31 - things

Every year around my birthday, I like to share a few things with the few people that might still be checking in here. 

I know that this spot has started to collect quite a bit of dust - and I'm sorry about that. I always have great intentions of signing on, writing a post, and for whatever reason, I either come up blank or fall asleep ;) 

But, I'm here now, at the cutest littlest wine bar ever (Aroma in downtown Crystal Lake), I have one hour with a babysitter at home, and I'm about to get a refill of Rose - SO.....let's do this.

1 - My favorite line has been - I'm a horrible "stay at home mom" because I hate to stay home. We stay very busy throughout the day, and ideally I try to only be home for nap time to be honest.

2 - In order to make that work, I try to keep a tight schedule of home-ish chores so that I can stay on top of things, and keep us busy. I have a laundry schedule I stick too....

3 - Which means I do 1 load of laundry every day

4 - I also try and cook dinner most nights of the week, and the key to my success on that one is having everything prepped at nap time. That way, when 5:30pm rolls around, I just bake/fry/etc.

5 - The other reason I'm really successful at that? My husband is incredibly helpful and supportive. He cleans up the kitchen every night, lines up the coffee machine, loads the dishwasher, UNLOADS the dishwasher, gets laundry started in the morning, ........and about 50 other things he manages on a daily basis along with providing for our family. He operates on very little sleep, has a discipline like no one I've ever met, and also doesn't really know how to relax and/or sit down.

6 - I'm obsessed with my kids. I think they're truly the most beautiful, smartest, funniest, and loveliest little things to be around. They both - OF COURSE - have their moments - but for the most part, I spent the day in awe of how we created these two little doll babies.

7 - On that nice note, I really do feel like I'm living the life that I always dreamed off.

8 - I have been SO against red wine lately. Unless it's a really nice bottle, I really haven't had much of a desire to drink it. I've been having a lot of beer, rose, and vodka.

9 -  Speaking of nice red wine - pretty much the only time I'll drink red wine is Sunday's at my parents. We spend every Sunday at their house for dinner. It's such a special tradition and treat. They cook for us, we hang out, spend most of the afternoon and then enjoy and early dinner together.

10 - I really wish you could be listening to these idiots sitting next to me. I'm not even going to get into detail but I pretty much want to puke in my mouth they're so lame. This is random, I know, but trust me.

11 - I get energy from being around other people. I am VERY much an extrovert, VERY social, and would rather be around people than be alone.

12 -  I take half a unisom every night in order to even try and sleep through the night, and even with that, it's a crap-shoot. Since it works 80% of the time, my doctor thinks I should stay on this path since it's very mild and there is a lot of room to play if it gets worse.

13 - My favorite day of the week is the day that we have our babysitter come to our house to help me from 3:15-6:15pm. It almost blows my mind that those 3 hours are sometimes what gets me through the entire week - but to just have 3 selfish hours where I can go sit at a wine bar, or go to trader joe's alone, or organize the kids closets or whatever. 

14 - We moved from Los Angeles two years ago, after spending five years there. We knew that the Chicago suburbs would always be home.

15 - I miss parts of living in Los Angeles, but I really couldn't imagine living there right now. The lifestyle here is much more aligned to the life I want, but I'm so glad Joel and I lived such a chunk of our twenties there.

16 - I know a lot of people move West for the weather - but I truly missed seasons. I've discovered now, I missed summer, fall, and winter - but I actually friggen HATE Spring. It's cruel here in Chicago. It's cold, gray, flirts with you, and then leaves you again.

17 - My newest favorite instagram account - and least favorite because she is making me go broke - instagram is @things.i.bought.and.liked.

18 - I bought these really cool silk, top-knot-ish-y headbands she reccomended - incredibly random - but I wore it today and no joke, got like 10 random compliments on it. Along with socks, cleaning supplies, underwear, wine.......she's amazing.

19 - I mentioned above that I haven't been having a ton of motivation to blog, and with that, I haven't had a ton of motivation to read blogs. Have you felt the same? I have a few of my favorite girls that I check in with, but for the most part, they just don't fulfill me like the used to.

20 - I do really love to Liz Adams at @HelloAdamsFamily - but more than her blog - I follow her for her instastories which I think has stolen much of Bloggers mojo

21 - I'm so excited for this summer. We decided to join our local country club and I think it's going to change the entire feeling of our summer. Their pool doesn't open until 12, so I think we will end up visiting the pool after naps until before dinner....which literally THRILLS me! Plus, I'm going to try and play tennis there in the morning, and hope to play tennis and pickle ball with Joel on the weekends.

