What's In My Make-Up Bag
"Andrea Nine," "christy," "Sarah," "Shaunacey," "what's in my"
- August 02, 2016
- 0 Comments
Good Morning! It's Christy from rsquared here today for the second installment of our 10 years forward series. It all started while a few of us were discussing the book What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. The book is about a woman that falls off a spin bike and wakes up thinking it was 10 years earlier. This is one of my favorite books, probably because I enjoy a weekly spin class and know how much it would hurt to fall off your spin bike! Don't worry, I hold on tight.
Let's take a look at where I'll be in 10 years. I'll be an almost 47 year old woman with a husband of almost 21 years and 2 boys aged fifteen and eighteen. Grady will have just graduated from high school and Cooper will be about to enter high school.
Am I the only one who has never actually sat down to think of where my life will be in 10 years? Sarah did such a good job of being specific about where she imagined her and her family and I am stumped. Is it bad that I've never really thought about it?
This was a good task for me and forced me to think about where I want my life to be vs where it will be realistically. Trust me there is a big gap. Something tells me I won't be living in Hawaii training for marathons and sipping cocktails by the pool.
Realistically I will still be working. Ideally, I would like to work 3 days, but I don't foresee myself ever going back full time. My job will be similar to what I am doing now as I don't plan (or want) to move any higher in my profession due to extra stress that I don't want. I like having a boss that can point me in the right direction and make the decisions that matter. I like to save my energy for dealing with the family and the chaos that will inevitably be occurring in my household with 2 teenage boys!
I will still be fit. I hope to have completed one half marathon. As my kids get older and can babysit themselves, I hope to actually increase my fitness levels which will help in my half marathon training.
I will still be surrounded by the same network of friends that have supported me through the trials and tribulations for having a young family. Instead of talking about diapers, sleep schedules, and breastfeeding we will be talking about dating, sex, and universities. While the topics of conversation may change the support that my posse will provide won't.
I will still be a hockey mom. I am not sure if Cooper will continue with hockey all the way to high school but given Grady's love of the sport, I foresee him sticking with it all the way. I expect that my love of watching the kids play sports will increase over the years. Once I finally learn what offside is I will understand the sport fully. When Cooper decides what it is he wants to do as an extra curricular activity I will support him fully and be his biggest cheerleader. Who knows, he may stick decide to stick with hockey in which case this hockey mom will be very busy! Secretly, I hope he does.
We will be living in a new home. We bought our current house 12 years ago, the year before we got married. It was our first home and while we did a great job in choosing it, we are outgrowing it. We have been looking around for something new but we are very particular. James is looking for a bigger garage, I would like a nice kitchen and a bigger closet, and the kids would like a yard that is big enough for a trampoline and a basement made for mini sticks. #priorities
We will still be close to taking our last summer vacation to Kelowna. I really hope that the kids come to BC with us every summer for the next 10 years, but after they graduate, I realize that the chances of them wanting to vacation with their parents are slim. It makes me sad to realize we only have 10 more family summer vacations. I wonder if I continue to pay if they will continue to come. Fingers crossed.
For our 20 year anniversary I would love to go to Italy. I don't feel ready to leave the kids long enough to go on a 'real' vacation yet. But by then they should be mostly self sufficient and Grandma can just come and vacation at our house while the kids come and go. Book it in your calendar Grandma! September 2025!
For someone that had never thought about what the future holds, I came up with lots of thoughts on where I want to be. It will be interesting to look back at this post in 10 years and see how well I did.
Where do you think you'll be in 10 years?
Christy is a regular contributor for the Blended Blog and maintains her personal blog, RSquared. She is also a working mom to 2 boys and a wife to James. She loves everything to do with family, friends, fashion, fitness... and wine!
Let's take a look at where I'll be in 10 years. I'll be an almost 47 year old woman with a husband of almost 21 years and 2 boys aged fifteen and eighteen. Grady will have just graduated from high school and Cooper will be about to enter high school.
Am I the only one who has never actually sat down to think of where my life will be in 10 years? Sarah did such a good job of being specific about where she imagined her and her family and I am stumped. Is it bad that I've never really thought about it?
This was a good task for me and forced me to think about where I want my life to be vs where it will be realistically. Trust me there is a big gap. Something tells me I won't be living in Hawaii training for marathons and sipping cocktails by the pool.
Realistically I will still be working. Ideally, I would like to work 3 days, but I don't foresee myself ever going back full time. My job will be similar to what I am doing now as I don't plan (or want) to move any higher in my profession due to extra stress that I don't want. I like having a boss that can point me in the right direction and make the decisions that matter. I like to save my energy for dealing with the family and the chaos that will inevitably be occurring in my household with 2 teenage boys!
I will still be fit. I hope to have completed one half marathon. As my kids get older and can babysit themselves, I hope to actually increase my fitness levels which will help in my half marathon training.
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I will still be a hockey mom. I am not sure if Cooper will continue with hockey all the way to high school but given Grady's love of the sport, I foresee him sticking with it all the way. I expect that my love of watching the kids play sports will increase over the years. Once I finally learn what offside is I will understand the sport fully. When Cooper decides what it is he wants to do as an extra curricular activity I will support him fully and be his biggest cheerleader. Who knows, he may stick decide to stick with hockey in which case this hockey mom will be very busy! Secretly, I hope he does.
We will be living in a new home. We bought our current house 12 years ago, the year before we got married. It was our first home and while we did a great job in choosing it, we are outgrowing it. We have been looking around for something new but we are very particular. James is looking for a bigger garage, I would like a nice kitchen and a bigger closet, and the kids would like a yard that is big enough for a trampoline and a basement made for mini sticks. #priorities
We will still be close to taking our last summer vacation to Kelowna. I really hope that the kids come to BC with us every summer for the next 10 years, but after they graduate, I realize that the chances of them wanting to vacation with their parents are slim. It makes me sad to realize we only have 10 more family summer vacations. I wonder if I continue to pay if they will continue to come. Fingers crossed.
For our 20 year anniversary I would love to go to Italy. I don't feel ready to leave the kids long enough to go on a 'real' vacation yet. But by then they should be mostly self sufficient and Grandma can just come and vacation at our house while the kids come and go. Book it in your calendar Grandma! September 2025!
