The Cure-All to a Bad Day: Stitch Fix #2

Definitely needed the pick me up tonight and I was so excited that not only did my JCREW dress arrive today, but my StitchFix came as well! Three cheers for StitchFix!

So again, the quick run down on StitchFix: you pay a $20 styling fee and they SERIOUSLY listen (in my experience) to what your preferences are and send you five items to try out. Anything you like you keep and pay the price. They have a scale of pricing options so you know going in about what to pay per item. The $20 you paid gets applied to your total, and if you keep all the items you get  25% discount off your total.

Now. For the main event, my items!!!

Daniel Rainn - Shanae Printed Tie Waist Dress $88

Tried it on!

Loved the print of this dress, but wasn't sold on the fit. It was a little too baggy in the unflattering parts of my body. The price for this was $88. In the end, PASS.

Back view

Front view: Honey Punch Payge Striped Cross-Back Sweater

And it's on.

Back view.

I enjoyed the front, but the back is just not me. This sweater was believe it or not- very snuggly and warm! It was $48 and I said PASS.

Mak - Jaclynn 3/4 Sleeve Button-Up Cardigan

Loved it!

The only problem I had with the cardigan is the color. I own this same color already :( This one was $38 and I had to PASS.

Kut from the Kloth - Warhol Polka Dot Button Up Blouse

Can you say War Eagle?

Or even Go Gators I guess. ;)

By far, my absolute favorite from the box. I felt like it was a good price too! $28 and so comfy and cool. KEEP KEEP KEEP!

41Hawthorn Amani Cowl Neck Sleeveless Blouse

Despite the photos, this baby is dark Hunter Green.

The last fix I bought a 41Hawthorn shirt, but this one didn't really do it for me. I enjoyed the cut, and fit, but Hunter Green. It was $48. I just don't have anything I think I could wear with it. So based on the color, I said PASS.

I'm pretty impressed by two things: 1) I got "Jackie" again :) and 2) they seriously pay attention! That's what I'm amazed by; it's not like Birchbox where I have lately more misses than hits. It seemed pretty planned out. I'm going ahead and scheduling a third box. This is becoming my new treat to myself! So shameless plug: try StitchFix by clicking here and signing up. I recommended in the last blog of mine that if you have a friend with a similar size, you can always go in halfsies and split boxes! Or get two boxes together and mix and match your finds. I'm certainly hooked!

Dinner at Our House: Low Sodium Living

Hello friends! It has been a little bit, but that's just my style I suppose. I pop in and out of the blogosphere whenever the mood strikes. I definitely wanted to update you all on what's being going on here at our house.
Dinners are a-changin'. Tim went to the doctor last week and discovered he's got some blood pressure issues. So step one was to limit his caffeine, and step two was to get his sodium under control. Now let me tell you what I've learned: EVERYTHING I LOVE IS FULL OF SODIUM. I'm not a gal who ever adds salt to a meal, but OMG, it's in everything delicious. Or so I thought. I'm also learning that I can make things on my own. Behold! Two experiences from the past two days: low sodium taco meat and low sodium ranch dry mix for roasting potatoes.

Low Sodium Taco Meat

All this was found in the house (OK, so we had to buy a couple items, but no biggie)

The recipe I made based on a couple of internet searches ended up being:

1 tablespoon Chili Powder

2 teaspoons Onion Powder

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Paprika

1 teaspoon Ground Oregano

Ooohhh ahhh! The colors! Did I mention it smells wonderful?

All shook up! ;)

I always use lean ground beef from Publix and after browning it I added the mix and 2/3 cup water just like you would do on the taco mix. Turned out pretty similar as far as consistency went.

See!

Now check this: 270 mg per serving, times 6 = 1,620 mg total! And what on earth is all that stuff listed in the ingredients? OH! And did I mention this packet is the "Low Sodium" version? Laugh!

When I do the math using myfitnesspal my whole mix is 83.6mg of sodium! And you already saw all my ingredients. Insanity! But, the important question is this: does is pass the taste test? It's a bit different, but I think it's something I can definitely continue to research and play with.

