Working at The Food Bank Feeds The Soul

Today Melissa, Cynthia (co-workers/friends), and I took today off to work at The Houston Food Bank. Our company gave us an opportunity to do volunteer work on company time. Since I knew we were going to be doing some manual labor, I figured I'd get in gear and wear some workout clothes. Here are the details...

Bitten green t-shirt - Steve & Barry's

Championship capri workout pants - Target

Bodybugg - 24 Hour Fitness

Asics Kayano Trainer shoes - Academy

Cans of peaches - Donated to The Houston Food Bank

So our morning started in the docks. We made an assembly line and loaded up the trucks. There are so many people there coming and going that after a while we a little in the way. We decided it was time to move to a new project. We spent the rest of our volunteer time making pantry packs for families of four. We spread 9 boxes over a pallet. Each box must contain 8-10 cans of veggies and fruit, 1 box of cereal, and 4 bottles of water. After those essentials, we were allowed to fill the boxes to the top with items like, peanut butter, jelly, cheese, chili, crackers, and even some candy. Pretty much whatever we could get our hands on. We packed aprox 60 boxes of food. We could have done more, but we started to run out of water and veggies and more volunteers were coming in. All in all, it was a great experience. I'm really glad we had this opportunity to help our community. Volunteering helps feed the soul and it was also a great workout. According to the Bodybugg, I burned 567 calories at The Food Bank! That's way better than the 1 calorie/minute I would normally burn sitting at my desk.

Classic Workday Monday

Today is pinstripes with a little jazz. Here are the details...

Idra white lace detailed button-up - Anthropologie

Poleci striped pencil skirt - Anthropologie

Maripe peep-toe pumps - Rack Room

Dominique Cohen black ribbon pearls - Target

Pink pearl strand - gift from my sis

Just a quick post today...

I love the subtle detail on both of these pieces. They are classic, but jazzed up enough to stand out on their own. I noticed that my shirt is getting a little too big though. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to wear with before I have to take it to get altered. It's kind of frustrating. I'm not sure how long I should hold off to get things altered. I already have some many great skirts I can no longer wear. Of course I will eventually get them altered and then it'll be like having new clothes all over again.

Hope everyone has a happy Monday!

Arrrggghhh, It's Friday Night!

Ahoy mates! Friday night was a busy night! We started out at a birthday happy hour for my friend PJ. She looks fab in her Sex In The City tank and skinny jeans. Her jeans are Girbaud. Remember those jeans from the 80's? Well, I'm glad they aren't those smae baggy jean. Happy Birthday PJ, you always look so fab!

Later that night, Will and I went to Steven's Surprise Pirate Birthday Party. Here are the details of the outfit...

Floral/zebra tube top - Dots

Mossimo jeans - Target

Mossimo purple snakeskin pumps - Target

Silver earrings - A random store off Harwin

Pirate eye patch - Party City

So I have to say, wearing an eye patch can be tricky. I felt so off being blinded in one eye. I also noticed that the eye not covered seemed squintier that normal. I know I have some small eyes, but they look even smaller with this patch on. Oh well, it worked for my pirate outfit.

Thank you V for helping me pick out this cute top. I have to admit I was a little hesitant to get it. I usually tend to gravitate towards solid pieces with texture. But I'm glad I kept it. Itlooks cute after all.

So here are a few pics from the party. Be sure to check V's site for her pirate pics. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Scoot over Thursday, It's Casual Friday!

Even though my office is business casual everyday these days, I try to keep my casual days for Fridays only. Here is my look...

Xhilaration green/white top - Target

Mossimo jeans - Target

brown wedge peep toes - Rack Room

It's not my best look, but I must admit, it's pretty comfy. I wanted to take a ride on Will's scooter and jeans are best when riding. Oh and I usually wear a helmet, but didn't for the pic so you can actually see me.

Will is my honey. Together we are Will and Hill...aka Willary! Thank you Will for humoring me and taking the time to take this pic. Love you!

I also need to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to KT!!! Thank you for the "I Love Your Blog Award" This is my 1st win on the blogger world. I would like to thank God 1st and foremost for always being there and inspiring me. Thank you to KT for nominating me. It's an honor just to be nominated. And to all my fans... I would not be here without you!