For someone that had never thought about what the future holds, I came up with lots of thoughts on where I want to be. It will be interesting to look back at this post in 10 years and see how well I did.
Where do you think you'll be in 10 years?
Christy is a regular contributor for the Blended Blog and maintains her personal blog, RSquared. She is also a working mom to 2 boys and a wife to James. She loves everything to do with family, friends, fashion, fitness... and wine!
Today I dropped off my kids at day one of summer camp, Pedalheads bike camp. You see teaching my kids to ride on 2 wheels was never something I looked forward to. While some people may accept the challenge, I was more about paying someone to do it for me while being a cheerleader from the side lines.
You see, this camp is spectacular because it teaches our child to ride on 2 wheels. You drop your child off on day 1 with the training wheels firmly attached and when you pick your child up that same day, said training wheels are in the child's back pack. As a parent, you just need to resist temptation when your son asks you repeatedly to please put them back on. By day 5 both my kids were riding on 2 wheels like champs. Obviously there are some exceptions, but if they are ready, this camp will get them there in 5 days or less.
While I had my oldest son Grady almost on 2 wheels when we arrived on day 1 of his first camp, my younger son was very attached to his balance bike and not really willing to give 2 wheels a try. If you have young children, or even if you don't, you will recognize the balance bike as the normal looking bike with no pedals. It looks odd as kids as young as 2 years old can be seen coasting along the bike path on what looks like a 2 wheeled bike. With no pedals. We chose the strider bike because at the time there were very few options. Now I see all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes on the paths.
We bought the strider bike for my older son and he wanted nothing to do with it. Nothing. He would barely even humor us by sitting on it. It collected dust in our garage until our younger son Cooper decided he wanted to bike like his big brother, who by this time had completed his first summer of bike camp. Cooper liked his bike too much. He loved his balance bike and he got very VERY good at it. See for yourself how fast he could go. Keep in mind, this bike has no brakes.
Password is balance
When you look at the speed that this kid got on his bike and the fact that there are no brakes, the easiest, and most convenient way to stop is to drag your feet. The destruction this does on your shoes is beyond words. See photo.
This kid needed to get on 2 wheels before he broke the bank with the amount of shoes he was destroying. Since I did a pretty good job of teaching Grady I was confident that I could teach Cooper as well. After all, they did say that if you could balance you could ride on 2 wheels. Easy Peasy. Or not.
Whoever said that teaching your child to ride on 2 wheels after mastering the balance bike was wrong. Terribly wrong. While my child was a superstar at balancing, his pedaling needed a lot of work. The first time I sat him on the bike with training wheels he fell off the back. Instead of pushing down on the pedals, he was pushing out and sliding his little tushy right off the back of his seat. We had some work to do.
I didn't hesitate in registering him in the same camp that was so successful at teaching Grady, and I wasn't surprised that they had the same luck with Cooper. Although he did put up more of a fight than Grady did and begged for his training wheels back on each night. Mid week he just accepted he wasn't getting them back and stopped asking.
This is the third year of the camp and instead of learning to ride their bikes they are learning how to ride on the street, hand signals, changing gears, and going on extended bike rides. Which is great since the hubs and I got brand new bikes last year. Family bike rides here we come.
I have such fond memories of biking to school daily and to my friends houses to play. It was my mode of transportation, my independence from my parents. I am thrilled to see my kids embracing their bikes and while times have changed changed and it no longer seems acceptable to our kids to bike to school solo as early or let them bike home from friends houses on their own, it gives them a sence of freedom and confidence that comes with riding solo.
I look forward to the family rides that lie ahead as our boys become more and more capable of cycling on their own for longer distances. I look forward to the days where they can get themselves to and from their friends houses, not because of the freedom it will bring me, but the freedom it will bring them.
Christy is a regular contributor for the Blended Blog and maintains her personal blog, RSquared. She is also a working mom to 2 boys and a wife to James. She loves everything to do with family, friends, fashion, fitness... and wine!
You see, this camp is spectacular because it teaches our child to ride on 2 wheels. You drop your child off on day 1 with the training wheels firmly attached and when you pick your child up that same day, said training wheels are in the child's back pack. As a parent, you just need to resist temptation when your son asks you repeatedly to please put them back on. By day 5 both my kids were riding on 2 wheels like champs. Obviously there are some exceptions, but if they are ready, this camp will get them there in 5 days or less.
While I had my oldest son Grady almost on 2 wheels when we arrived on day 1 of his first camp, my younger son was very attached to his balance bike and not really willing to give 2 wheels a try. If you have young children, or even if you don't, you will recognize the balance bike as the normal looking bike with no pedals. It looks odd as kids as young as 2 years old can be seen coasting along the bike path on what looks like a 2 wheeled bike. With no pedals. We chose the strider bike because at the time there were very few options. Now I see all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes on the paths.
We bought the strider bike for my older son and he wanted nothing to do with it. Nothing. He would barely even humor us by sitting on it. It collected dust in our garage until our younger son Cooper decided he wanted to bike like his big brother, who by this time had completed his first summer of bike camp. Cooper liked his bike too much. He loved his balance bike and he got very VERY good at it. See for yourself how fast he could go. Keep in mind, this bike has no brakes.
Password is balance
When you look at the speed that this kid got on his bike and the fact that there are no brakes, the easiest, and most convenient way to stop is to drag your feet. The destruction this does on your shoes is beyond words. See photo.
This kid needed to get on 2 wheels before he broke the bank with the amount of shoes he was destroying. Since I did a pretty good job of teaching Grady I was confident that I could teach Cooper as well. After all, they did say that if you could balance you could ride on 2 wheels. Easy Peasy. Or not.
Whoever said that teaching your child to ride on 2 wheels after mastering the balance bike was wrong. Terribly wrong. While my child was a superstar at balancing, his pedaling needed a lot of work. The first time I sat him on the bike with training wheels he fell off the back. Instead of pushing down on the pedals, he was pushing out and sliding his little tushy right off the back of his seat. We had some work to do.
I didn't hesitate in registering him in the same camp that was so successful at teaching Grady, and I wasn't surprised that they had the same luck with Cooper. Although he did put up more of a fight than Grady did and begged for his training wheels back on each night. Mid week he just accepted he wasn't getting them back and stopped asking.
