My Everyday Life [Week 30]

I started out last week by volunteering as a baby bird feeder! It was busy and totally fulfilling. I was a full-time bird mom for 2.5 hours. This little blue jay below flew on my shoulder! The guy next to him was super funny. He wanted to steal everyone else's food and kept hopping around the cage to do so.

Cedar waxwings. Totally beautiful and unique birds. I googled what they'll look like as adults and they are so pretty!

I woke up the next morning and saw a blue jay at our feeder! 

I picked my first broccoli head this week. I was worried it would taste bitter because it started to flower, but it was fine. My plants are not liking this excessive heat. 

It was Craig's birthday on Tuesday! 

After work, we headed to the downtown area of our city for dinner and pokemon go.

We tried a new bar for dinner and the pizza there were pretty good and darn cheap at $2 per nine inch pizza.

We walked around downtown, mostly so Craig could play pokemon go some more, but I enjoyed the sites.

Even though it was very warm this week, I made sure to get outside at least once a day for some fresh air. I enjoy walking among the gardens at work.

And I walked at night a couple of times. I saw bats flying overhead right before this. Bats scare me, but I like that they control the mosquito population.

I went to a free yoga in the park class on Saturday morning! I believe it was my first time doing yoga outdoors and I liked it, despite ants visiting my yoga mat on occasion.

The scene above as I laid on my mat.

 Library mural.

Still obsessed with Outlander. I finished Season 1, Part 2 this weekend. I sent this photo to my former colleague, also named Margaret Ellen.

 Pema as a work of art, thanks to the Prisma app.

 And our orchids look cool this way too.

Stitch Fix Review-July 2016

I received my July Stitch Fix a couple of weeks ago! 

I have a new stylist and she chose a lot of bright pieces for me, which is exactly what I asked for.

First up was this Adrianna Papell Valerey Dress.

I could tell it wouldn't look good on me just from how it hung on the hanger. Unfortunately, it made me look bigger in my waist than I actually am.

The Brixon Ivy Sylvester Split Neck Blouse was so me. It looked great on (I just didn't feel like modeling it) and it will be perfect for work.

While I loved the color and style of this Collective Concepts Hugo Split Back Detail Blouse, I did not think the color was flattering. Now that I'm a brunette vs. a blonde, maybe it would have looked better with my new hair color, which came after my fix.

I almost kept this Collective Concepts Pamela V-Neck Blouse, but the fit wasn't right. It was a bit loose on me and the color didn't wow me. I could have seen wearing it with a blazer or cardigan.

I don't need jeans, so I was disappointed to see some in my fix. I do love the Kut from Kloth brand though and this shade was a lighter one than I currently have in my wardrobe.

While I was happy with the top I ended up keeping, I still was not thrilled with this fix. I guess it doesn't help that I can go on other blogs and Pinterest and see that other people are receiving such cute things that look great on them!

Disclosure: this post contains a referral link. If you decide to join Stitch Fix after you click on my link, I'll receive a credit for a future fix!

My Everyday Life [Week 29]

Starting a new job is always nerve-wracking, so it was great to see this note from Craig on my car seat when I left for work on Monday!

My selfie right before I went in for my first day, which turned out wonderfully! 

After work, we celebrated with an appetizer, beer and dessert at a local restaurant!

 I had a delicious raspberry beer.

More changes came on Tuesday. I was unhappy with how my hair was highlighted a couple of weeks ago and while I hated to complain, I did and got a free redo. A new stylist was assigned to me and we decided on permanent color. She promised me honey blonde and I ended up brunette. I decided that I probably should just stop dying my hair in the future. I hate all of the chemicals, upkeep and money thrown at it anyway. I think this is the universe telling me to stop dying it and donate it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths again in two years.

I've never had my hair this dark before in my life, so it's a little weird. I do like that I can rock a bold lipstick now and not feel weird about it.

It was strange to go to my new workplace with totally dark hair on day three. Oh well!

I went to an excellent presentation on organization at our library on Wednesday night. I was very inspired by the presenter's message and hope to go to some of her recreation department classes in the future.