22 - I'm also hoping to have Leo do a camp on Fridays in the summer from 9-3.

23 - The only problem - he has to be potty trained and he isn't.

24 - One of my worst parenting experiences - thus far  - has been our first attempt at potty training. I was a horrible mom in regards to the process, I put WAY too much pressure on Leo and on the situation, him and I both cried for two weeks straight, and then eventually I threw in the towel.

25 - But, it's time to do it again. Leo will be 4 in the fall, and I hope that this time around, we can both come at it from a much more gentle and calm place, and we're just going to take it one day at a time and hope that it sticks. Because we were both so burned from the first process, I'm not following any perfect book/schedule/routine but more so going to try and follow Leo's lead.

26 - We are REALLY hoping to travel with Leo and Drew next year to Europe. The best trip Joel and I ever took was to France a few years ago, and we dreamed of taking our little babes with us. I think they'll both be a very fun ages to do it, so we're really going to try. We'd like to do two weeks in Italy and France but for now, it's truly just a dream.

27 - I have to leave this wine shop in 15 minutes, so the next few points are going to have to be quick

28 - My favorite dessert is key lime pie

29 - I hate getting my hair and nails done. Truly, I find them as chores that I dread.

30 - My favorite food is pizza.....I think.

31 - I am SO beyond thankful. For my health, for my families health, for my life, for my friends, for my house, and for my life. And thank you for checking in here.

Long Time, No Talk.

Hello....anyone out there? 

Maybe, maybe not? It would be only fair if there were just about crickets...and my mom and Joel....but, I'm going to recommit myself to this space for attempt #23545. 

I'm not trying to be a #blogger, I'm not looking to turn a profit (although, I'm down for it), but I want to see, if I go back to the ways that this blog used to bring me joy.....if it still will. And if it doesn't, then maybe it'll be time to bow out for a little while.

For the most part, this blog was a way for me to memory keep. Now, with Chatbooks and Instagram highlights, I sometimes feel like this space gets a little redundant. I also used to like to share my mundane for my family and friends back in Chicago when I was living in California, but now, they do that with me, so I feel quite a bit silly talking about what I ate for dinner, when they probably already know or were with me.

I'm going to try, HARD, to get 4 posts up a week. Starting, next week ;) Something has me coming back to this little space, thinking about it a lot, so I'm going to see what happens if I commit to it. 

Not sure why I feel like I need to share the above, but, I typed it out, so we'll go with it. 

--- 

So, if you're new - or if you're not - here's what you should know about me 

::: I'm 30. I live in the Chicago suburbs, I'm married - to Joel - with two kids; Leo (3) and Drew (1). 

::: Joel and I have been together since I was 19. We dated long distance in college, moved together to Chicago, and then moved to Los Angeles for 5 years where we got engaged, married, and had Leo. We've been back in Chicago for 2 years.

::: I have wanted to be a #SAHM since I was probably 4. I like my job as mom and wife and homemaker, and I like to feel like I do a pretty good job of it. The house is always pretty clean, the kids almost always look cute (I do not....but they do). I get joy out of cooking dinner and eating at the table together, I like being around other moms, keeping everyone on a pretty decent schedule, and I like going to sleep before 9pm.

::: I could absolutely be accused of being #basic. I like to drink coffee until I can drink wine, I like to wear lululemons at target, I like any excuse to have a "playgroup", I like workout classes, I like pumpkin spice lattes, I'm down for uggs, I love the housewives, I listen to podcasts, I miss Gilmore Girls.....

::: I have 2 younger sisters that live in the city, and my parents and in-laws - all of whom we are very close to - live in our town. I see and talk to my mom everyday, see my in laws probably 3 times a week, and Joel works with my dad....so we have a lot of family time.

::: I think we are done having kids. I sort of always saw myself with 3 kids, but Joel has always wanted 2, and now that we have a boy and a girl, and the idea of not having to do it again sounds more appealing, I'm really coming around to the idea that our family is truly complete. 

