A Girl Can Dream

I like to spend some of my very limited free time perusing designer's websites and shopping for things I most likely will never be able to afford. It certainly is fun to look and maybe just maybe someday I'll be able to treat myself to something really magnificent. If I were to stumble upon a couple grand this afternoon I would most definitely buy one or more of the following...

 This Burberry double breasted taffeta trench coat is amazing! It's so cute, super preppy but still fun and think of all the fun scarves you could pair with it!

I am in love with these tweed patterned Chanel sunglasses. Even though i don't allow myself to buy sunglasses over $20.00 (because I lose them or break them), I could make an exception for these and I would babysit them like I would a small child!

 

These I am absolutely drooling over! OBSESSED! They're new Jimmy Choo's from the Fall Collection! I am praying that when I'm in NYC the end of May they'll be in the boutique so I can try them on and dream of owning them. They're just a cool $955.00, so I'm sure I can buy them by the end of May! HA! 

Weigh In Wednesday

I'm going to make this short because frankly I'm sick of talking about it. I lost 3 pounds!!! Wahoo! I also went 10.29 miles, which is pretty good considering I was a sad sack for the better part of this week.

17.34 pounds to go...
372.03 miles to go...

Hiatus

I'm sure you millions of avid readers have been wondering where my titillating posts have gone, and I will be honest with you, I had a breakdown.

It started last Wednesday and 5:00am...on the scale. I gained a pound. Now, last week I worked harder than I have since I started this weight loss adventure over a year ago, I walked 17.2 miles, 3 of which I RAN. I ran a mile three days in a row, which might now seem like much but believe me, for me, it's a huge deal! On top of that I was really watching and counting all my calories and then I gained. After talking to my best friend, Libby, who is a personal trainer and yoga instructor extraordinaire, I got some answers but to me they felt more like excuses. Your weight can fluctuate depending on the time of the month, how much sleep you got, how much stress you're under, what foods you ate the night before and she's so sweet she even told me it's probably because I am actually gaining muscle and when that fat converts to muscle it gets heavier. All reasonable ideas and all very possibly factors, nontheless, I was pissed. I want to see results and I want to see them on the scale. Seeing that number drops is what motivates me.

In addtion, I felt extremely stressed about work. I think the lack of sleep, super long hours and extreme responsibility finally sunk in and I kind of lost it. I'm at the point where I feel comfortable with everything we're doing, I feel confident in our employees and now I'm ready for that line out the door and it's just not coming. I know it's only our second month and we have a lot of slow time ahead of us, but I'm just ready for this little coffee shop to rock it. I don't want to wait. Luckily, my boyfriend/business partner knows me better than I know myself and was able to sympathize and support me and then force me to snap out of it.

In light of this breakdown I took a couple of days so cry, whine and spend my free time sulking. Now, I'm feeling much better. Feeling somewhat motivated in the weight department and very motivated in the business department. I took some time to create a nice big To-Do list of projects I want to get done in the next few months which I am hoping give me something to do other than worry about work and worry about losing these last pounds. We'll see how it goes.

Coupon Clipper

This morning on the Today Show, they did a piece on Coupon clipping. They had Stephanie Nelson, author of the book “The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting your Grocery Bills in Half.” On the show, this woman went to CVS Pharmacy and bought $83.00 worth of stuff and paid $1.00 for it after coupons. ONE DOLLAR. 

 So, it got me thinking…maybe I should at least glance at those annoying coupon books that show up in my mailbox three times a week. The Today show also said that Stephanie saved so much over the past year it was equivalent to having an additional part-time job. Now, I already own a business and have a second part-time babysitting job BUT if I can add the pay of one more job by taking ten minutes a day to browse these coupon books—I’ll do it!

My only fear is that I will now spend money on things I don’t need just because I have a coupon, opposed to saving money on the things I do. So, I’m going to need to really follow the Coupon Mom’s “Principles of Strategic Shopping:”

1. Know your prices:

I need to become familiar with the prices of the items I regularly buy, instead of just grabbing them and throwing them in the cart. This way I will know and appreciate a good deal.

2. Know your store’s saving programs:

Dear Target, What are your saving programs? Love, Kristin

3. Know your coupons:

I need to organize the coupons I do cut, I’m thinking of getting a little rolodex or a small accordion style folder to store them in. I’m thinking organizing them by store will be most helpful—then when I know I’m making a trip I can just go through the coupons for that store.

I have already cut some coupons and I plan on using them tomorrow on my day off. They just so happen to be to Express and Cabana Tan….excellent!

Must Have

Alright ladies, I'm going to let you in on one of my beauty secrets...you didn't think lack of sleep and stress were my only tricks, did you?

Aside from my bronzer and mascara, this is the one make up product I couldn't live without. I don't know how I made it through my first 24 yearS! Seriously, this is the greatest products of all time.....

Photo Finish Foundation Primer from Smashbox!

If you haven't used Smashbox products before, I highly recommend you check them out! Smashbox was actually started by two brothers who are the grandson's of Max Factor (we've all heard of him, right?), they started a photo studio (called Smashbox) in 1991. From there, their business grew into a make up line designed for the perfecting needs of a photo shoot. Their products are all animal cruelty free, earth friendly and are non-irritating, clinically tested, allergy tested, dermatologist tested and made with good-for-your-skin ingredients. The majority of the products are also gluten-free.

I use their amazing Bronze Lights bronzer, the "Brazilian Bronze" eye shadow and of course the Photo Finish Foundation Primer! The Photo Finish is by far my favorite! Here's the product break down from the website:

Create a perfect canvas for foundation application with this silky, lightweight blend of vitamins A & E, grape seed extract and green tea. Worn alone or under foundation to increase its longevity, our best-selling primer helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish. In a new square airless pump for freshness to the last drop.

Oil-free!

Winner of Best of Sephora Award for Best Primer, one of Marie Claire's "25 Products That Will Change Your Life", & an InStyle Best Beauty Buy. 

It truly does prime your skin for the rest of your make up. My foundation goes on so smooth and even and lasts FOREVER! Honestly, at the end of a 13 hour work day of running around, steaming milk, and cleaning my make up still looks fresh.  LOVE IT!