30 January 2014

Eating Clean (ish) & Food Prep Tips

 Good morning, readers!

 As you all know if you follow me on instagram, (lets be friends!!) Jake and I started Crossfit about 3 months ago. I could say that my life has been changed forever, and I look like a Victorias Secret model and all that, but that would be lying.

I definitely love it, its the hands down best workout i've ever done in a quick amount of time, and i'm certainly stronger, but something i've really noticed is that without the proper diet, you're not giving your body the nutrition it needs to make it through the day, let alone make it through a freaking difficult WOD (workout of the day).

It's been awhile since this VERY old early Blog Post on food prep, and not only has our diet changed a whole bunch, but the way I prep has too.



Lets start with my grocery cart, shall we? When grocery shopping, I do about 80 % at Sams Club, and the other 20% at Walmart. I try to load up on my dry stuff & produce at Sams, and then will usually buy meat & odds and ends that I don't need tons of at Walmart.


All of these groceries cost just under $200.00, and will easily last us 2 weeks. I need to take a picture of our grocery list for you, but I basically make a meal plan of some dinners/lunches/breakfasts i'd like to eat over the next few weeks, and I list them in column A, from there, I pick out the ingredients I will need along with some staples & hit up the market. Things I love to help us stay on track-

Steak/Chicken/ Salmon
TURKEY BURGERS (this is my favorite. Can't live without them)
Greek Yogurt
TONS of Fruit
Belvita Breakfast Biscuits (I can't get enough of these)
Granola
Protein Bars
Quinoa/Brown Rice Mix
Vita Tops
Chocolate Ice cream
Coconut Water Popcicles

Okay those last 3 aren't necessarily the best for you, but mama loves her sweets, and there is no way i'm giving those up!

When I come home from the grocery store, we start putting  the food away, and I leave ALL of our produce out to wash/prep/put away.  This means, if i'm making spaghetti sauce with onions & peppers, I chop all those onions and peppers. Did I pick up a 2 lb carton of strawberries? Yep! And you better believe they're all being chopped today.



I fill one side of my sink with 1 cup of white vinegar, and a ton of water. Then I submerge a colander  that I will use to soak my produce. All I have to do is put it in there for a few minutes and it will kill any existing bacteria/mold spores on our produce which makes it last SO MUCH LONGER! After, I just take the colander out and give it a rinse in the other side.



The problem is once the work week starts, I find it literally impossible for me to have even the slightest desire to cook after working all day, and then dying in the gym. I want to come home and collapse. So whatever work I can do on the weekend to simplify, I will! I'm so much more likely to reach for fruit and veggies as a snack if they're washed, cut and easy to eat. So I try to encourage myself to make those healthy choices


This is what it looks like when i'm done. Everything contained, ready to be devoured! I like to set out veggies to munch on before dinner, and to toss in my lunch bag as a snack when i'm bored at work. Speaking of work! That brings me to my last tip...BRING LUNCH!


Not only will this save you TONS of money, you will be able to make the best choices about what you're putting into your body for the day. I usually pack breakfast/lunch and 2 snacks. Above I have

1) Greek Yogurt/Belvita Breakfast biscuits for Breakfast
2) Mid Morning Snack! A  bowl of antioxidants. Pomegranate, Blueberries, and a few sliced Strawberries
3) Lunch! Garlic Quinoa Salad with Cucumbers/Cherry Tomatoes & FETA! & a laughing cow cheese with some whole grain crackers
4) Afternoon snack- Granola with dark chocolate chips & if i'm still hungry (because I tend to be starving in the afternoons) some special K Pop Chips

My meals look something like this. I recognize this isn't all "clean" and it certainly isn't what you'd find on the plate of someone who was really looking to lose a bunch of weight and stick to a strict clean diet, but for me, it's all about balance! I like to eat as clean as possible, while throwing in other food that I really enjoy as well.

So there you have it! How I try to maintain a healthy (ish) diet! This was a marathon of a post, and I'm certainly no expert, but I hope that using a tip or two you find yourself feeling healthier than ever. Remember, whoever said "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels", is a big fat liar. Chocolate Ice Cream is freaking delicious. Its all about balance my friends :)

Until Next Time,

xoxo Kylie


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29 January 2014

DIY Salon Blowout at Home!