::: I've never been there - but the next place I would move to would be Charleston. Or, if we hit it big, I'd like a winter house there ;) 

::: I've mentioned it before, but I have a weird thing with textiles. I hate velvet, silk, fleece, wool, spandex.....I know I said I wear lululemons to target, but I actually hate the material of lululemons, and whenever I get home, I immediately have to change into something cotton. 

::: I'd like to be an interior designer someday.

::: I get energy from being around other people. I like to have friends over constantly, be around other people, be out of the house, and always have a full calendar. 

::: During the day, I don't like to have the TV on, but I have podcasts going pretty much all the time, from almost the second I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. Similar to the point above, but hearing people talk calms me and energizes me. 

::: I have quite a bit of anxiety ..... worst thing ever. I take medication for it - used to have the BEST therapist in the world in LA, but haven't found the right one since we moved here. 

::: My favorite food is probably pizza with an ice cold beer. 

::: Or maybe sushi and a glass of champagne - tough call ;) 

::: I drink a lot of lime La Croix

::: I rarely shower. Maybe 3x a month? I much prefer a bath and normally take them when my kids nap. 

::: And I really believe in this 

The Dirty Thirty

It's my birthday!

Thirty feels like a pretty big change. It's weird to think my twenties have come and gone, and now I'm entering an entirely new decade.

I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with it, but I'm very, very thankful for what I have walking into it. I'm exactly where I want to be, and feel incredibly blessed to be living the life that I am. 

This blog has taken quite a little hit - and I'm never really sure if anyone is really even checking in - but it's still a space I want to develop and not leave behind....so if you're still here - thank you for keeping tabs on me and my pretty boring whereabouts. 

I figured I'd try and share 30 random things you may or may not know about me in honor of the big 3-0.

1. I'm the oldest of three girls - and by far fit the bill of a the classic "oldest" child. I'm pretty sure my parents would tell you that I have been the most mature of the family since the time I was about 3 years old....and for better or for worse (probably more worse than better), liked to have everyone follow my rules. When I was 12, if my parents told me they would be home at 10pm, if they weren't home by 10:02, I was calling the hostess of the restaurant they were dining at to check in on them .

2. Joel and I have been together for going on 12 years! 

3. My kids will go to all of the same schools that I went to - and will likely have a lot of the same teachers I had too. 

4. I do not like potatoes. I will sometimes go for french fries, but I don't love them. 

5. I could drink coffee all day long, and pretty much feel like the real life version of this mug. 

 

6. I have a weird thing with textures. As as kid, if my mom forced me to wear tights, I would cry and freak out, and as soon as the event was over, would peel them off my legs as fast as I could. Still to this day I CANNOT stand velvet, fleece, wool, cashmere, nylon, silk, and a slew of other materials. I would much prefer to live in an only cotton world. 

7. I have to sleep with a sound machine and sleep mask.

8. I have bad anxiety (and OCD) - and have since I was a kid. Sometimes it's worse than others, but it can, and has been very crippling.   

9. I went to school (at the University of Iowa) for Elementary Education, and plan to someday use my degree in a pre-school classroom

10.  I am an early to bed, early to rise kinda girl. I like to be asleep by 9:30, and am awake most mornings around 6am.

11. I cannot stand things messy or out of place. I literally have to be really sick in order to leave the house with an unmade bed. I remember hearing somewhere that if your physical space is orderly than it's easier for your mental space to be orderly, and I find that it rings very true for me.

12. I see my Mom 6 out of 7 days, and talk to her at least once a day.

13. I don't take many showers. Maybe....1 every two weeks? I much prefer to take a bath and normally do so at night or during nap time when I can sneak away for 30 minutes. 

14. I'm a super fast reader, and read a lot of books, but I really only tend to read books that are pleasant. I'm the same way with movies and TV shows. I don't like to watch or read things that make me sad or scared.

15. This winter I got majorly into puzzles. I was inside so much with a newborn and I didn't love having so much idle time on my hands, so having puzzles to sit with turned into a lovely hobby for me. It is so relaxing and seriously addicting.

16. My coffee order always is a Grande Hot Latte and while I love coffee, I HATE iced coffee. 

17. I'm pretty sure we only want two kids. Joel's always only wanted two, and I've jokingly said that I wanted 2.5. Now that we have a boy and a girl, I'm sort of coming around with the idea that we may be done.

