What I've been reading....

I've been reading books lately like it's going out of style.    But right now, here's what I've been reading around the internets.

Kendi Everyday : My Carry On Essentials (just in time for summer!)

(Because I can't help myself and this post was particularly intriguing):
Hey Natalie Jean! : Square Peg, Round Hole (You've got support here, sister!)

And my favorite person of all time,
A Mom Less Ordinary : May 2014 WhimseyBox (DIY Paper flowers.  Jealy you picked the brighter colors, Summ!)

And for non-screens reading:

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott
 and of course,
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. (I can't wait for the movie for #TFIOS on June 6!)
I'm currently reading Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler

Til next time, Happy Reading!

xo,
june

My go-to beauty products

It takes me forever to get ready in the morning. Part of this is because I spend the first 20 minutes after waking up trying to wake up. But the main reason is I love my makeup and products. Here are so of my must haves:

1. Illamasqua Nail Polish
Great formula, long lasting. Its a touch expensive, but in my opinion, totally worth it.

2. Urban Decay Eye shadows
Urban Decay is by far my favorite makeup brand. They have great colors, great quality, and new products all the time -- which is important for a beauty addict like me! I love the colors of their eye shadows.

3. Urban Decay Primer Potion
This is a daily MUST have -- it keeps your eye shadow bright and perfect all day long. I can run a 5K and my eye shadow stays in place thanks to this gem.

4. Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color 
I have not patience for lip color that doesn't last. Or lip color with eh color payoff. Once again, I turn to Urban Decay. And hot pink lip color? What could be better?

5. C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Balm
Last summer I almost had a panic attack when my local Bath and Body Works were out of stock -- and they stayed out of stock for months. This has been my lip balm for years. I don't know what I would ever do without it. Which is why I buy it 3-6 at a time!

6. Body Shop Brushes
For the past few years, the Body Shop has had a brush set that they sell at an incredible value (I think its $20-30). They are synthetic so they are cruelty free. But also importantly, they are great makeup brushes.

7. Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion
I bought this on a whim one visit, but I'm now in love. Used once a week, it gets rid of all my dead skin and leave me glowing!

8. Philosophy Peppermint Stick Shower Gel
I'm obsessed with peppermint -- anyway I can get it -- food especially, but also the scent. Every year around Christmas, Philosophy comes out with a new version of a peppermint body wash. I usually buy 2-3 and use it all year. This year, I only happened to grab one and now I'm so sad I'll run out in a month.

9. MAC Blot Pressed Powder
I wouldn't make it through the humid hot DC winters without this. It keeps the shine at bay.

10. Bumble and bumble Thickening Hair Spray and Straight Blow Dry
I have practically no hair. Its thin, and there is not much there. I try and trick everyone into thinking I have hair with these miracle products.

Finding my calm

Right now, I was supposed to be crossing the finish line of the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. Instead, I'm on my sofa, watching Scandal, and icing my foot. Not how I pictured this beautiful Sunday morning going. 

The past few months have been HARD. Running has been hard. Work has been hard. Life has been HARD. And I'm not great at slowing down, cutting back, or finding my calm. I just dig in and try harder. Run more, do more. But that is why I'm facing the situation I am today -- on my couch and not running. 

My shins have been killing me for months now. And I've tried everything: tapping them, compression socks, ice, heat, rest, stretching, new shoes, old shoes, foam rolling -- everything. This last week the top of my foot started to hurt. Figuring it was my new shoes, I went back to my old shoes but instead of feeling better, I felt even worse, so bad that walking hurt. Work has been intense. Late nights, lots of weekends, lots to do. I love what I do, but its just a lot. Life has been hard -- big decisions to be made, not enough time to spend with the people I love. 

So I'm on a forced rest. And I'm taking this opportunity to find my calm. I'm going to make a conscious effort to slow down. Get my life in order (i.e. clean the disaster of my apartment), get some extra sleep, cook real food, spend more time with Josh. This isn't going to be easy, but I hope it will be healing, for body and soul. 

Any advice on how to slow down? I could use some! 

Comfort clothing

I never understood the yoga pants as 'pants not to do yoga in but daily wear pants', until I had my 3rd kid.  I now, often spend most of my day in some sort of loungewear.  Sweats, yoga pants, pj bottoms, etc.
My husband teases me  for wearing yoga pants as my pants for living in, not working out in.  He says to me, "Hi, I work out.   I wear yoga pants to make it look like I work out", all the while making a running man type motion, with the occasional bum sticking out. while saying the above phrase.

But in all seriousness, I have this J Crew pullover heather gray hoodie I bought a few years ago that I bought in a moment of weakness.  It was a moment of weakness because it was during the stage of life now fondly known as "I give a damn".  Let's be honest though. A hoodie from J Crew screams FASHION vs a hoodie from say, Wal-Mart.  This hoodie does not scream FASHION but it is THE MOST COMFORTABLE piece of clothing I own.  I've been living in it daily.  I only wash it as needed,  for fear that it will one day die in the wash if I wash it too much.  It's gotten to the stage of perfect softness and wear, although it pretty much came this way.  I've been looking to find something similar from J Crew but no such luck.  It will truly be a sad day when this hoodie dies.