This is the third year of the camp and instead of learning to ride their bikes they are learning how to ride on the street, hand signals, changing gears, and going on extended bike rides. Which is great since the hubs and I got brand new bikes last year. Family bike rides here we come.
I have such fond memories of biking to school daily and to my friends houses to play. It was my mode of transportation, my independence from my parents. I am thrilled to see my kids embracing their bikes and while times have changed changed and it no longer seems acceptable to our kids to bike to school solo as early or let them bike home from friends houses on their own, it gives them a sence of freedom and confidence that comes with riding solo.
I look forward to the family rides that lie ahead as our boys become more and more capable of cycling on their own for longer distances. I look forward to the days where they can get themselves to and from their friends houses, not because of the freedom it will bring me, but the freedom it will bring them.
Christy is a regular contributor for the Blended Blog and maintains her personal blog, RSquared. She is also a working mom to 2 boys and a wife to James. She loves everything to do with family, friends, fashion, fitness... and wine!
Create28 Week 3
"christy," "Create 28," "Deena," "joy," "Katie," "Leslie," "Shaunacey," "style," "style challenge," "summer"
We are only one week away from the end of our Create28 series and we've been having so much fun! We hope that you have been playing along and enjoying yourself as well!
If you are new to this style challenge, we have brainstormed daily prompts for you to use to create 28 new-to-you outfits this month! Think of the prompts as little bursts of inspiration to look at your closet in a different way!
Each day of the month, one Blended Blog contributor will showcase her interpretation of the daily prompt. We are hoping that you will visit each blogger and that you will play along, too! You can use our hashtag (#theblendedblogstyle) all week on Instagram and then you can come link-up here on Wednesdays!Here are this week's awesome looks!
On Thursday of last week, Katie from The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life shared her Sunglasses Style with us! She has several super-cute pairs and posed the question, "Do you buy fancy, pricey shades or are you more of an inexpensive sunglasses kind of a girl?"
Deena of Shoes to Shiraz is the epitome of a Ballpark Babe! She showed us what she wears and brings to her kids' games and she created a stylish outfit to support her team. Go Jays!
Shaunacey from Simply Shaunacey talked about her Easy On the Go Style. As a busy mom, Shaunacey has to wear something comfy but she manages to look oh-so-cute, too! Nothing beats a pair of shorts and a detailed top for easy summer style.
Joy of Quilty Joy Joy talked us through her struggles with finding the perfect Chambray Shirt. She chose to feature a fun one with a little Western flare!
Leslie from Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After nailed her Pinned It and Did It look! She walked us through her process, created fun collages and showed us her final product!
And our last look of the week is from Christy of RSquared. Christy showed us how to wear Mustard Mania during the summer months and even combined the color with the summer off-the-shoulder trend!
I hope you are having fun seeing The Blended Bloggers interpret our style prompts! Tomorrow it's Lisa's turn to wear Lovely Lace! And here are the rest of the prompts for this week:
Make sure to link-up your Create28 looks below and on Instagram (#theblendedblogstyle)!
Create28 Week 2
"Andrea Nine," "christy," "Create 28," "Deena," "Katie," "Leslie," "sheila," "style challenge," "summer"
Wow! Has it already been one week since our first Create28 review?!
Deena of Shoes to Shiraz took the summer trend Fringe and made it completely her own with this fun cardigan and an all-neutral outfit. How do you take trends and incorporate them into your own style?
Up next, Katie from The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life gave us the perfect formula for a Beach Bum look complete with a cute suit, a versatile coverup and a cool hat. What are your beach must haves?
Leslie from Once Upon a Time & Happily ever After showed us her newest sundress and three different ways to wear it! You gotta love a versatile, comfy dress this time of year!
Did you know that Christy from RSquared has the cutest Bold Bottoms? From a leopard-print skirt to this fun floral shorts, she's got some great statement pieces!
And what says Cook-Out Couture like a gingham dress?! Andrea from Living on Cloud Nine totally nailed this fun look for a summer barbecue!
And rounding-up our week is the lovely Sheila from Making the Most of Every Day in her Summer Swing Dress. Comfort is key when it gets hot and swing dresses are the perfect piece for being comfortable and looking cute!
Now it's your turn! Link-up your Create28 looks below and take a look at our prompts for the coming week!
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave
If you are new to this style challenge, we have brainstormed daily prompts for you to use to create 28 new-to-you outfits this month! Think of the prompts as little bursts of inspiration to look at your closet in a different way!
Each day of the month, one Blended Blog contributor will showcase her interpretation of the daily prompt. We are hoping that you will visit each blogger and that you will play along, too! You can use our hashtag (#theblendedblogstyle) all week on Instagram and then you can come link-up here on Wednesdays!Here are our fun looks from this week!
Deena of Shoes to Shiraz took the summer trend Fringe and made it completely her own with this fun cardigan and an all-neutral outfit. How do you take trends and incorporate them into your own style?
Up next, Katie from The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life gave us the perfect formula for a Beach Bum look complete with a cute suit, a versatile coverup and a cool hat. What are your beach must haves?
Leslie from Once Upon a Time & Happily ever After showed us her newest sundress and three different ways to wear it! You gotta love a versatile, comfy dress this time of year!
Did you know that Christy from RSquared has the cutest Bold Bottoms? From a leopard-print skirt to this fun floral shorts, she's got some great statement pieces!
And what says Cook-Out Couture like a gingham dress?! Andrea from Living on Cloud Nine totally nailed this fun look for a summer barbecue!
And rounding-up our week is the lovely Sheila from Making the Most of Every Day in her Summer Swing Dress. Comfort is key when it gets hot and swing dresses are the perfect piece for being comfortable and looking cute!
Now it's your turn! Link-up your Create28 looks below and take a look at our prompts for the coming week!
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave
Create28 Week 1
"Alison," "christy," "Create 28," "lana," "lisa," "Sarah," "sheila," "style," "style challenge," "Whitney"
Happy Hump Day, lovely readers of The Blended Blog! Today we are excited to review our first seven looks of this summer's Create28 series. If you are new to this style challenge, we have brainstormed daily prompts for you to use to create 28 new-to-you outfits this month! Think of the prompts as little bursts of inspiration to look at your closet in a different way!