Hey, ya'll! Thank you so much for checkin' out my DIY Salon Blowout tutorial! If you like beauty tutorials, be sure to check out my YouTube Channel! Or just click the link above to check out my Beauty Page. I hope you enjoy! xo


Hello you lovely ladies! I hope your week is off to the most fabulous start! We're halfway done...we can make it to the weekend!

http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4210617


Today i'm going to get super weird with a ton of selfies to show you how I blowout my hair at home. There is seriously something about a salon blowout that makes you feel like a WHOLE NEW WOMAN! I don't know about you, but when my hair looks nice, I seriously feel so much better about the entire day. While I would absolutely LOVE to have someone wash my hair for me every day of the week and then style it to perfection, 1) aint nobody got time for 'dat and 2) unfortunately, i'm not married to Daddy Warbucks and at nearly 40-100 dollars a salon visit...aint nobody got the funds for 'dat also. So with a few of my favorite drug store products, I do it to myself at home! And with a little practice...you can too!

Lets start with your product lineup...





1) Split End protector (I use Alterna Kendi Oil Dry Mist)
2) Heat Protector (Tresemme-Drugstore)
3) Root Booster (John Frieda- Drugstore)
4) Mouse (Tresemme-Drugstore)
5) Hair Dryer (this should really have a blowdry attachment, however mine doesn't...do as I say not as I do ;)
6) Round Ceramic Brush (Conair-Drugstore)
7) Alligator Clips (Section & Set by Conair-Drugstore)
8) Flex-Hold Hairspray (Tresemme-Drugstore...I swear the fine folks at Tresemme do not sponsor any of my posts...I just LOVE their products so!)
9) If you want your style to last...dry shampoo! (Not your Mothers-Drug Store)

Alright, now that we have our products ready...are you strapped in to see more pictures of myself than you ever thought you would? Yes? Then lets get started!


Start with wet, clean, just out of the shower hair. The face is optional..

Step One: Prep!




Spray your ends with your dry oil mist, or any other split-end protector you're using. Then, spray your entire head with your heat protector, and brush any tangles out of your hair.

Step 2: Volume-ize!




First, apply your root booster all over your crown, and with your fingers, massage it into the hair cuticle, focuzing on bumpin' up that volume baby! Next, apply your mouse to your roots making sure you work it in really well. (PS...this is way more mouse than I needed. It came out really fast and I ended up only using half of whats in my hand!)

Step 3: Dry to 80 %



With my blowdryer, I just flip my hair upside down and blow it without a brush until its about 80 % dry. You can also just put it up and go do your makeup and let it airdry a bit. You just want most of the moisture to be out before you start the fun part!

Step 4: Section and Blowdry!


Next, I use my alligator clips and section my hair in half. I then take my bottom section, and cut that in half to start round brushing it out. If you're like me, you want the bottom section to be the longest part of your blowout, so make sure while you're round brushing, you're pulling your brush down, and twirling it at the end to give a slight curl. I usually have to do 2-3 brush pass- threw's for my hair to be set how i'd like it.

Step Five: Set your bottom section


To make sure my body & curl last, I wrap my hair away from my face  in my round brush, and blowdry for 10 seconds. Then I blast it will cool hair and let it sit for another 10 seconds. After I unwrap, it will look like this. (Pardon the awkward boob shot)


Step Six: Top Layer



The top layer is my favorite part! We added all that volume-izing product to our roots, so now we want to bump it up, am I right?! Make sure for all of your top sections that you're taking your round brush and pulling it up, as opposed to pulling it down how we did for the bottom section. This will amp up your volume, and ensure all the product we applied is put to good use!

Step Seven: Set those strands baby!


When my hair is dry and bouncy just the way I like it, I flip my hair over and apply some flex-hold hairspray. The entire point of a blowout is for your hair to look touchable and lovely, so don't over do it with this part! You want just enough product for your hair to set.


I usually spray a little kendi-oil on my palms and use that to sort of finger-comb through my strands. It just polishes the look off and gets rid of any frizz.


(Mid yelling at Jake for being the worlds worst assistant photographer..at least he's cute) This is what you will end up with! Straight, shiney hair that curls towards the end. I LOVE a good blowout!

I mentioned in this post that the key to keeping my long hair healthy is only washing it once every 2 or 3 (more likely 3) days. To help my blowout last longer, if my hair is looking a little flat on day 2 or 3, I simply spritz some dry shampoo into my roots, let it sit 5-10 minutes, and brush it out! This ensures those 20 minutes I spent doing my hair last me days. (what can I say...I'm lazy when it comes to this beauty business!)