What's your favorite, most comfy piece of clothing you own?

me and my favorite hoodie

xo,

june

Big Changes

If you know me in real life, you probably know that I love your kids. I think kids are just the greatest thing ever. I have 3 nieces and 2 nephews and they are so awesome. Babies are my favorite (they are so squishy!) but I really do like kids. But for some reason the thought of having my own has been completely terrifying. But, this year, my sweet hubs and I have decided to try.... to have a baby that is. I'll admit, I'm completely freaked out.

I love my life. I have a job I love, and while I work long hours, I like the people I work with and I feel like I'm making a difference. I love lazy weekends where I don't have to do anything at all. Or pick up and spend the entire day with friends without thinking about anything at all.

I love to sleep. Really LOVE to sleep. Josh jokes that sleeping is my superpower. While I get decidedly less sleep than I used to (6 am runs, I'm looking at you) if I don't get at least 7.5 hours of sleep a night I'm a mess. Bring on the Diet Pepsi, I'm not going to make it through the day mess. I need at least one day a week were I can get a solid 10 hours - and its not a want - its a need!

I love my messy, small, cluttered apartment. I love paining my nails 5 nights a week if I want. I love the unstructured nature of my existence. How we can eat out most nights without even thinking about it. I love watching hours of TV, and reading whole books in a single day.

As I write all this, it occurs to me that I'm pretty selfish. I'm selfish with my time, my sleep, my personal space. And you can't be selfish with a baby. They need. Lots and lots of things.

But, they also love. The relationships that I have with children in my life has shown me how much love is packed into little tiny bodies. And how they want to share that. And if we are blessed with a baby, my life will be a whole lot less selfish, but also filled with a lot more love.

(If you have any advice, please share. I need all the help I can get!)

I am a runner

This is not something I ever thought I would say about myself 18 months ago – right before I started running. When I first started, running was so hard. And you know what? Its still SO HARD. I keep waiting for it to get easier, to be able to proudly declare “I am a runner!” but I don’t think that’s the kind of runner I am. It’s the most physically difficult thing I have ever done, and gosh if it isn't mentally tough as well.

I've been thinking about how hard running is a lot this winter, mostly because running has been torture. First of all, this winter has been cold. REALLY really cold. I've lived in Virginia for many years now and don’t ever remember so many really cold days. One run we had this winter, we were running along the tidal basin in DC, the wind was blowing, and we were running on packed snow/ice. The ice in my CamelBak was frozen.  At one point, when I got snow in my shoes, I just stopped. I couldn't go on. But because our car keys had run again, I was convinced to keep going. I was cold for days – shaking, with bright red splotches of skin. After another particularly cold early morning run in maybe 12 degree weather, my running friends and I instituted a temperature minimum of 15 degrees – which included the wind chill. That has helped, but gosh, running in 20 degrees is cold too.

I've also had a lot of injuries this winter. I've struggled on and off with shin splits, and this winter they were really bad. I also fell a couple times, twisting my ankle. Last time I fell, I lay on the ground wanting to cry, not from pain as much as from frustration. Luckily I run with really good people who dust me off, give me a hug, walk me home, and then bandage me up.

I've missed some of my really good running buddies. Due to a variety of circumstance, two really good running buddies were unavailable for part of the winter. Thankfully they took turns, and I have a few other really good running friends I can rely on too. I am so lucky in this regard. I have probably run alone for a total of MAYBE 10 times. That’s it. So lucky.

One weekend last month, I went for a run alone, and it was so hard. As I reflected on how hard it was, that is when I realized: I am a runner. If I wasn't, I would have given up a long time ago. 

Austenland

(I am not an unbiased reviewer of this film.  I have family ties to this so don't hate me)

Austenland, a movie based on the book similarly titled by Shannon Hale, comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray today!  The film is rated PG-13.

I cannot write a review that will do it justice so go rent it. Actually, go buy it. I know you'll love it.  If you've seen Napoleon Dynamite or Nacho Libre and love them, Austenland screenplay was co-written and directed by Jerusha Hess.  This chick flick is silly, kickin good time fun.  See with your girl friends.  Have a night in with junk food and watch this gem of a film.  Keri Russell plays an Austen fanatic so well.  Jennifer Coolidge is once again a comedic goddess and has fabulous one liners throughout.  Georgia King plays a fabulous part as a comical Austen-era lady.  The 4 leading men, JJ Feild (my personal FAV), Bret McKenzie, James Callis and Ricky Whittle set the screen ablaze with each of the men wooing in their own way.  Brooding, flirtatious, hilariously ridiculous and shirtless respectively.  jane Seymour. What can I say?  Such a lady.

Please support this film.  I promise you will love it.

xoxo,
june