Each day of the month, one Blended Blog contributor will showcase her interpretation of the daily prompt. We are hoping that you will visit each blogger and that you will play along, too! You can use our hashtag (#theblendedblogstyle) all week on Instagram and then you can come link-up here on Wednesdays!
Here are the looks from our Blended Blog contributors this week!
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave
Each day of the month, one Blended Blog contributor will showcase her interpretation of the daily prompt. We are hoping that you will visit each blogger and that you will play along, too! You can use our hashtag (#theblendedblogstyle) all week on Instagram and then you can come link-up here on Wednesdays!
Here are the looks from our Blended Blog contributors this week!
On June 1st, Lana of Two Teens and Their Mama showed us her Summer Go-To look! Chambray is a great go-to fabric during any season which makes this shift a perfect summer staple!
The next day, Lisa of Daily Style Finds featured a Surprise look for a fun vacation! The black and white motif is so chic and classic. Can't you imagine rocking that swimsuit in the French Riviera?
For day three, Whitney of Whitney à la mode wore an easy, breezy striped top for her Pretty Peplum look. Peplums are a great summer item because there is enough detail in the design of the shirt that you don't have to depend on layering to create interest.
Next up, Sheila of Making the Most of Every Day posted a fun twist of our prompt Nautical Navy. Her red stripes and starfish necklace are definitely sea-worthy without a touch of blue!
On Sunday, Sarah from Foxy's Domestic Side featured a beautiful Warm Weather Wedding look! She looks so feminine in her pretty pink skirt and lace top. How creative to wear a skirt and top combination instead of a dress!
Yesterday, Alison of Puppies and Pretties featured a Maxi Dress look. Isn't the print of her dress lovely! As she pointed-out, printed maxi dresses are another great stand-alone item for summer that you don't have to worry about layering!
And finally, today Christy of RSquared went above and beyond to show us all of her favorite Fun Flats. The Converse pictured above are definitely a classic summer staple!
And now it's your turn! Make sure to link-up your Create28 looks below! But first here's a look at this coming week's prompts!
Happy Friday friends! It's Christy here, and I'd like to introduce you to Michelle who blogs at MTbottles about baby bottles, water bottles, wine bottles and more! She has been a faithful participant in the Style Perspectives series and a great addition to Featured on Friday. Interestingly enough, as Michelle and I started e-chatting we realized that we grew up in the same town. We did not know each other as she is ahem a few years younger than me.
You can get to know a little more about Michelle by visiting her blog and reading 2 of her favorite posts here and here or by visiting her facebook page.
Let's get to know Michelle a little better.
Other than blogging, what do you do for a living (profession)?
I am a stay at home mom to a toddler, I work from the home office managing a construction company and 3 other small corporations. The framed piece of paper on the wall says I have a degree in Art and English Education, but instead of teaching, I recognized my calling to a less stressful environment and happily embraced living the satisfying and flexible life of a mom-boss.
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
What is something that people might be surprised to know about you?
I’m both blessed and cursed as an introvert and highly sensitive person. Contrary to the friendly, engaged interaction people encounter when they meet me, I struggle to maintain social interactions. A blessing is the thoroughness with which I process details and sensory input, but it takes a lot longer and lot more energy to do so. A blessing is I absorb and understand others’ emotions which can help me connect with them, but others' energies can also drain and upset me. A blessing is I recognize my introverted and sensitive characteristics and seek solitude as needed, but I can quickly become overwhelmed in stressful, busy situations.
What hobbies do you have other than blogging?
Besides blogging, art is my creative outlet. Painting, drawing, and hand-lettering are my favourite art forms lately. I’m a red wine enthusiast and express that passion as a home wine maker. I’m also an outdoor adventurist and nature lover. Nothing makes my soul happier than a cool breeze amidst a surrounding of trees, whether I’m out biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing.
What has been the most rewarding outcome of blogging?
Christy is a regular contributor for the Blended Blog and maintains her personal blog, RSquared. She is also a working mom to 2 boys and a wife to James. She loves everything to do with family, friends, fashion, fitness... and wine!
You can get to know a little more about Michelle by visiting her blog and reading 2 of her favorite posts here and here or by visiting her facebook page.
Let's get to know Michelle a little better.
Other than blogging, what do you do for a living (profession)?
I am a stay at home mom to a toddler, I work from the home office managing a construction company and 3 other small corporations. The framed piece of paper on the wall says I have a degree in Art and English Education, but instead of teaching, I recognized my calling to a less stressful environment and happily embraced living the satisfying and flexible life of a mom-boss.
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Creative. Fit. Mom.
What is something that people might be surprised to know about you?
I’m both blessed and cursed as an introvert and highly sensitive person. Contrary to the friendly, engaged interaction people encounter when they meet me, I struggle to maintain social interactions. A blessing is the thoroughness with which I process details and sensory input, but it takes a lot longer and lot more energy to do so. A blessing is I absorb and understand others’ emotions which can help me connect with them, but others' energies can also drain and upset me. A blessing is I recognize my introverted and sensitive characteristics and seek solitude as needed, but I can quickly become overwhelmed in stressful, busy situations.
What hobbies do you have other than blogging?
Besides blogging, art is my creative outlet. Painting, drawing, and hand-lettering are my favourite art forms lately. I’m a red wine enthusiast and express that passion as a home wine maker. I’m also an outdoor adventurist and nature lover. Nothing makes my soul happier than a cool breeze amidst a surrounding of trees, whether I’m out biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing.
What has been the most rewarding outcome of blogging?
Blogging satisfies a strong creative drive within me. I’ve always felt that I can best express myself through writing and in many ways it’s been a form of therapy. Getting thoughts out of my head and onto “paper” helps clear my mind. The ability to include visual design into blog posts and social media satisfies the artsy side. The social aspect of connected with like-minded people online is also rewarding for an otherwise isolated stay at home mom living on an acreage. I can do it all from the comfort and convenience of my own safe, homey, environment which makes blogging the most meaningful, fulfilling, creative venture I’ve taken on.
Which fashion trend do you currently love?
Leggings. Most definitely. Comfy, stretchy, versatile, activity-friendly leggings. I’m a workout-at-home or get-outside gal almost every day of the week, so the first thing I pull on in the mornings is often leggings. Pair them with a workout top, tunic, dress, cardigan, or a combination of any of those, and I’m set for most of the daily activities of exercising, grocery shopping, toddler chasing, house cleaning, or coffee with a friend.