Okay, I know, I know... I watch way too much crap ;-)

Tonight my friend, C is throwing her boyfriend a Pirate Birthday Party. It's kind of crazy, but I have to admit, I love this kind of stuff. I'm still trying to pull my outfit together. Arrrggghhh...wish me luck!

And The Winners Are...

Congratulations to Kimberly and Lynette!!! I will e-mail you your iTunes codes with instructions on how to redeem.

Thank you to all who suggested a song for my "Blogger Playlist"

Here is my new playlist...

Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake

Forever - Chris Brown

Shut Up and Let Me Go - The Ting Tings

Intergalactic - Beastie Boys

One Pure Thought - Hot Chip

Shake It - Metro

Barbie Girl - Aqua

Get This Party Started - Pink

Pump It - Black Eyed Peas

Big Girl Now - NKOTB & Lady Gaga

Single - NKOTB & Ne-Yo

Damaged - Danity Kane

Thank you to KT, C, Lynette, Kimberly, canridings, and V for an awesome playlist!

Oh and in case you were wondering... I throw an Oscar Party every year and create a "red carpet moment" for all my guest pose at. Of course Isabelle had to strike her best pose! I just thought it would be a cute pic for this post.

A Wanna Be Runway Thursday

I love Project Runway. A few episodes ago they had a Lipstick Jungle Challenge. Make a day to night outfit for the Brooke Shields character on Lipstick Jungle. When I saw the winning outfit, I was stunned. The skirt Keith made, looked a little like the one hanging in my closet. Here are my details...

Swiss dotted button-up - Gap

ISPA skirt - Anthropologie

Dollhouse peep-toe - Ross

Brown Flintstones necklace - Target

Ally, you are going to have to get you dog Maddy to show off her Britney pose too. They can be the canine Britney and Lindsey. Woof-woof!

I'm going to have to keep this post short, but I will post the winners of the Movin & Groovin Contest later this evening. Hope everyone has a runway day!

A Dress Day Wednesday and A Thank You To Monica

OK so I'm a little plain today, but it's kind of a rushed outfit. After posting this, I realized I need a necklace. I'll have to grab one before I walk out the door. Here are the details...

Studio Max - TJ Maxx

Nine West skinny belt - Macy's

Hype lacy slingbacks - DSW

I really must teach Izzy how to pose better. Seriously, she must think she's Britney Spears dog. Still, she wanted to be in the pic and I can't deny her.

Last day to suggest a song for the new playlist. Can't wait to groove to your favorite tunes! Winners will be announced tomorrow.

Let's talk about dress days. If you see me in a dress, that means I didn't have a lot of time or I didn't want to think about getting dressed. Some people wear jeans and a t-shirts when they rush to get ready, I throw on a dress. In one fell swoop, you have an instant outfit and you're still dressed professionally. Of course I had to throw on these lacy shoes. They also went to the shoe hospital recently. The strap on the back stretched out and I had to have them cut and re sewn. They are still so fab!

Biggest Loser was on last night. I just love that show. Does anyone watch it? It's only the 2ND episode for the season and I am already crying. I am just amazed at what they can do in a matter of months. I told my trainer, Monica, that I want to look like the winner from last season. She and Kae from Season 4 are true inspirations. Of course I won't do it in 4 months, but I am on my way.

I have an awesome trainer! I know people think personal trainers are too expensive, but for me, it has been worth every penny. I used to be so intimidated by the gym. All those weights, machines, and equipment can be overwhelming when you don't really know what your doing. When I tried to do the gym on my own, I stuck to the cardio machines and the aerobic classes because those were the things I was familiar with. I'd lose a little weight, but never really stuck with doing it for more than a few months mostly because I got bored doing the same thing and I didn't see results fast enough. I also felt like a phony trying to fit in a place of sweaty, skinny, fit people. I had so many excuses to not go. When I joined 24 Hour Fitness, my new membership came with 5 personal trainer sessions. That's when I met Monica. She has really guided me, pushed me, and taught me a lot. She even taught me how to run on a treadmill (seriously I never thought that would happen). I've also gotten to know a lot of the staff. They keep up with me and always encourage me to keep going. I never knew a gym could be like this. I am no longer intimidated. I no longer feel like I don't fit in the gym. It's so liberating!

