transition into fall with. Pair it with a dress and cardigan and you're screaming Fall had arrived. A riding boot in brown. I love this look over jeans and a blazer. Very sophisticated. And finally a peep-toe bootie. I'm dying to pair it with a cocktail dress to add a bit of punk.

It's so crazy for me but fall/winter is really when I step out of the box in terms of my fashion sense. Spring/Summer months I'm very conservative and more preppy. I die for a cardigan. When boot season arrives, I feel more bold and like to be more fashion forward. It's strange. Does anybody else have this problem?

Feelin in the Air

I love the song "Feelin in the Air" by Better than Ezra. Every time I hear the song played it brings me back to my high school days and Friday nights. For those of you that don't know, I am a sports fan. Especially a football fanatic and this past weekend was one of the most anticipated weekends of the year. Yes it was the debut of College Football!  The weekend couldn't have started out any better. Friday I went to see my hubby's head coaching debut vs. Grambling Kittens and it started with a bang. 45-0 (Go Cougars)! Let's hope that it was because we are that good and not because Grambling was that bad. We will tell this week vs. J-Hodge but I have faith they will surprise some people this year.

The weather was a projected low of 62 degrees Friday and it did not disappoint. I even put on a light cardigan to finish the game. I awoke Saturday morning and it felt like early October. I knew it was gonna be a perfect day to watch some college football (I was tempted to put on my boots but I had already planned my outfit for the day- a purple top of course to support my tigers).  I watched every second from Kirk and the gang kicking off College Gameday (how fitting they covered LSU vs. UNC) to Sportscenter that night. I won't waste your time harping about how bad the LSU game was. If you saw it, you understand. I will just say we are still as predictable as last year. First play on offense, a Ridley run up the middle? Boring. Anyways, they pulled out a W.

I think lots of top 25 teams have a lot of work to do but that seems it's always the case the first game and it's fun to see how they progress throughout the season. Poor Ole Miss, they only have one place to go and that is up.  I was most impressed with the team that the media is most against. As much as I hate to admit it, USC looked really good.  Boise looked good too but I'm not ready to see a WAC team compete for the National Championship yet. Not until their strength of schedule increases. Anyways, I'll end on a fashion note. If your team hasn't got a Nike combat uniform yet, get ready. These are soooo tight! Va Tech wore theirs last night and they were fine. It's hard to make the hokie colors look good together but putting the orange and red against the black looked great and I love the dull helmet look for a change. I hope they wear them more than once this season. Although, maybe after last night's game they will return to their traditional uni's hoping they bring better luck!

My blog has moved

After contemplation I have changed my blog. I was originally on wordpress and decided to move to blogger. Since I decided to move, I thought why not change the name of my blog? I also thought what do I really want to talk about?  The answer was clear. Fashion. Yes, I have a slight obsession with clothes. Of course I will blog about whatever comes to mind, but I hope you enjoy taking this journey with me. Thanks for reading!
xo, Larkin