Low Sodium Ranch Dry Mix (I used it to roast potatoes)

If you're a follower of mine on Instagram you saw I made roasted ranch red potatoes the other night. I used a ranch packet and cooking spray to cut calories. Too bad I still had TONS of sodium in the recipe. So tonight, we had the rest of the bag of red potatoes to use up before they spouted legs and walked away (ha, ha, get it?). I again did some internet searching and decided on the following:

2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme

This one really smelled yum!

Annnd mixed!

I once again cut up red potatoes and sprayed them in a light coating of cooking oil and then mixed in the dry spices. Threw them in the oven for about 45 minutes on 450 and stirred every 15 minutes. They smelled AWESOME! Every time Tim did a taste test he'd eat more, that's how I knew they were going to be awesome. So sodium comparison? A ranch packet has 2,160 mg of sodium!! My mix? 16.1mg! Win!!

Nom nom nom - we had it with low sodium BBQ chicken.

Did I mention that the potatoes are only 3 points per cup? Oh yes! I feel like a rockstar! Here's to trying new things and learning how to live in this low sodium lifestyle!

It's Here! My first Stitch Fix

Well I'm already impressed. Two reasons, ok, actually three:

1. My box arrived a day EARLY! 2. They listened and didn't send me pants which was my big fear. 3. They knew my weakness, chevron.

Thanks, Jackie!

So once again, here is how Stitch Fix works. You pay $20 and a "personal stylist" will use your style profile and things like your Pinterest to select five items for you. You try on the pieces at home and then the hard part comes: what.do.I.keep.and.what.do.I.send.back? Ugh! If you keep all five pieces they give you a 25% discount on your purchase. The prices vary, and you can give them some parameters as far as cost goes. Here is what I got:

Collective Concepts: Esten Button-up Sleeveless Blouse

 Out of the box I thought it was adorable. It's actually more purple than the photo shows. Here is what it looks like on me:

Here it is on me.

From this angle I think it looks cute. The price is $58.It's also good to note it is dry clean only. The fit was fair. It's very sheer and I'd have to wear something under it to work for sure. That's why in the end I'm going to PASS on this shirt.

Next up is probably my favorite. This chevron top is me. I'm obsessed with the pattern and lately I am loving the cut/style of the tab sleeve tops. This one isn't as sheer as other ones. It's comfy and adorable! Did I mention I'm obsessed with chevron? It's a bit pricey at $68...but my $20 credit does get applied...this is probably my KEEP!

I flippin love this top. Why must I be so addicted to this pattern?

41Hawthorn Ivy Zig Zag Print Tab Sleeve Blouse 

When I first saw this dress I was like.. hmm..interesting. Then I unrolled it and took it all in. I got excited. But, then I noticed it's houndstooth, and I'm an Auburn gal and we don't rock the houndstooth...but then I tried it on. The hubs liked it. I liked it. It's the most expensive piece at $98. It's a DEFINITELY MAYBE.

Pretty stinkin cute

Mystree Soren Belted Printed Dress

This necklace was undeniably cute. The price is $32. Which turns me off immediately because you can find the same thing almost daily on veryjane.com or groopdealz for half that price. Adorable indeed, but PASS.

41Hawthorn Multi Shaped Opaque Gems Necklace

 Finally, this little gem. Cute blazer! Love the lining. Very soft. The lace detail is a nice touch too. I tried it on with a yellow top because yellow and navy are a good combo, especially where I work since that is our college's color scheme. The problem I noticed is that it was too formless for me. I like blazers and jackets to be tailored and have nice structure. It was almost too big in places. Price was $78 so between that and how I felt about it, cute, but PASS.

Sugarhill Boutique Baltic Lace Detail Blazer

Overall, I'm excited. This was fun and I'm impressed. I don't plan on doing this every month because that just might get too costly for my budget. However, I could see myself doing this once a season, or during a month when I need a happy surprise pick-me-up. I've read other blogs and a great idea for anyone who has friends of a similar size: try it together! Go halfsies or both order boxes and trade out pieces so you each get to try on more. Could be beneficial! Stitch Fix = I recommend! 

My boxing obsession

I was enjoying my Friday off today, hanging out with my mom and I got this in the mail:

#birchboxbrag #drjart #bb #loveit!