Thank you Monica for pushing me when I needed it. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for helping me change my life. I always look forward to the sessions no matter how much you kick my butt!

Good Golly Miss Holley!

I get all excited when my friends love their outfits and want to show the blogger world. This is my dear friend, Holley. She's got great style and is never afraid to be a little daring and creative. I am soooo digging her new Houndstooth bag! Can I borrow it??? Here are Holley's details...

Red Sweater- Sushi Flower (TJ Maxx- new bought in Dallas last weekend)Black men’s vest- (Lane Bryant- 3 seasons ago when men’s wear was in)Jeans (Old Navy- From Hillary’s too big collection)

Black sandal wedges- New York Transit (TJ Maxx- had these for years- made new by Houston Shoe Repair)

Black and White Houndstooth satchel (Target.com- new)

Thanks Holley! We hope to see you again soon! To me, you are always "blog-worthy"

Cowl-abunga, it's Tuesday!

Since I wore bright pink and red yesterday, I thought I might want to fall into autumn colors today. On a side note, I just realized my brother's bat wasn't cropped out of this pic. Note to self - Move bat. Okay, back to the outfit. Here are the details...

Worthington cowl-neck sleeveless knit - JCP
Isaac Mizrahi dark denim pencil skirt - Target
Gold beaded necklace - Target
Impo faux snakeskin pumps - Rack Room


I'm so happy to have my snakeskin shoes back from the hospital. I've had them for years and just love them because you can practically wear them with anything. Of course after a while, they were looking pretty sad, but after a minor face lift, they have sole again. Now I can slither through the office again.

Last night I finally got around to making E's cranberry applesauce. Well it didn't come out exactly the same, but it wasn't my fault. There wasn't a cranberry to be found. I guess the grocery stores aren't fully stocked just yet after all that Ike non-sense. Since I had some peaches at the house, I substituted the 6 oz of cranberries for 2 large peaches. I also added the orange zest. Because the peaches were pretty sweet, I added just a tad bit of brown sugar (little less than 1/4 c). It turned out so yummy! Thanks E for the fab recipe. Once they get the cranberries in, I'll be trying that out too.

Oh and don't forget to suggest a song for my next workout playlist. I see I already have some good ones. I'll be rockin' on that treadmill in no time. Thanks!

It's a Hot and Pink Monday!

I realize it's the first day of fall and maybe I should wear some fall colors, but it's just so darn hot here. My cheeks turn pink! So I thought I'd wear my Hot Pink/Hot Red today. Its funny, in person, you can barely tell they skirt changes color, but in this pic, you can definitly see it. Here are the details...

Black knit top - Express
H&M pink and red skirt - H&M Las Vegas
Purple and black jewel toned necklace - Gift from V
Silver mangled bangled bracelet - Charming Charlie's
Maripe peep-toe pumps - Rack Room


I really wish we had an H&M here in Houston. I first fell in love with the store when I was in Stockholm, Sweden (home of H&M). It's like Starbucks over there. There is one on every corner. I think my friend and I hit 4 stores over there and they all seem to carry slightly different things. Loved the clothes, loved the price! I've also shopped their stores in Helsinki and Nice. Some stores are multi-level with women's, men's, and kids wear. So when I went to Vegas I had to go. I have to admit, even though I found some great stuff (like this skirt for $10), it wasn't what I expected. It was a lot smaller and not a whole lot to choose from. This has been the only US H&M store I have been to. Maybe the New York store is bigger. In any case, they should still open one in Houston.

Okay, on to The Emmy's. I didn't really watch them, but I did check out the red carpet. Here were my fav's...

Brooke Sheilds looks stunning. My absolute favorite!

Love this print.

I think the butterfly earrings are fab!

So pretty and girlie!