Craig has been obsessed with Pokemon Go since it came out. I swore I would not download it, but alas, I had to do some work research to see if we could use it for promotional purposes. My boss assigned me to the job and Craig was pleased I was forced to get the app.

I found one of my favorite ciders at Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago and celebrated the work week being over on Friday night with it!

It finally cooled down around here the last couple of days so we encouraged the kitties to sit in the windows. They're so happy they can watch birds and bunnies on a different side of the house.

We've got baby robins in a nest outside our house and I have obsessively been watching them. I can see their parents feeding them from inside our house too and it's so much fun to see.

After about two to three weeks of trying to grow the Back to the Roots mushrooms, they finally made an appearance and came out of the box! I'm the only mushroom eater in our house, so I better add these to some recipes this week.

Craig being silly with Pema in the window. I was taking pictures of the baby birds with the DSLR and couldn't help snapping some of these too.

I think I'll end it there! Have a great week everyone!

My Everyday Life [Week 28]

Spotted pretty milkweed on a walk near a wooded area. I'm paying way more attention to plants because we live in the country and there are so many I don't recall seeing in the city before. 

Ugh, not happy with how my roots look after I just paid a lot of money to get highlights/lowlights. I hated to do it, but I actually complained and I am getting it redone this week. I wanted to look good for my first day of at the new job. I am also kind of sick of dying my hair. I liked my natural color when I was growing it out for Pantene Beautiful Lengths.

 These are yummy! I am not used to eating salt anymore, so they do taste a bit too salty to me.

 Yep, this is me. If it said hard cider instead of wine, I would have placed it in my cart.

The closest I have found to Bircher Muesli in a restaurant is the Chilled Swiss Oatmeal at Corner Bakery. I enjoyed breakfast there with my friend Danielle.

The band Garbage finally played at Summerfest for the first time ever, so of course we had to go!

We both thought they were really good! My ex used to be obsessed with them and I always liked the band too, so I knew a lot of the songs they played. 

Th best shot I got of Shirley Manson all night.

Gym day with mama! We walked the track, biked and I rowed a little bit. I also randomly ran into my friend there!

I got an exclusive hard hat tour of Craig's work! 

 Cute and historic Klatt houses!

 My dad watching for me as I walked to their house from my husband's work.

 Mom made these and once I tasted them, I knew I had to get the recipe. They are delicious!

Hooray (or should I say ho hum) a new Stitch Fix came! Per usual, wasn't in love and I'll post a review soon.

 Still loving watching those moss roses grow.

Shiva was extra cuddly on my last day off before going back to work. I love spending time with this little guy.

Mom sitting in a chair we debated getting from Costco. I loved the modern look of the recliner. When I took Craig back to see it in person, he was disappointed in the color and we passed. We bought a much needed dehumidifier instead. We still need about four or five pieces of furniture. Can't West Elm sponsor a post and send me a dresser and a desk please?

I made these Oat Almond and Date Energy Bites. They were perfect! I plan to make them again. Perfect snack.

 Spotted in the latest Better Homes and Gardens magazine! Yes, he is my best friend! :)

I finally laid some contact paper in my bathroom drawers.

The sawfly invasion has not defeated me yet! My brussels sprouts and broccoli are doing wonderfully!

We went to the Good Harvest and Humane Animal Welfare Society Ice Cream social on Saturday and it was so good. I had a yummy portabella mushroom sandwich on an Angelic Bakehouse sprouted grain bun and Craig ate the corn salad. I also had a tasty beer and got day drunk, which I haven't done since I was in college. It was fun! I was so chatty and silly.

I was so ecstatic to see they had beet ketchup! It was really good. 

I also may have gotten a little too happy because of how cute the kittens there were. I mean--look at that precious face!

We enjoyed $3 soy ice cream bowls after lunch. I loaded mine up with fresh fruit, chocolate sauce and sprinkles. It was heavenly.

The rest of the weekend was spent reading, strength training, cleaning and at a memorial brunch for Craig's Aunt that recently passed away of cancer.

Wish me luck on this first week at a new job! I'm excited and nervous to start tomorrow morning!