18. I actually like running, and ran a half marathon in 2014 right before I got pregnant with Leo.

19. My biggest pet peeve is being late. I can't stand when I am late, or when anyone else is. 

20. I love watching sports. I love the romance and fun of college football in the fall, I like summer baseball, and I like filling out my bracket for March Madness....but I can't stand Soccer. Joel loves it, and I find it to be nails on a chalkboard. 

21. I'm not a huge fan of flying

22. I'm 100% an extrovert and absolutely get energy from being around people. I always joke that I am a really bad stay at home mom because I hate staying at home.

23. If I could go back to school and change my degree, I think I would have gone into interior design. I think it would be an ideal job that you could try and manage with a family, and as I've gotten older, I've gotten more and more intrigued with it.

24. My least favorite house chore is putting clothes away. 

25. I have really bad TMJ and my jaw clicks all the time when I talk and chew. 

26. I drive a white volkswagon tiguan, which I love, but I'm in need of a bigger car. I'd like to have a car with a bigger trunk and third row, so we've started to browse around here and there. I've always driven volkswagon's so I'm thinking I'm going to stay loyal and trade my car in for the Atlas. 

27. I am so happy to be back home living in Chicago, but I am SO glad that Joel and I started our life in California together. It's a really fun chapter of our lives that brought us some of our best friends and best memories.

28. My favorite dessert is key lime pie 

29. I'm writing this, and asking Joel for help, and he thinks you should know that I pretend to know a lot of lyrics to songs that I actually don't.

30. I'm a very good bullshitter. 

New year, same me.

 I thought with a new year, I'd loop you in a few things about me that you might not already know....and some you probably do!

::: We are early to bed and somewhat early to rise. Both Joel and I are usually asleep before 10pm. Joel gets up before or at 5am, and I'm up by 6:45.

::: I love working from home until 2pm, then it gets really quiet and boring. The chunk of my work is done and I often find myself twiddling my thumbs and watching the clock. Joel doesn't get home until 6:30/7 and those 4 hours feel long.

::: My biggest tip if you work from home or stay home with kids is to get dressed (out of workout clothes or lounge wear) every day no matter what. 

::: Speaking of working, I'm not sure if I I'm in my forever job. Am I always going to be a sales person? The pros outweigh the cons, for now, but I don't know what the future has in store.

::: Joel and I have been together for 8 years in March.

::: We got married on the young side (24 & 25) and some people gave us a little flak for that, but one of my parents friends said to us once; the only thing I regret about my marriage with my wife is that I didn't marry her sooner - and I feel the same way.

::: I get really bad motion sickness in the back of cars, roller coasters...and as I've gotten older hammocks and swings make me sick too! 

::: I think my best quality is my ability to nurture and love and my worst would be my lack of discipline.

::: Favorite food in the entire world is spinach deep dish pizza from Georgio's - which is not in the city (of Chicago) but in the burbs, and it really is better than Uno's, Lous, Giordano's.....but I will take them all if we're being honest. 

::: This blog has seen me through a lot. It's actually one of the few hobbies that has really showed staying power in my life and I'm really, really proud of it even though it can be a collection of nothings

::: I drink a lot of La Croix (lime) and a lot of wine.  Separately, mostly - but they're actually not bad mixed ;)

::: I think we might be in California for longer than we originally signed on for and that makes me happy and sad. I think if I had to leave tomorrow it would be a lot harder than I could even imagine, but thinking about someday starting a family without my family here keeps me up at night.

::: If I could work out some arrangement that I was in Chicago every summer for like six weeks, and then my friends and family were on a rotating schedule of visiting LA every four weeks, I think I could make it work. 

::: My only Starbucks order is a grande non-fat latte.

::: I was pretty lame in college...and besides a few occasions....most of my wild drunken experiences happened after I graduated.

::: I talk on the phone a LOT. I honestly think I'm on the phone with friends or my family for at least an hour or two every day.  If I'm driving, I'm on the phone....and pretty much the same goes for walking the dog, unloading the dishwasher, putting away laundry, or sitting on the couch.

::: Roscoe is literally our biggest source of just pure joy! I don't think I will ever be able to live without a dog again.

::: I've had pretty bad anxiety all of my life....when I was little I could only label it as "bad thoughts" but, I'm starting to feel like I have a teensy tiny bit of control over it and have starting to find coping mechanisms that actually work.