What is your favorite (or dream) vacation destination?
Iceland… it’s not the typical white-beach-and-palm-trees getaway, but it’s a nature-loving introvert’s dream. The northern climate is perfect for my favourite outdoor activities, it has breathtakingly stoic landscapes, and a sense of isolation on the small country surrounded by ocean. I’ve felt drawn to go for several years; perhaps my nordic ancestry is calling me back home. Iceland may sound stark and cold, but then again that dream destination should be no surprise since my husband and I chose Alaska for our honeymoon.
Thank you so much for being a part of Featured on Friday Michelle!
Pop on over to Michelle's blog and give her some Blended Blog love.
Have a great weekend!
Which fashion trend do you currently love?
Leggings. Most definitely. Comfy, stretchy, versatile, activity-friendly leggings. I’m a workout-at-home or get-outside gal almost every day of the week, so the first thing I pull on in the mornings is often leggings. Pair them with a workout top, tunic, dress, cardigan, or a combination of any of those, and I’m set for most of the daily activities of exercising, grocery shopping, toddler chasing, house cleaning, or coffee with a friend.
What is your favorite (or dream) vacation destination?
Iceland… it’s not the typical white-beach-and-palm-trees getaway, but it’s a nature-loving introvert’s dream. The northern climate is perfect for my favourite outdoor activities, it has breathtakingly stoic landscapes, and a sense of isolation on the small country surrounded by ocean. I’ve felt drawn to go for several years; perhaps my nordic ancestry is calling me back home. Iceland may sound stark and cold, but then again that dream destination should be no surprise since my husband and I chose Alaska for our honeymoon.
Thank you so much for being a part of Featured on Friday Michelle!
Pop on over to Michelle's blog and give her some Blended Blog love.
Have a great weekend!
Christy is a regular contributor for the Blended Blog and maintains her personal blog, RSquared. She is also a working mom to 2 boys and a wife to James. She loves everything to do with family, friends, fashion, fitness... and wine!
If you are like me, after a long winter of indoor workouts, you crave getting outside and enjoying the fresh air that comes with spring. For the past 6 months my workouts have consisted of working out at the gym on the stair climber (my new favorite!) and running on the treadmill. I might throw in some abs, but only if my gym buddy suggests it. Outdoor workouts have been off the radar for several; months... until now.
As the weather changes, so does my workout attitude. I want fresh air, I want sunshine! I feel like getting outside on my lunch break and enjoying the weather makes me a happier person and probably more productive as well. Here are a few ways that I am taking my workouts outside this spring.
{one} Lunch time runs. When the forecast outside looks good, I head outside for a run instead of hitting up the gym. I can run much longer if I am actually moving and it is even better if I can convince someone to come with me!
{two} Long walks with friends. While I do walk outside with one friend all winter, it is easier to convince other gals to walk when the sun is shining. Per my fitbit, you can get 10,000+ steps on a 1.5 hour walk. Next time a girlfriend suggests going for dinner or drinks, suggest a walk instead, or walk to the pub instead of driving. Every step counts!
{three} Get your family moving. Just last week, my kids biked to the store for slurpees and I walked. I could have biked but by walking I got a better work out as I was forced to walk fast, or even run, to keep up!
{four} Be active while your kids play. My kids love going to the park just behind our house. When I go to the park with them I walk around the play structure while they play. Alternatively you can do step ups on a bench or do jumping jacks. Truthfully, I only do the last 2 if we are the only ones at the park!
{five} Be active with your kids. My kids like playing soccer in the field. Jump in and play with them instead of watching from the sidelines. I think I surprised the kids with how good I was. Dad wasn't the only one who played soccer growing up!
{six} Walk to run your errands. Last week I walked to the post office instead of driving. It took me 40 minutes instead of 5 minutes, but I ended up popping in at the bakery and grabbing a baby gift while I was out. As an added bonus, I had extra weight to carry on the uphill walk on the way home.
I'm a huge advocate of making health a lifestyle. Don't exercise because you want to eat an extra big dinner or to have a cupcake, exercise because it makes you feel good. It makes you stronger. It makes you more confident.
Get out there, grab your music or friend, and enjoy the sunshine. I promise you won't regret it!
Christy is a regular contributor for the Blended Blog and maintains her personal blog, RSquared. She is also a working mom to 2 boys and a wife to James. She loves everything to do with family, friends, fashion, fitness... and wine!
As the weather changes, so does my workout attitude. I want fresh air, I want sunshine! I feel like getting outside on my lunch break and enjoying the weather makes me a happier person and probably more productive as well. Here are a few ways that I am taking my workouts outside this spring.
{one} Lunch time runs. When the forecast outside looks good, I head outside for a run instead of hitting up the gym. I can run much longer if I am actually moving and it is even better if I can convince someone to come with me!
{two} Long walks with friends. While I do walk outside with one friend all winter, it is easier to convince other gals to walk when the sun is shining. Per my fitbit, you can get 10,000+ steps on a 1.5 hour walk. Next time a girlfriend suggests going for dinner or drinks, suggest a walk instead, or walk to the pub instead of driving. Every step counts!
{three} Get your family moving. Just last week, my kids biked to the store for slurpees and I walked. I could have biked but by walking I got a better work out as I was forced to walk fast, or even run, to keep up!
{four} Be active while your kids play. My kids love going to the park just behind our house. When I go to the park with them I walk around the play structure while they play. Alternatively you can do step ups on a bench or do jumping jacks. Truthfully, I only do the last 2 if we are the only ones at the park!
{five} Be active with your kids. My kids like playing soccer in the field. Jump in and play with them instead of watching from the sidelines. I think I surprised the kids with how good I was. Dad wasn't the only one who played soccer growing up!
{six} Walk to run your errands. Last week I walked to the post office instead of driving. It took me 40 minutes instead of 5 minutes, but I ended up popping in at the bakery and grabbing a baby gift while I was out. As an added bonus, I had extra weight to carry on the uphill walk on the way home.
I'm a huge advocate of making health a lifestyle. Don't exercise because you want to eat an extra big dinner or to have a cupcake, exercise because it makes you feel good. It makes you stronger. It makes you more confident.
