Impending Changes

Woefully, I must announce that my time with USA Today has come to an end.

With our relocation to Houston it was only a matter of time before I would no longer be working for USA Today.  I have grown professionally here as well as made some wonderful friends.

One of my very dear friends (of nearly 7 years) sat one floor down from me and was great to bounce ideas off of and also to just chat with. I will certainly miss having her so close!  I will also miss my Sports Digital Properties team; they are a bunch of Rockstars and absolutely wonderful to work with.  Lastly, I'll miss my management.  I couldn't have asked for better people to support me during my career at USA Today and also as I transitioned into the next phase of my career!

I can only hope that my new job with CB&I (starting May 4th!) will give me the same ability to grow professionally and provide me with a wealth of new individuals to develop life long bonds with.

Farewell to my team at USA Today

May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day.
May songbirds serenade you every step along the way.
May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that’s always blue.
And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.

Stitch Fix #1

After about a year of waffling I finally decided to try Stitch Fix.

 

Stitch Fix is essentially a stylist service at a minimal price.  The cost of each "Fix" is $20 and that $20 will be applied to any item(s) you purchase. 

 

The best piece of advice I got before I decided to try Stitch Fix was to be very specific and very detailed when filling out the user profile.  I can happily say that by following that advice I was pretty satisfied by what came in my first "fix".

 

Without further ado here is my review of the items I received.

 

1. 41Hawthorn - Jace Dot Print Fit & Flare Dress {kept}

 

When I looked at the style card that came with this dress it was misleading because the picture on the card does not do the dress justice.  The card made the dress seems one color when actually it's a dark dress with adorable teal polka dots.  I was leery until I tried the dress on...it fit like a glove and was extremely comfortable.  I like that I can wear it to work and on the weekends.

 

When I asked Max to take pictures he even agreed the pictures just don't do the dress justice (hence why we lightened one).

 

2. Sweet Rain - Sarafina Leaf Print V-Neck Blouse {kept}

 

I've been trying to jazz up my tank top/sleeveless blouse section of my closet because with the impending move to Houston I know they will come in handy.  The leaf print on this shirt was small and very pretty.

 

3. 41Hawthorn - Benson 3/4 Ruched Sleeve Blazer {kept}

 

 As you can see I REALLY liked this blazer.  I've been on the hunt for a navy blazer for probably over a year.  All of the ones I had found previously, that I liked, were ridiculously expensive (think $200+).  So I was pleasantly surprised by this blazer priced at $78.  This was the most expensive item in my box so I think my stylist, Victoria, did a great job respecting my wishes to keep things as affordable as possible. This jacket looked great with the Sweet Rain - Sarafina Leaf Print V-Neck Blouse (see above), my pineapple sundress (love the work bathroom shot), and my flowy pink blouse.

4. Dahlya - Tapainga Split Neck Blouse {returned}

 

 



I really wanted to like this blouse.  Problem was the buttons down the front had gaps between each button and I just couldn't get comfortable with the idea of showing off my bra.  I actually wore a nude camisole under the blouse in the picture above.

5. Kut From The Kloth - Siena Capri Pant

 

The pants were actually very comfortable, but they were not meant for short people.  They are supposed to be capris and look more like a shortened ankle pant on me.  Also, the pockets flared just a little so I thought I would likely end up being self-conscious about that.  This was the last photo that I asked Max to take and he definitely got a great candid of me that I knew had to be shared.

 

I'm currently scheduled to get fixes every month, but I might change that to seasonal/quarterly.

If you would like to learn more about the service or are interested in signing up for your own fix please visit here: Stitch Fix: Learn More - this post is not sponsored by Stitch Fix; however I do receive a credit if you sign up using my link.

 

Happy Fixing Folks!

 

 

 

Bucket List Achievement

I ran a Marathon...I RAN A MARATHON - It is mind boggling to me that I actually did it.

I was always that runner that said, "26.2 miles is meant for a car not my legs."

Last year a friend of mine, Jess, asked if I wanted to do the Reston Half Marathon.  At the time I wasn't really thinking about running a race, but then a few weeks later I fell and broke my right hand so I couldn't do anything in the gym but run.  I figured if that's what I was going to be doing until my hand was better I might as well have something to train for; instead of signing up for the Reston Half I thought, "this would be my 4th half I might as well just do the full marathon."

So I trained inside because winter was brutal here and training on a treadmill stinks.  No matter how much to try to train for hills it just doesn't work.

Jess and I ran the first part of the race together and split around mile 7.  I felt really good until about mile 15 where I hit the proverbial "wall." I was questioning my life choices and thinking I should have just stopped at the half, but I pushed on because I don't quit...ever.  No matter how crappy a situation is I was taught that you don't quit so I didn't.

It also helped that I had wonderful, amazing friends chasing me around the course in a truck yelling lots of encouragement. (Thank you Max, DJ, Heather, Millie & Jess {when she finished the half}).

Crossing that finish line was definitely a proud moment for me.  I swore right then and there I would never do another Marathon, but as time has eased my soreness I'm starting to think I'd like to do another one just to beat my time (always a competitor).

If you have been thinking about doing something you swore you never would...do it!  The Marathon was a challenge, but it was one I would definitely do again if given the choice.