::: We cook dinner at least 5 nights a week at home and while we splurge on good meats and seafood, I'm proud of how much money we save every month by meal planning and not going out to restaurants.

::: I use the wrong words in sentences more frequently than I should....and it makes perfect sense to me but...it's wrong.

::: My how things have changed.

::: I burn a lot of candles almost all day long, but I've found that Michael's jar candles are the best bang for my buck. Have I shared that little tidbit before? Sometimes you can get 4 for $10 and they're long lasting and fragrant.

::: I love Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives 

Ok.....tell me something about you that I don't know!

Introducing....myself.

In an effort to stick with my "real blogs" talk last week, I've been on the hunt to find some new blogs and mix it up a little bit from my everyday reads.

In case anyone else has been doing that lately, I thought I would borrow Natahsa's (Hello Happiness) idea and do a refresh intro myself!

 

Name/Age/Stats/Location
Very AOL messenger of you Natasha! 
Tess - which is not short for anything, although I get that question a lot. I'm 26 and live in Los Angeles, California, although home is Chicago. My husband and I moved to LA 2.5 years ago for his job, and have made it our home ever since. We love LA, and all of the people we have met here, but it's very hard for me to be so away from family. Every fall, I get very homesick, and this year is no different - it's only started in August!

Work
I'm in educational sales. I've been in sales since I graduated college (although I graduated to be a teacher), and recently changed industries from media sales to educational sales. I'm really enjoying being back in schools, meeting teachers, and feeling passionate about what I'm selling. I'm able to work from home, when I'm not at meetings, which is great. A lot of the job is cold calling, which is not great....but overall it's the right fit for right now and I feel lucky to have it.

Family Info.
I got married last June to my now-Husband Joel. We got married in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin which was amazing. If you haven't seen it, you should watch our wedding video, it's own of my most favorite things in the world. It's only 4 minutes.

Tess + Joel // Trailer from Plan A on Vimeo.

Back in Chicago, my parents live in the suburbs and I have own sister living and working in the city, and my other sister is starting her freshman year at the University of Kentucky.



Hobbies
Blogging, for sure. It's actually one of my favorite hobbies. Wine drinking? Is that a hobby? I'm great at it if it is. I also workout a lot, and read equally as much. I like to shop at HomeGoods and Marshalls, and that feels like a hobby sometimes because you really have to know the tricks of the trade to be good at it ;)

Five Things I Can't Live Without
1/ Baths....I take a bath almost every single night. It relaxes me at the end of the day and I sleep so much better
2/ Girlfriend Time...I need to have sometime during the week to connect with my friends. It can be on the phone, at yoga, or over drinks, but I need the connection of girlfriends in my life
3/ Reality TV.....What would I talk about with said girlfriends?
4/ Gym shoes....I need to be able to get outside and walk or run or play tennis, or something. I need it for my mental sanity
5/ My milk frother....I just bought it to froth my milk for my coffee, and I literally don't think I can ever live without it.
Joel, Family, and Roscoe are obvious choices so I didn't put them - just my disclaimer in case they're reading!

Favorite Things to Do
In LA, my favorite things to do include hiking, concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, wine-ing and picnicking at Malibu Wines, outside happy hours...



Go-To Outfit. 
During the summer, I'm normally in graphic shorts and racerback tank-tops with a cardigan and sandals

Biggest Pet Peeves.
Texting and driving, especially if I am a passenger in your car! Also, I cannot handle when someone is using a fork and they sort of bite it....it actually kills me. I hate chipped nail polish, flip flops on men, and hoop earrings.

Typical Day.
Normally I'm up at 6:10am to get to a workout class at 7am. After my workout, I have coffee and yogurt, and then shower and get ready for the day. I'm normally in my "office" (2nd bedroom) between 9/9:30. I work until 12:00 and then try and have lunch outside with a book, or call my mom to chat.  At 12:30, I normally have a 2nd cup of coffee and try and stay in my office until 4/4:30, normally on conference calls or trying to make appointments. I start cooking dinner around 5:30, and Joel is normally home between 6:30 and 7. We have dinner at the table and then have wine, talk, sometimes put on the TV, or sometimes I will read and Joel will work. We're normally asleep by 10.

It's really exciting over here on a Tuesday!