Get out there, grab your music or friend, and enjoy the sunshine. I promise you won't regret it!
Style Perspectives - Statement necklace, jeans, Tee, and a cardi
"christy," "fashion," "spring style," "Style Perspectives"Happy Hump Day and thanks for joining us for week 7 of the Style Perspective Series.
First, let's take a look back at week 6 outfits put together by the ladies of The Blended Blog.
Congratulations to Vanessa and Brenda who scored the 2 most clicked links on last week's spring sweater prompt.
I love now Vanessa stepped out of her comfort zone with the orange sweater and leopard flats.
Brenda did a little pattern mixing with something she would wear consider her uniform year round. I see that leopard flats were a popular choice!
On to this week..... When the gals at TBB first decided to start this series, my choice was easy. I'm a jewellery person and I knew that my outfit would incorporate a statement necklace. There was a point
not too long ago that I wore only big bold pieces, now I've expanded my repertoire to include many dainty and longer necklaces.
I digress.
The outfit I chose I call my weekend uniform. I chose to style the biggest boldest necklace I own with jeans, a plain tee and a cardigan.
It meets certain criteria that are important to make it weekend wear and also something I feel good in.
1. The shirt is cotton and can easily be washed. When you are surrounded by boys that play outside and wipe their hands on you instead of themselves, you must be able to throw everything in the washer. Can you believe I went more than 3 years without wearing a sweater for this very reason? Just keeping it real.
2. Must have an outer layer. I am cold. I wear sweatshirts in the summer and bring a jacket to tropical destinations. Since the T shirt is short sleeved, I throw on a cardi for warmth. When I was on my sweater hiatus, this layer would be cotton as well. I've graduated to sweater cardis on the weekend.
3. Color mixing. While I could have chosen a blue cardi to pop and to match the necklace I opted to contrast it with the orange. Another thing I could have done is a printed cardi. I like pattern mixing as well so color mixing adds a little extra interest for me.
4. Flat and fun shoes. I just can't bring myself to wear my runners out and about. Converse would be a different story, but I don't own a pair. Yet. These Sam Edelman Leopard print flats are by far my most worn shoe. Followed closely by my neutral flats which I wish were Sam Edelman Felicia flats.
I did a little experiment to show you how easy it is to go from simple to sassy with a statement necklace and an outer layer. Here I am in jeans and a plain grey T shirt. While the outfit is OK, I am certain it can be better.
By adding a statement necklace and a completer piece the outfit is Christy approved and ready for the weekend! Well except for the blazer, I wouldn't wear that on the weekend unless I was leaving the house without the boys.
We are styling statement necklaces today.
The Guidelines:
Please link up 1-2 style posts only directly to a specific posts
The style posts which feature our selection of the week (statement necklace) will be featured on Instagram and pinned on Pinterest.
Please visit at least one other post in the link up and get to know one another!
Thank you for participation- come back next week to see who had the most clicks
First, let's take a look back at week 6 outfits put together by the ladies of The Blended Blog.
Congratulations to Vanessa and Brenda who scored the 2 most clicked links on last week's spring sweater prompt.
I love now Vanessa stepped out of her comfort zone with the orange sweater and leopard flats.
Brenda did a little pattern mixing with something she would wear consider her uniform year round. I see that leopard flats were a popular choice!
On to this week..... When the gals at TBB first decided to start this series, my choice was easy. I'm a jewellery person and I knew that my outfit would incorporate a statement necklace. There was a point
not too long ago that I wore only big bold pieces, now I've expanded my repertoire to include many dainty and longer necklaces.
I digress.
The outfit I chose I call my weekend uniform. I chose to style the biggest boldest necklace I own with jeans, a plain tee and a cardigan.
It meets certain criteria that are important to make it weekend wear and also something I feel good in.
1. The shirt is cotton and can easily be washed. When you are surrounded by boys that play outside and wipe their hands on you instead of themselves, you must be able to throw everything in the washer. Can you believe I went more than 3 years without wearing a sweater for this very reason? Just keeping it real.
2. Must have an outer layer. I am cold. I wear sweatshirts in the summer and bring a jacket to tropical destinations. Since the T shirt is short sleeved, I throw on a cardi for warmth. When I was on my sweater hiatus, this layer would be cotton as well. I've graduated to sweater cardis on the weekend.
3. Color mixing. While I could have chosen a blue cardi to pop and to match the necklace I opted to contrast it with the orange. Another thing I could have done is a printed cardi. I like pattern mixing as well so color mixing adds a little extra interest for me.
4. Flat and fun shoes. I just can't bring myself to wear my runners out and about. Converse would be a different story, but I don't own a pair. Yet. These Sam Edelman Leopard print flats are by far my most worn shoe. Followed closely by my neutral flats which I wish were Sam Edelman Felicia flats.
I did a little experiment to show you how easy it is to go from simple to sassy with a statement necklace and an outer layer. Here I am in jeans and a plain grey T shirt. While the outfit is OK, I am certain it can be better.
By adding a statement necklace and a completer piece the outfit is Christy approved and ready for the weekend! Well except for the blazer, I wouldn't wear that on the weekend unless I was leaving the house without the boys.
What is YOUR weekend uniform? Would my weekend uniform be something you would consider wearing for your weekend activities?
Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After : Library-Lovin'-Lady
Daily Style Finds: The Personal Stylist
Foxy's Domestic Side: The Crafty Engineer
Simply Shaunacey: Reformed Frumpy Mommy
Two Teens and Their Mama: Stylish Midlife Mama
RSquared: The Not So Nerdy Accountant
Shoes to Shiraz: The Shoe Hoarding French Teacher
Puppies and Pretties: Cube Dwelling Fashionista
Mishaps and Mayhem of Solitary Life: Single Girl, Simple Style
A Lovely Little Wardrobe: A Casual Petite
Making the Most of Everyday Classic Yet Current Over Forty
NickandNik: Mama with Curves
Living on Cloud Nine: Blissful Fashionista
The Guidelines:
Please link up 1-2 style posts only directly to a specific posts
The style posts which feature our selection of the week (statement necklace) will be featured on Instagram and pinned on Pinterest.
Please visit at least one other post in the link up and get to know one another!