And because I feel like I haven't posted enough awkward selfies ...here are 3 more

things just got weird. :)

I'm all about getting that high-end look for less, and with these steps you can save yourself tons of $$$ by just doing it yourself!







Until Next Time,
 Kylie

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22 January 2014

Dry Skin/Hair/Face ESSENTIALS!

 Good afternoon, readers!

 I hope your hump day is off to a fabulous start. If you're like most of the country you woke up and it was COLD today. (Probably lots of snow too!) I'm doing a happy dance that the snow storm missed us, so I can at least pretend Spring is on its way. After Christmas is over, I detest everything that is winter. Sweaters are making me cry, the mere sight of mittens throws me into depression. Can it be sundress season yet? For me, the worst part of the winter is my HORRIBLE DRY SKIN/FACE/LIPS/HAIR! It's like every bit of moisture is sucked right out of me. I hate it! No fear though, this San Diego girl has found some of the BEST products to help beat the dry skin blues. And the best part? Most of them are from the drug store!

Lets start with our face. My biggest issues? Dry patches, and chapped flaky lips. (attractive, no?)








1) Olay Regenerist Serum. Couldn't live without it. I've been using it for as long as I can remember. It is SO moisturizing, and even in my high-breakout high school years, its always been gentle enough for my acne prone skin. I put it on first thing after washing my face in the morning, under my moisturizer.

2) Borghese Hydrating Mud; This mask is heavenly! It's so soothing.You put it on your skin, and you instantly become the green mask monster, but it has a light tingle to it, and I swear my skin feels SO smooth afterwards. I use it every 2 or 3 days.

3) St. Ives Apricot Scrub; Another product i've been using since high school. This scrub is EVERYTHING when it comes to my skincare routine. It helps to prevent breakouts, and all those rough areas I have in the winter time are polished away. Remember, it's so important to exfoliate so your moisturizer can get down into your skin!

4) Burts Bee's Intense Hydration Night Cream; I put this on every night before bed. Its light and smooth so you don't feel like you just smeared grease into your face, but it is SO moisturizing. It's never given me a breakout either.

5) Burts Bee's Intense Hydration Day Cream; this is the best day moisturizer you will EVER use! I am hooked. Its so thick and creamy, yet just PERFECT under foundation. When layered with my Regenerist, I never have to worry about drying out through the day.

6) Fresh Lip Polish this stuff is definitely pricier than I would usually list for something like a lip scrub, but it is AMAZING. I use it every other day to buff away the dry chapped skin on my lips. I've never struggled with chapped lips quite like I do since moving out south, and this polish has been a lifesaver. It's full of yummy essential oils too that leave your pout feeling moisturized and happy.

7) EOS Medicated Lip Balm; EOS products are amazing. I love the delicious smells and they're always so hydrating. I use the medicated lip balm before bed to really soak down deep into my lips, and I use it throughout the day to give my lips a pretty "shine" without lip gloss.

8)  Loreal Glow Drops; I just recently began using these and they've quickly become a go-to when i'm feeling dry. Right out of the shower I put just a few of these drops on my hand and rub them into my face & neck. You'd think with it being all essential oil that it would leave you feeling "greasy" but it is so quickly absorbed, and hasn't left me with a breakout yet!

Okay...after those 8 products your face should be GOOD-TO-GO! Moving onto Body...


1) Vaseline Cocoa Radiant; this body lotion is so thick and rich I couldn't live without it! It really sinks down deep, and its perfect for every day. Slather on after the shower and feel your dead skin melting away.

2) Philosophy FIeld of Flowers; did I mention i'm craving Spring? This lotion is so light and delicious smelling. I mix a pump in with my cocoa butter and moisturize all over!

3) Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash; this is the only body wash I will use. It doesn't strip your skin like most cleansers, and I love the delicious smell.

4) Sweet Pea Body Scrub; i've been using the same jar forever, and I guess they don't sell it anymore because I couldn't find it on the website, so I linked up a similar scrub here! If my skin is feeling extra dry and in need of a little-lovin' I use this scrub on my problem areas and BOOM i'm back in business. And nothing smells quite as delicious as sweet pea :)

Now that your body and face are basking in moisturized luxury, lets take care of those locks, shall we?



