I Think I Need This

How adorable would this dress be with little white gloves and t-strap pumps? The collar is utterly delicious. This one is on my ever-growing Easter dress list.

Spring Awakening

I love spring.

The very day the WC rain subsides and the sun pops through the frigidity, I am instantly thrown back to happy college days on the quad, rosy cheeks, watching boys play football, fields of purple heather, rainy kisses, horseback riding...

I especially love spring clothes. All I crave this time of year are nautical pieces... blue stripes, canary yellow raincoats, halter-neck tops, flowy skirts, kelly green anything, with a side of tan shoulders. When Rowena goes down for her nap, (and the chores are relatively done... or started) I immediately browse online shops and magazines. I am (surprisingly?) very impressed with Old Navy's selection this season. Their spring collection is brimming with watercolor prints, frilly tops, deliciously saturated colors, polka-dots, and ruffles. There's something positively freeing about eschewing poly blends in favor of cotton voile. Sigh of happiness... I can't wait to wear the clothes I love.

What is your must-have spring item? Enlighten me, and increase my wants.

New Year, New Life

Darin stands at the mirror with grim eyebrows, pounding his barely-there tummy, growling "Cellulite! Cellulite! Arrggh!" I half-smile indulgently, recalling my earlier aversion of the mirror at Jazzercise for fear of seeing that beached sea lion body I am currently trapped inside. Ah, me.

I have been coaxing/nagging Darin to take health and fitness more seriously for months now. It is extremely difficult to eat responsibly and exercise daily with an eternally skinny husband who frequently brings home pastries and chocolaty delicacies. Recently though, something finally clicked with the little man.

"Hey Louise, did you know that you can control your own metabolism?"

Yes, I've told you that before.

"Hon, to use the Abslide effectively, use your stomach muscles, not your arms!"

I know, I told you that 2 months ago.

"You can't spot reduce!"

O to the M to the G, my "Workout for Dummies" DVD has bellowed that info since I used it in college!

I am immediately reminded of this fantastic passage from Little Women:

Amy's lecture did Laurie good, though, of course, he did not own it till long afterwards; men seldom do, for when women are the advisors, the lords of creation don't take the advice till they have persuaded themselves that it is just what they intended to do; then they act upon it, and, if it succeeds, they give the weaker vessel half the credit of it; if it fails, they generously give her the whole.

I don't think anyone can seriously disagree with the above statement. Anyway, Darin and I have made some lifestyle changes and have been successful in implementing them! Proud? Surprised? You should be.

Limiting sugar. This sounds like a no-brainer, but pregnancy trained me to eat whatever I wanted when I wanted it. A terrible mentality to apply to anything. I don't let the last thing I eat for the day be sweet.

No eating past 7 pm. I wake up hungry now, sometimes in the middle of the night! Instead of grabbing crackers, I drink a full glass of water.

Keeping up with my exercise routine. I Jazzercise about 4 times a week, and with the nice weather, I will start bike riding again. Jazzercise is the absolute best! The trick is finding the best instructors- let's just say I avoid Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Same blasted class set every blasted time. She just alternates the stretch routine.

Eating until satisfied, not full. Doing this keeps me more in tune with my body and ups my energy.

These small lifestyle changes have made D and I happier, already healthier, and more in tune with each other. I greatly appreciate his encouragement and accountability. This is not a diet or fad, but a lifestyle. More about my motivation in my next blog post.

In the name of spring dresses, I will succeed!