Thank you for participation- come back next week to see who had the most clicks
Today, the Blended Blog is featuring Jordan who blogs at Just Jordan.
She has 4 kids, one of whom happens to live in heaven. She has a knack for unique baby names, her children are named Calder, Tripp, Boone, and Lawson - are those great names or what!
I have to remind myself that I've never actually met Jordan in real life. I 'met' her though my BFF, Deena, who is also a Blended Blog contributor. Jordan's blog is so well written, honest, yet full of wit and humor. I feel like I know her. I have no doubt that we will meet in person some day in the future drinking beer and clam on Deena's deck.
Enough from me, meet Jordan.
What is your favorite style season (fall, spring, summer, winter) and why?
Thank you so much to Jordan for taking the time to be our guest the the blended blog. Don't forget to head over to Jordan's blog and say hello. You won't be disappointed.
I have to remind myself that I've never actually met Jordan in real life. I 'met' her though my BFF, Deena, who is also a Blended Blog contributor. Jordan's blog is so well written, honest, yet full of wit and humor. I feel like I know her. I have no doubt that we will meet in person some day in the future drinking beer and clam on Deena's deck.
Enough from me, meet Jordan.
Other than blogging, what do you do for a living (profession)?
I am a teacher. I LOVE math and feel lucky getting to spend my days sharing my love with my high school students. Working and being a mother is hard. I can't imagine how hard it would be to go to a job that you didn't love. I feel so fortunate to have found my calling.
What would you consider your greatest accomplishment and why?
Surviving the death of our son, Tripp was by far the most difficult thing I have ever done, so I feel very confident in saying it is my greatest accomplishment. By definition an accomplishment is "something done admirably" or "a grace, skill, or knowledge expected in polite society." I am not entirely sure about the polite society part, but I feel like after Tripp died I learned some things that you can only learn when a piece of your heart is pulled out. I also am proud of the way I grieved. There is no right or wrong when it comes to grief, but I have no regrets about how those initial months rolled out, so I know allowed myself to grieve in the way I needed to and was true to myself.
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Organized, Caring, and Empathetic
If you could interview anyone, who would it be and why?
I love family and I love history, so for me this is a no brainer. My Grandma Fritshaw's mom, Grandma Carswell would top my interview list. By all accounts she was the most amazing woman. She was born around the turn of the century and I would love to hear her stories and perspective on gender issues, giving birth, and raising kids. My Grandma Carswell also lost a baby and I have always wondered what it would be like to hear her daughter's story and about my Grandma Carswell's journey with grief.
What inspired you to start blogging?
On one of our many drives to play ball, Deena told me I should start writing. I balked at it. I have never liked writing. English was one of my least favourite subjects in school, so the thought of spending my leisure time writing didn't initially sound appealing. Deena didn't relent and finally got to me through flattery. She told me I was funny and could tell a good story. She also shared the love she had of documenting her son's life and sharing that with her family. I bought in. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with writing. It has definitely been one of those romances I didn't see coming at all.
What is your favorite style season (fall, spring, summer, winter) and why?
I love fall. In Saskatchewan the change in season from summer to fall feels the most abrupt to me. Fall also signifies the start of a new school year, so for me it has a fresh feeling. I love layers. I love boots. I love the muted colours. I also love socks, so throwing the flip flops to the side is a welcome bonus.
Do you like to dine-out or stay-in and cook dinner?
I like to dine-out. I LOVE cooking, but the clean-up part dampens my parade. Also, at this point in my life, dining out is typically done without kids. Eating supper without having to break up a fight, get up from the table 6 times because someone needs something, and not having to say "take a bite" to someone at the table makes for a much more relaxing dining experience!
Happy New Year from the Blended Blog!
With the beginning of the new year comes a new series, 'New Year, New ??'. Over the next few weeks, some of us will be sharing something new that we are doing/using/wearing for the new year. Today I will be sharing my new lipstick with you. While I'd like to tell you that I was gifted the lipstick. I picked out these bad boys all on my own!
I am not a makeup girl. I repeat, I am not a makeup girl, but I love, love, LOVE my Nars lipsticks. I don't even know when my love began but since I discovered it, I've never looked back. I only buy Nars. It meets my 3 criteria when it comes to lipstick:
1. Great colors with lots of selection.
2. Stays on for a long time.
3. Doesn't stick to your teeth.
Check. Check. Check.
I usually put my make-up on for work about 6:30am. I go to work, eat breakfast, have coffee, and then go to the gym over lunch. Most days, you can still see my lipstick after my workout. Now that is staying power.
It isn't just any of the Nars lipsticks I wear, it is the Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and the Pure Matte Lipsticks that I favor. The one disadvantage of the lip pencil is that you need to sharpen it, which I think is silly. They should have just put it in an normal lipstick tube. So... you need to splurge and buy a sharpener for $8 with your first purchase.
The Walkyrie Lip Pencil is my go to for weekends and kid outings. You can tell I am wearing lipstick, but it isn't in your face. I feel comfortable wearing it to the rink first thing in the morning or even with sweatpants. It is subtle, but still visible.
My go to color for the office has been the Amsterdam Pure Matte Lipstick. It is in the red family I would say, but a deeper red, not a bright red. I will wear this color on the weekend if we go to another families for dinner or out and about to the mall. I will not wear this to the rink - it is to out there for me first thing in the morning. Maybe for a later game, but I would probably still sway towards the Walkyrie above.
My newest color is Volga in the Pure Matte Lipstick family. It is a deep purple. I tried this color a year or two ago and I thought it was too much. Now that I wear lipstick everyday I like it way more. It isn't so daring. I find it similar to the Amsterdam but more purply instead of red.
While I was trying on the different colors, I also found myself drawn to the nude colors like Peloponnese and Light Apricot.
And there you have it, a quick lipstick lesson from a self proclaimed non make-up gal!
What I need from you is recommendations for an eye-liner for beginners. I would really like to start using one on my upper lid but am clueless on where to start. To be perfectly honest, I am terrified of liquid eyeliners but I keep buying pencils and just can't get it right. Any tips?
Christy is a regular contributor for the Blended Blog and maintains her personal blog, RSquared. She is also a working mom to 2 boys and a wife to James. She loves everything to do with family, friends, fashion, fitness... and wine!