Movin-n-Groovin Sunday ~ What's Your Tune Giveaway

Yay, I'm powerful again!!!! The power finally came on late Friday night. It's so nice to sleep in my own bed, watch my own TV, and enjoy the lovely breeze created from my a/c unit. Life is good again :-)

The cable and Internet are also in full swing and now it's time to download a new playlist for the gym. I looooove music! It can make or break any mood and it keeps me movin-n-groovin. I like to change up my playlist pretty often to help keep my workouts fresh and re-energized. Soooooo with that in mind, I thought I'd try a little experiment. I'm going to let y'all create my new workout playlist. Tell me your favorite movin-n-groovin song and I'll put it on my "Blogger Playlist". For anyone who submits a song, I'll enter your name in a drawing for 2 free songs (of your choice) from iTunes. It's only fair that you get to move-n-groove too.

*Please submit your song, by Wednesday, September 24. I'll draw 2 winners by Thursday.

Now get movin and submit those songs! Thanks!!!

Targeting Friday's Outfit

It's a Target outfit for Friday and woo-hoo, I am a size smaller!

Everything on me is Mossimo from Target. I even got the cute shoes Ally bought. Love them!

I have very limited jeans (2 pairs now) because of my continuing weight loss. I started noticing that my Bitten jeans ($8.98 at Steve and Barry's) were starting to make me look like a repair man from behind. I seriously need to wear a belt to keep them on. I thought it might be the stretch because it usually takes me a lot of pounds for my size to change. Every time I washed to shrink them, they'd stretch right back out in a matter of minutes. So as I was wandering the aisles at Target, I thought it might be best to try on some jeans to see. I took 2 different styles in the old size and the smaller size and in both cases, the smaller size fit better. Yay! I am tickled pink! This pair should last me another 15 lbs or so. Plus I'm keeping the repair man jeans. They still sort-of fit. I just have to cinch that belt!

I Am A Loser

I am so excited the new season of The Biggest Loser has started. It inspires and motivates me to keep my butt moving. I still continue to work with my trainer 3 times a week, do cardio 4-5 days a week, and I try to make the right choices when it comes to my food. I may lose that food battle from time to time, but I never let it bring me down. I accept it and move on. I don't believe in cutting out all carbs or crazy dieting. For me, it's all about old school diet and exercise. I try to make the healthy decision and want to lose weight slowly. So far, so good...

In honor of the new season of The Biggest Loser, I thought I'd post my year in pics of my weight loss journey. The pics go from July 07 (my heaviest) - Dec 07 - Mar 08 - Jun 08 - Sept 08.

The I Got Dressed In The Dark Outfit

Just a quick post before I leave the internet access. I had to pull clothes out of my closet basically in the dark. I wish I remembered to grab a necklace. Here are the details...

Mossimo teal top - Target

black belt - Dots

Bitten sailor pants - Steve & Barry's

I was told I probably won't get electricity for another 5 days or so. I guess I'll have a few more quickie outfits.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to Michelle, JC, Melissa, and Larry for putting me up for the last few days. Y'all are the best refuge of last resorts!

Ike Was Fierce!

So just a quick update... I made it through the storm with minor damage. The ceiling in my room started leaking and we had to move out my bed, computer, and TV. We also had minor water damage by the window. It looks like the paint is sliding off. Other than that I am still without electricity. It's going on day 4! Where is the power??? Still not working either. Our building had a few blown windows. Right now I am seeking refuge with friends. Luckily my friend has Internet...my way back into the world outside the hurricane. Hope everyone is doing well. Maybe I'll have power again sometime soon and I can post some pictures.

I Am In The Cone Of Uncertainty

Well it looks like Hurricane Ike might be stopping by Houston in the next couple of days. We are in the "cone of uncertainty." We've already had 2 other threats this season where we were missed, but this one looks like its going to get closer to us. Everything is about to shut down. My office let us leave at 1 today, so I ran my last minute errands with the rest of the city. I really didn't need much. We've been though this before so I had a lot of stuff already, but you always can get more water and non-perishables (if you can find it). Thank God Target still had things I could get. I even managed to squeeze in a last chance workout today.

Soooo needless to say, no cute outfits for a few days, but I thought I'd post a pic of some of my hurricane essentials. And incase you were wondering... Yes, gummy bears are essential!

I'll give you guys an update on how we're doing.

A Pearly Pink Thursday

Here is today's pearly pink outfit...