Let me start out by saying, I only wash my hair once every 2 or 3 days, and I really think that helps keep it so healthy. I know this won't work for all hair types, but I highly suggest going as long as you feel comfortable (and clean!) without washing to prevent stripping of those lovely hair oils :) But in case you do need a little moisture intervention...

1) Tresemme Intense Moisture Shampoo; I never stray from this shampoo/conditioner combo. Its literally 3 dollars for THIRTY TWO OUNCES, it moisturizes without weighing my hair down, and I will never (I really mean NEVER) use another shampoo.

2)  Tresemme Intense Moisture Conditioner; see above. This stuff just rocks.

3) Garnier Deep Conditioning Masque; I usually only use this after I dye my hair, or if my hair is feeling particularly damaged. Its affordable, it works amazing, and you can conveniently pick it up at the drugstore. Works for me! :) 

4) Alterna Kendi Oil Dry Mist; without a doubt, this is my #1 of all time couldn't live without hair product. Y'all. I will never be able to explain my love for this product. I have naturally wavy-frizzy hair. With 4 sprays of this magic on my wet hair, my hair drys like a freaking Pantene commercial. I haven't touched my flat iron in months. When I curl my hair, I like to ensure my curls last a few days. With the use of this product, I will literally just brush my curls out, spray a few times and its like a brand new hair day. I want to hoard this and take up stock because I will never have a bad hair day without it :)


Do you feel moisturized? Do you feel like I just gave you 16 products you'll never use? Or that I just wasted 20 minutes of your time? I hope not! Please try at least a few of these products for yourself and bask in the rich moisturized goodness. 

Lets all rally to kick this winter crap in the family jewels, shall we?


Until Next time,

xo Kylie



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16 January 2014

Accent Chairs & One Kings Lane

 Happy Thursday, Friends!

 I know I said it yesterday, but BOY am I looking forward to the weekend. In a big, giant, counting-down-the-minutes way :)

On a weird side note that I have to mention...I began cutting the envelope liners for our wedding invitations last night {similar to the ones I made here for our Save the Dates}. Anyways, the glitter paper I bought seriously got EVERYWHERE and I feel like I have discoballs in my eyes as I type this. Now that we have that random fact over with...


Today I want to share with you what is probably my favorite corner of our entire house. I just love this blue chair so much, for several reasons, and I can't wait to tell you why :)

One Kings Lane recently contacted me and asked me to share my favorite accent chair in our home, and without hesitation, I knew it would be ol' blue.

Let me count the reasons I love thee...


Big, deep tufts that are so comfy when I flop down after a long day. Beautiful, crisp clean white frame work that adds to my shabby chic home. The best blue color that just pops against all of the white in the house. You are a chair after my own heart, ol' blue.


As if that wasn't enough reason to love you so, right when you think you're in love, she shocks you with a gorgeous, fun floral pattern on her backside. What can I say. Baby got back.

And what might be the reason I love you most, oh yeah...you were a 60 dollar Craigslist find from a local furniture refurbish-er. Ol' Blue...I promise you will always have my heart :)

If you guys are hoping to add a fun statement chair to your home decor, I HIGHLY suggest you check out the Home Decor Resource page over at One Kings Lane, as you can find tips, tricks and of course BEAUTIFUL furniture at an amazing discount! This is a cheap-brand-name furniture lovers dream! 

Do you have a  favorite corner of your home? What about a favorite accent piece? Lately i've been on the lookout for an ottoman to replace our big-bertha coffee table. Let me know your thoughts!

Until Next Time,

Kylie





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15 January 2014

Cereal Box Drawer Dividers

Good morning, Friends! Happy Hump-Day!

 Is it just me, or is this week DRAGGING ON BY?! I realize I practically say this every week, but this one is like molasses in Winter.


I know everyone in blog land has been talking over their lengthy New Years Resolutions. I have so many, but I really don't want to be held accountable for them (you think i'm joking) so I try to just keep them to myself in case all of them aren't completed. 

I will tell you my largest resolution though is to GET OUR SHIT UNDER CONTROL. I am about to show you some serious dirt in this series of Operation Organization, and i'm asking you as my dear blog friends, please don't judge me. :)

Lets start with the Junk Drawer, shall we? This place was ridiculous. I mean RIDICULOUS. Out of control is an understatement. Are you ready? Okay...here goes nothing...