 

Favorite Go-To Beauty Products
My everyday MUST is Fake Up by Benefit. Need to have it. The rest is a 5 minute job consisting of all Benefit products; Gimmie Brow, They're Real mascara, Lolli-Tint cheek stain, and some Covergirl eye-shadow.

Favorite Music/Bands/Singers
My favorite Pandora station is Jason Mraz, so I listen to a lot of Joshua Radin, John Mayer, Amos Lee.
My all time favorites are John Taylor, Van Morrison, The Counting Crows, Frank Sinatra, Zac Brown Band

My Top 10 Movies
10??
Father of the Bride 2, You've Got Mail, Elf, My Best Friends Wedding, The Proposal, Wedding Crashers, Mean Girls, The Breakfast Club, and....shoot, I don't know? French Kiss


Favorite Food to Make
Black Bean Enchiladas - this is from a purely selfish place, because these literally take 3 minutes to make which I love.

Top Reads (in no particular order)
I can't do it. I struggle telling you the top reads I've read in the last month. I'm currently reading The Divorce Party by Laura Dave which has been enjoyable....I really love most books I read and so I would have a list if you wanted it. I really loved Ladies Night by Mary Kay Andrews. Oh, and I just read All Falls Down by Jennifer Wiener which was really intriguing.

Other Q&A

What you wanted to be when you grew up: News Anchor
Beauty secret: Cetaphil face wash
Celebrity crush: Ryan Renolds
Secret talent: I have a party trick that I haven't brought out in years....basically I can scream and it sounds like a whisper...it's hard to describe but it sounds like I'm stuck in a suitcase and I can't get out.

Me Time

  

Thankfully Joel doesn't have to travel super often for his job, but when he does, I secretly don't hate it.

When I have a night all to myself, I love nothing more than indulging in every minute of it.

I got off of work early yesterday and quickly reintroduced myself to single Tess.

I finally put up a few wedding pictures around the house and although I still have quite a ways to go I just needed to start.

I've been saving all of my magazines for these next few days so I have lots of heavy reading to do.

 

Does anyone else feel like Self has really sucked since their magazine re-design. I will not be renewing. 

If you follow me on twitter, you know that I bit the bullet and bought the ever popular Old Navy sweatshirt, and dang am I glad that I did. It's super comfy - and was $8 dollars. It's perfect for lounging in and wearing out. 

 

I also love not having to worry about cooking dinner or cleaning dishes, and is there anything better than crackers and cheese?

 

After rolling through my DVR of all of the shows Joel hates to watch, I got to sleep with the dog - which is a rare luxury, and off we went.

Even though my day and night didn't consist of anything wild and crazy, it's sometimes just what the doctor ordered.

Quarter Century Baby!

I'm pretty transparent around these parts, but in honor of my 25th birthday, here are 25 things that make me, Me.

Me on the left and my cousin Amanda on the right at our FIRST birthday!

1. I believe in The Secret. I read the book when I was a sophomore in college about 4 times, and have been a believer ever since. The gist it, if you haven't read it, is that positive thoughts bring positive outcomes. So, the way I see it, even if the "magic" part isn't your thing, or happens to be fake, isn't it better to live more positively anyways? I forced Joel to read the book and now we both are converted! I highly recommend the book - it's an easy read and was a game changer for us. 

2. I am 50% Irish and 50% Italian, and I love to play up either card depending on my company. I always love to tell people my heritage because it seems like everyone is becoming more and more of a mutt - including my future Children, thanks to Joel ;)

3. I never take off my engagement ring. I shower, sweat, and sleep in it. Honestly, the only time I take it off is to clean it - which I try to do every other month with windex and an old toothbrush.

4. I light candles every single day, normally around 5pm, but sometimes earlier if I feel like I need it. My parents always had candles burning at our house growing up, and it just makes my house feel more like a home. 

5. I'm obsessed with flying Virgin America. It's kind of like the SoulCycle of airlines. You pay a little extra for a fancier experience and you always see celebs.

6. I find the traffic to be worse in Chicago than it is in L.A.

7. I feel very lucky to have found Joel at such a young age. I like that he knows everything about me and he is really my best friend in the entire world.

8. I have met seriously amazing friends online/this blog. Even when this blog seems like a pain in the ass and a waste of time, I just have to remember that, and I realize it's here for a purpose.

9. Twenty five random things about me is getting really hard to accomplish!

10. I decided to give up wine until I get married. I drink a lot of it, and I'm hoping cutting it out of my diet will help these last sticky ten pounds fall of. I'm still allowing tequila and champagne, so do not fret!