Short sleeve black turtle neck - gift from a friend

Pink and black striped A-line skirt - Anthropologie

Black peep-toe pumps - Rack Room

Pink strand of pearls necklace turned into belt- Francesca's

First I have to say, I'm not sure what's going on with my hair. It really isn't that poofy. I think it's so black it cast some kind of shadow and it makes it look taller than it really is.

Isabelle, my brother's German Shepard, wanted to be in the picture today. Although she is a sweetie and oh-so cute, she just doesn't sit very lady-like. Oh Izzy, I still love you!

On to my adventures at the gym...

Yesterday's workout was a cardio/strength combo. I always start with cardio and do 20-40 minutes (depending on what time I get to the gym). Since I ran the day before, I decided to try something different. I got on the machine that looks like stairs and it just revolves to make you constantly climb. I had one of the gym counselors help me get setup and going. He started me out on level 5, which seemed slow as molasses. Yeah well after 8 minutes or so, I didn't think it was so slow anymore. I was sweating bullets, trying to control my breathing all while staring down at the revolving stairs. I was so worried I was going to miss a step and fall like a dork, I couldn't stop looking down. Then I needed some water. I look up, spot my water bottle, then quickly look down. I do this a few times until I'm brave enough to let one of my hands leave the machine long enough to grab my water. After trying to take a sip while still looking down, I think I missed my mouth and got water on tank top instead. I was a mess! The girl beside me, who was a pro at this, asked if I was new to the gym. While still looking down at the stairs, I just explained how I was new to the machine. Amazingly I lasted 25 minutes and went on meet my trainer for strength training. Luckily for me, she didn't have me do anything that involved looking down. I burned 328 calories after all was said and done. And yes, I will be be back on that machine. I want to be a pro just like the girl beside me!

It's a Bow-tiful Wednesday!

Hola everyone! Here is my bow-tiful Wednesday outfit!

Pink tank with bow - Anthropologie

Grey pencil skirt - Old Navy Outlet

Madeline bow tie heels - Shoe Cents

Biche de Béré bracelet - Gift from my Parisian friend

I love this top. It's comfortable and cute. Even the label is cute. No name, just a fortune cookie tag that says, "You are a traveler at heart. There will be many journeys." Funny how my fortune cookies are always way off, but my fortune shirt is dead on! Anyways, I bought this top back in my Anthro days. I worked there part-time for about a year or so to earn a little extra money and get a great discount. Well when you only work 4 hours a week, and all the clothes are must-have's, even the 40% discount couldn't save my pocketbook. Sadly, I had to quit the job to save money. Lesson learned.

In other news... It was back to the treadmill this week. I took a break and was spinning for a while, but honestly I get the best burn from the treadmill. My hour long inclined walk/run burned a total of 615 calories according to my Bodybugg. Burn baby burn!

Many thanks to those who are reading and for all the kind words. I wish everyone a happy, healthy, and fabulous hump day!

Melissa's Shiny Happy Tuesday

Melissa's Shiny Happy Tuesday outfit!

Silver blouse - Dots
Halter vest - Dots
Black pants - NY & Co (I think)
Maripe buckle peep-toe - Rack Room

After months of working out and eating healthier, it was time to reward herself with some new wardrobe pieces. She looks great and her hard work shows!

Ooh La La It's Tuesday!

Oooh la la here's my blogger challenge outfit.

Paul & Joe red top - Target

Nine West skinny belt - Macy's

Corey Lynn Calter A-line skirt - Anthropologie

Peep toe heels - Rack Room

3 strand faux pearls and gold chain - Target

This month, the lovely ladies at Cute on the Cheap, have a blogger challenge to show off your team spirit. My outfit today is inspired by The University of Houston (red white, and a little black). Go Coogs!

On the healthy side of things, I'm back on cooking mode. I actually made a couple of meals, divided them up, and now I'm set for lunches and dinners for the rest of the work week. I generally try to eat 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% fat in an overall day. It keeps me balanced and if I have an off day, I don't feel so deprived when I get back on track. It's all about a healthy lifestyle, not a diet :-) Here's today's lunch...

3 oz grilled then steamed trout ~ 2.5 oz sweet potatoes ~ 1/2 cup of broccoli

Yummers!