I told you it was bad!!!! This place was a "catch all" for all of the junk we were either too lazy to put away, or didn't really have a spot for. We couldn't even close the drawer half the time because it was bursting at the seams with TRASH!. Now that's embarrassing. I knew there had to be another way, so I set out to Organize it and make it pretty. Oh, and did I mention I needed to do this for free?

With 4 months until the wedding/honeymoon every last penny we have is going towards final details. To avoid spending the big-bucks on a drawer that is essentially filled with junk, I used my girl at I Heart Organizing, and got a little creative.


I went into the pantry and collected all of the boxes I could. Snacks, cereal, you name it. These make the perfect drawer dividers! They're free, they're easy to create, and its even easier to make them pretty. I sat on the floor in my living room and sliced each one down to the size of my drawer.

Once that was done, I just made sure everything fit and would meet our needs...and then the real fun started.



Who's ready for a game of "find that item!". Who can find the fly trap? What about the lint brush, or 4 different types of batteries? Absolutely insane is what this drawer was! Oh and did I mention somewhere in that pile is an entire roll of tangled fishing line? WHAT?!


I covered all of my boxes with some pretty wrapping paper we had on hand, and just filled them up based on things that were truly necessary to the kitchen junk drawer. Every time we open this drawer, its the biggest relief to find that pretty paper staring back at me, and to know that everything has a place, and even better everything is in its place. Nothing like knocking a little project off your list, #amiright? Yes, I just used a hashtag in a blog post.


I hope to be back with some beautiful inspiration from One Kings Lane, and my favorite accent chair!

Until Next Time,

Kylie



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06 January 2014

Hot Beverage Station

 Good morning, readers!

 I know you're probably asking yourself why i'm never around! Well, with the holidays, and the fact that the wedding is literally just a few short months away, I really needed to take some weekends to not "do anything myself", or work on house projects, or build anything or do anything of worth, really! I just needed to spend some time with family, knock off some wedding to-do's and enjoy the season.

That being said, I can't spend the next 145 days giving you nothing but excuses, so I promise to fill your time with a fun project or two, even if the big-time DIY takes a back seat until "I-do!" :)



Its soo sad to say, but just because Christmas is over, sadly, doesn't mean Winter is. When we lived in San Diego, January 2nd was the official first day of Spring to me. Once Christmas was over...so was Winter!

Arkansas is a  much, much different story. As I write this I am snowed in and freezing my tushy off. We're in the negative temperatures with wind chill. What the freaking freak?!


That being said, a delicious warm beverage is a MUST in this weather, so I make sure we have all the necessities stocked up.

If you know me, you know I love a "station". Like my Christmas Card Mailing Station. I just love to have everything in one place, organized, and easy to access. Really, all I needed to do for this station is add some cute jars, and a serving tray, and it became a happy little spot to keep all our warm drink essentials.

Which Are:


1) Ground Coffee- this one is for Jake. He likes it strong, dark, and handsome. I mean...
2) Tazo Green Tea- I drink this almost every morning with honey. It is the PERFECT pick-me-up since I don't drink Coffee
3)Flavored Coffee- Jake got some Kahlua coffee in his stocking and it smells HEAVENLY. We keep it on the tray too
4) Instant Peppermint Mocha packets- I'm not a coffee drinker, but when it tastes like this, I make exceptions.
5) Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows. This ones for me. I drink it every night before bed. 2.5 heaping spoonfuls in a large glass. MMMMM
6) Refillable K-Cup. For all you Keurig lovers out there, how do live without one of these things?! K cups are SO expensive, and these refillable ones make everything so much thriftier.
7) Of course...cute paper straws. No one can resist them and their trendiness.

I love a nice hot beverage...and I love it even more when it looks pretty on my countertop. I highly suggest running to your Target Dollar Spot and picking up a tray and some cute Jars ASAP!



Until Next Time,

xo Kylie




Skip to my Lou/Keeping It Simple Crafts/DIY Showoff/Home Stories A to Z / Uncommon Designs /Sugar and Dots / The Winthrop Chronicles
The Girl Creative  / The Shabby Creek Cottage
Liz Marie Blog / Tater Tots & Jello / Shabby Nest / Whipper Berry /Funky Junk Interiors / Serenity Now /Classy Clutter / Someday Crafts
Reasons to Skip the Housework / Six Sisters Stuff / Be Different Act NormalLife with the Crust cut offThe Turquoise Home /  Ginger Snap Crafts /

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