This is now my second full-size purchase of this product, Dr. Jart's BB. I love this stuff. It was probably my first *find* in a Birchbox. I use it everyday in lieu of foundation and then I use a simple powder on top to set. I love that it has SPF25 and it covers blemishes and evens skin tone. Let's not ever forget the monstrosity that was my face after the epic sunburn I received at the Auburn v Mississippi State game a few years back.

Anyways, the reason I wanted to blog about Birchbox is twofold. First, I need to make myself write more. And Second, I'm getting ready to try something NEW as far as boxing goes. Have any of you tried Stitch Fix? It's basically a styling service. I'm nervous/excited all at the same time. You pay $20 (as you wish, not monthly unless you'd like monthly), and they send you five pieces of clothing/accessories. You send back what you don't want, and pay for what you keep. The $20 you paid will apply to anything you keep. Also, if you like all five pieces they give you more discount. So...at the end of the day..it's something fun and new and only $20. I read several bloggers give it a thumbs up, and my sweet friend Sarah gave me a referral (worst case scenario, I helped her score $25 credit for her next purchase).

So here goes nothing! I will definitely share photos of all my pieces when they arrive next week!

A return?

Same excuse, different day. Seems to be common lately for me, and not just with blogging. But, after some time in New Orleans this week at a conference I'm feeling pretty motivated and inspired to work on some professional and personal growth opportunities. I'm having a serious come-to-Jesus meeting with myself on what I can do to be better. One of the first things on my list? Reorganizing! My daily routines, my home, my office at work..it's going to all get a much needed overhaul! I know it's going to take time, but hopefully I can eat this elephant one bite at a time.

Dinner at our House: Grilled Steak Salad

Yes! I'm alive, and eating delicious food. We haven't been cooking much, but this has been a new staple for the past two weeks: Grilled Steak Salads.

Mmmm...so good.

Tim will buy a pack of two small sirloin steaks and I will do the rub/seasoning. After it's grilled I add a few things:

• Blue Cheese Crumbles (reduced fat)
• Blue Cheese Dressing (lite; and I do a half serving)
• Balsamic Vinaigrette (also lite and half a serving)
• Additional ground pepper

All in all, when I've done the math the salad comes out to 7-8 WW points. Not too bad because I'm very full after eating steak. 

And just to update you on some of my 13x13 goals...

Notice two things: in 2 weeks I've lost 5.8 pounds doing WW and  C25K! 

Couldn't be happier and hopefully, healthier!

Thirteen in 13: Only 8 days late.

As usual, I fully intended to be like everyone else and post this on January 1. But, same old 2012 excuses- busy, busy and busy. I'm hoping that these will help whip me into shape. Without further ado:

1. Track our entire budget- last year I started out well, but it tapered off after about three months.
2. Use at least $500 in coupons- I'm pretty sure I surpassed this last year, but part of the problem was that I stopped tracking how much I was saving. This year I want to sort of unite these first two goals for a comprehensive look at our spending.
3. Personally put away $X in savings- I want to make sure I continue to contribute to our family's savings account.
4. Give up caffeinated beverages- Make a gradual change to giving them up or replacing them with caffeine free versions.
5. Lose X pounds- and keep it off- pretty self explanatory. I feel like losing X would put me at a very healthy weight and would get me back in my skinny clothes.
6. Run a 5k- I really want to do this! I need to do this!
7. Read 26 books- I really think I can do this, especially now that I have my iPad mini and I joined a book club.
8. Complete an organization program/regime- there is a 31 days to getting organized and a 13 week one. I'm not sure what I'll do yet, but I want to work on that.
9. Stick to my professional development hours at work and earn my step increase! I'm a little over 50% complete with my hours. I have about 7 or 8 months to get it done. I think I can do it!
10. Make at least three meals a week- we've been eating out way too much. This will help us stay organized, on a budget and healthier.
11. Finish wedding scrapbook- THIS YEAR MAKES FIVE YEARS!!! I have GOT to do this.
12. Wish everyone happy birthday :)
13. Have twelve unique dates with the husband. Gotta keep it fun and interesting. I'm taking any suggestions.

There it is. Thirteen things I'm striving for in 2013. I'm already off to a good start on 1, 2, 6, 7, and 12. Hopefully the rest will follow suit. Wish me luck!