11. I get car sick - especially in the back seat or in taxi's

12. Lately, after a night out with friends and a few cocktails, I wake up in the morning sick to my stomach with anxiety that I said something that came off too harshly - or inappropriate. I have to talk myself down all the time, reminding myself that I'm likely the only person who remembered it, but it's not a fun feeling.

13. I love to read inspirational quotes & sayings

14. I love my sisters - and I'm finally understanding all of the year my parents told us that the three of us were all we have in life to count on. We are three very different girls, but there is no one else in the world that wants the best for each other the way we do. I can't wait to see how these little girls lives unfold, and I am a better person for knowing them.


15. Most days I think I want to have kids sooner than later

16. I grieve the loss of my Aunt Peggy every single day of my life. I still have not been able to wrap my mind around the fact that someone so healthy and vibrant and full of life could be taken from this earth so fast.

17. I want to burn the candles, use the fancy china, and take the damn vacation because life is SO short.

18. I read www.TinyBuddha.com every day

19. My parents, my sisters, and I all have the share the same computer password

20. I like to have a cup of tea after dinnertime - especially at restaurants

21. The older I get, the more I hate to shop. I find it to be an annoying process - and I'm never satisfied with anything that I find. I also really don't like shelling out tons of cash, and yet, I have expensive taste.

22. My twenty-fourth year has been my favorite to date.


23.  But my 21st  birthday party was the most phone. It was a weekend full of inappropriate college antics, and I love thinking back to that weekend.


24. I hate cucumbers

25. I am so thankful for the COUNTLESS blessings I have in my life. My family, my fiance, my house, my friends, my health, my job, my dog, my cousins, the list could go on and on......I could cry at how much goodness I have in my life.

 I can only hope that all of these things continue in this next year of my life and that you too are lucky to have these in your life as well.

xoxo,

5 Facts

Happy Sunday!

Here are a few fun tid-bits about moi!

1. I have bad anxiety. I've had bad anxiety since I was a little girl and I remember waking up in the mornings, trying to explain to my mom what was bothering me, and all I could ever come up with was "bad thoughts". The bad thoughts only got worse, and finally at age 20 I saw a doctor. I worry about a slew of things, but my main concerns are the health of myself and people that I love and flying. Moving out to California, the reduction of overall stress, and the increase of sunshine have majorly helped. Exercise, sleep, and relaxation techniques are also worth their weight in gold.

And yes, wine does fall under the category of relaxation techniques.

2. I have "textile-phobia". There is a long list of materials that I cannot wear or have in my house: dry-fit, velvet, fleece, silk, nylons or wool. When I was shopping for my wedding dress, the number one thing that I cared about was the feel of the dress. I'm just ultra sensitive to the feel of things, which poses major problems when trying to pick out clothes, bed sheets, couches, etc. People think I'm crazy, but again, it's been like that since I was a kid. I would cry when I had to wear velvet dresses and tights to Christmas dinner and would literally strip down naked when we got into the car after the party.

Best part of living in California? Never a need for nylons OR velvet.

3. I'm allergic to flowers that show pollen. When Joel proposed, he had our entire hotel room overloaded with roses and lilies. I spent the next two weeks covered in hives.

4. I am confident. I have plenty of other issues, but being confident is not one of them. I've never been shy in large groups which has boded well for me both personally and professionally.

5. I went to the University of Iowa and graduated with a degree in elementary education. I love kids and can't wait to have my own, but I didn't like teaching as much as I expected to, and alas, am not doing it.

 

So, your turn.

Gimmie your goods! 

You're It!

If it wasn't for Natasha over at Hello! Happiness it would have been very quiet over here. I've got a lot of things on my plate that I'm not quite ready to share...but when I am, I promise I will loop you all in.

Here are the rules for this little game:
**You must post the rules

**Post 11 Fun Facts about yourself
**Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you & then create 11 questions to ask the people you've tagged
**Tag 11 people and link them in your post
**Let them know you have tagged them

1. What is your profession? Currently I am a sales manager/team lead for a large media company. My team sells advertising and media packages, and I manage them. BUT, I went to school to be a teacher….and I didn’t love that….and well, let’s just say I don’t like staying in one place for too long, so you never know when a change will occur.