One of my favorite traditions while growing up was our Christmas Eve celebration. It always started with the children's mass at church, even when we did not have any children with us. Then we would all go back to the house and Santa would visit us each and every Christmas Eve. It was my most favorite part of the holiday season. Each and every one of us, young and old, sat on Santa's knee, gave him a kiss, and got a gift in return. We would take a group shot before Santa left. Next, we opened all our gifts followed by snacks and card games late into the night. While Christmas Eve's now are different than they were, we still try to incorporate Santa's visit in my immediate family when we can.
This tradition didn't just start in my generation, Santa even came when my Mom was young.
When my Mom was young, it was her Dad, my Grandpa, that always dressed up as Santa. This photo is of my Mom and 3 of her siblings. When my Mom sent me the photo, the resemblance between her and I as young girls was uncanny. She is on the far left in the photo.
When my Grandpa passed away it was a tradition that the family wanted to continue in his honor, the question was, who was going to be Santa?
You see, my Mom comes from a family of women. My Grandma has 5 daughters and 2 sons. Of the 2 sons, neither was home for Christmas on a regular basis. In the end, my mom volunteered. Thirty years later and my Mom still dresses up as Santa Claus every year we come home for the holidays.
In the early days, my mom would go downstairs with my Grandma to put on the outfit and have a shot of whiskey to tame the nerves. For real.
Each year, every person got a photo with Santa. This is my brother sporting a mullet and a perm. For a boy, he had more hairstyles then I care to remember.
This is me at about 20 years old. Notice the very high slit in my skirt in this photo. This was shortly after I lost all my weight and my clothes got a little tighter and shorter. I sure hope Santa gave me a few fashion tips before giving me my gift!
Notice Santa's glasses in this photo. 'He' always came from outside so the younger kids could watch from the window. It must have been particularly cold this winter as his glasses were all foggy.
Each year we also snapped a photo with the group that was celebrating Christmas with us that year. It varied from year to year with the exception of a core group. Santa always made us sing a Christmas carol before he left. Usually We wish you a Merry Christmas.
Some years Santa would even dress up in crazy hats and glasses. The look of my Grandma's face is priceless. Maybe that was the year that Santa had his mustache over his nose instead of under. Maybe too many shots of whiskey?
When we added new family members, they got to take part in the new tradition as well. I think the first time a grown man has to sit on Santa's knee since childhood is somewhat priceless. This is the first time James came home for Christmas with me and got to sit on his MILs lap and give her a kiss on the cheek....
For Grady's first Christmas, Santa made a special visit to our house.
And for Cooper's as well. He was only 7 weeks old for his first Christmas.
This may be one of my favorite Santa photos:
Christy is a regular contributor for the Blended Blog and maintains her personal blog, RSquared. She is also a working mom to 2 boys and a wife to James. She loves everything to do with family, friends, fashion, fitness... and wine!
This tradition didn't just start in my generation, Santa even came when my Mom was young.
When my Mom was young, it was her Dad, my Grandpa, that always dressed up as Santa. This photo is of my Mom and 3 of her siblings. When my Mom sent me the photo, the resemblance between her and I as young girls was uncanny. She is on the far left in the photo.
When my Grandpa passed away it was a tradition that the family wanted to continue in his honor, the question was, who was going to be Santa?
You see, my Mom comes from a family of women. My Grandma has 5 daughters and 2 sons. Of the 2 sons, neither was home for Christmas on a regular basis. In the end, my mom volunteered. Thirty years later and my Mom still dresses up as Santa Claus every year we come home for the holidays.
In the early days, my mom would go downstairs with my Grandma to put on the outfit and have a shot of whiskey to tame the nerves. For real.
Each year, every person got a photo with Santa. This is my brother sporting a mullet and a perm. For a boy, he had more hairstyles then I care to remember.
This is me at about 20 years old. Notice the very high slit in my skirt in this photo. This was shortly after I lost all my weight and my clothes got a little tighter and shorter. I sure hope Santa gave me a few fashion tips before giving me my gift!
Notice Santa's glasses in this photo. 'He' always came from outside so the younger kids could watch from the window. It must have been particularly cold this winter as his glasses were all foggy.
Each year we also snapped a photo with the group that was celebrating Christmas with us that year. It varied from year to year with the exception of a core group. Santa always made us sing a Christmas carol before he left. Usually We wish you a Merry Christmas.
Some years Santa would even dress up in crazy hats and glasses. The look of my Grandma's face is priceless. Maybe that was the year that Santa had his mustache over his nose instead of under. Maybe too many shots of whiskey?
When we added new family members, they got to take part in the new tradition as well. I think the first time a grown man has to sit on Santa's knee since childhood is somewhat priceless. This is the first time James came home for Christmas with me and got to sit on his MILs lap and give her a kiss on the cheek....
For Grady's first Christmas, Santa made a special visit to our house.
And for Cooper's as well. He was only 7 weeks old for his first Christmas.
This may be one of my favorite Santa photos:
Notice the look on my niece's face. She was about 5 in this photo and was on to Santa being fake. After Santa left she asked if Santa was a woman... priceless!
The other thing I love about having our very own Santa Claus visit is that we have not waited in line at the mall. Not even once. While others may deem this a Christmas tradition that they can't imagine not doing, I am so happy that we have our own personal Santa visit us at home. No lines and no crying. Usually.
What I love about this tradition is that is was unique to our family. None of my friends open all their presents on Christmas Eve, I have yet to meet someone that celebrates this tradition. Other than my BFF Dee, I also don't know anyone that has a real life Santa come to their house every Christmas. Growing up, I loved bragging to my friends about my special visit with Santa and how i got to open my presents early. It was our family thing and I loved it.
As we have gotten older and family dynamics have changed, the tradition has changed to. Santa still comes every year, but not always on Christmas Eve, instead, we pick a time when the family is all together, sometimes earlier and sometimes later. One thing that hasn't changed is our celebration on the Eve of Christmas. We still open our presents at night. It allows us all to sleep in on Christmas morning, if you count 7:30 as a sleep in.
I love hearing about the different traditions that other families do to make their holidays unique to them. If you have a favorite tradition unique to your family, please share it in the comments, I'd love to hear how YOU celebrate!
About us
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