2. How would you describe your style? I would say preppy, conservative, with a splash of trendy. I have been trying to find quality pieces and look and feel good. I splurge on good jeans, shoes, and good coats. I’m trying to slowly build a classic closet with pieces that will last for years – My mom always tells me, “cry once”….but it is hard to fork over +$200 on a blouse!

3. What one make-up product can you not live without? Probably Vaseline. My lips get super chapped and I crave Vaseline for it. Everything else I could probably live without.

4. If you could be besties with one celebrity, who would it be? Hilary Duff. She seems really down to earth, fun, and normal. She is right about my age and seems to have her head on straight. I’m not a big party gal, but I feel like she would be a good person to drink wine with chat.

5. What is your dream vacation? I’ve never been on a honeymoon, obviously¸ and right now, that is my dream vacation. Being somewhere tropical (like the 4 Seasons in Hawaii) , with nothing to do but relax, enjoy, and spend time with your new husband sounds pretty dreamy!

6. What magazines do you subscribe to? Southern Living and US Weekly.

7. If you could have a special talent {that you don't currently have}, what would it be? Hmm, that’s tough. I guess, I wish I was a very special chef. Who was creative and inventive in the kitchen. Where I could cook up yummy, healthy things, all the time with no effort spent.

8. What is your favorite breakfast food? Honestly, sometimes I go to sleep thinking of 2 fried eggs on an English muffin with cream cheese. But, my dad makes mean Swedish pancakes that I could have each and every day.

9. If you could do anything, what is your dream job? Great question. If I knew, I’d be going after it – I can assure you of that. But I really don’t know my dream job. I want a job that keeps me busy, has a lot of flexibility, maybe only consists of working 20 hours a week, and also pays over 100k….Let me know if you find that job.

10. What is your guilty pleasure? For sure reality tv. And for sure wine.

11. What is the best piece of advice you've ever received, and who gave it to you? A saying my Mom lives by, and I need to as well, “To whom much is given; much is required”

 
 
And here are my 11 girls that I'm tagging! And yes - the questions are staying the same!!
Kayln at A Life Full of Laughter
Hannah at A Big Little Life
Laur at Head Over Heels
Sunkissed and Southern
Interior Groupie
Brittney at Delta Daises
Cara at City Girl Chicago

Ahhh there's more, but I'm late to a meeting! Sorry ladies! XO

Me, A to Z

I am borrowing this from All You Need Is Love and thought it would be fun. Let me know if you do one on your blog, too! :)

A. Age – 23

B. Bed size –Full. We are still using my bed frame/mattress from College and it desperately needs to be changes.

C. Chore that you hate – Putting away clothes (which I have to do) and taking the garbage out (which Joel does)

D. Dogs – I'm biased by my cockapoo, but I'm a big fan of Mini-Goldendoodles, and any rescue dog.

E. Essential start to your day –Breakfast. I literally can't leave my house without eating breakfast. My normal meal is greek yogurt, a banana, granola, OJ, and a cup of coffee.

F. Favorite color –Gray

G. Gold or silver – Whoa...WAY TO HARD! Totally depends.

H. Height – 5'7

I. Instruments you play – Dear Lord, none.

J. Job title – Team Lead

K. Kids – I die for pretty much any and all.

L. Live –Chicago, IL

M. Mother’s name – Connie

N. Nicknames –Tessie, T-Bags, and TessT. Classy - I know.

O. Overnight hospital stays – Thankfully never.

P. Pet peeves – Velvet

Q. Quote from a movie – I would have to Google this...

R. Right or left handed –Right

S. Siblings – Two younger sisters; Hannah (21) and Nellie (18)

T. Time it takes you to get ready – Not including a shower 20-25 minutes.

U. Underwear – I love Gap Body.

V. Vegetable you hate – Cabbage. 

W. What makes you run late – Picking my outfit, changing it thirteen times, and going back to the first dang thing I had on....but to be honest, I'm rarely late. That's another pet peeve.

X. X-rays you’ve had – My Jaw....I'm a TMJ kinda girl.

Y. Yummy food you make – This is still a work in progress, but recently I made some delish cookie bars, Joel loves my homemade pizza and soups, and I love any and all dips!

   Z. Zoo animal – Penguins.


Do you feel like you know a whole different side of me?! Haha, have a wonderful Saturday.