Friday Favorites 2

10.31.14

Favorite Workout

This week, I was back at the gym to get my booty in tip top shape before training for the Disney Half. I did a warmup on the elliptical, a bodyweight circuit, an arm workout with weights, and cooled down on the stationary bike. It was nice to be back at it! As much as I love running outside (and should take advantage of that before it really gets cold), I really miss the gym sometimes! 

Also, I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did... it's an important thing to remember!

http://thoughtcatalog.com/jessica-blankenship/2014/03/6-things-you-must-have-to-have-a-perfect-body/

Favorite Drink

One of my absolute favorite bloggers (Peanut Butter Fingers - http://www.pbfingers.com/) always raves about Archer Farms coffee from Target. Last month, I was there to buy a bunch things I didn't need (amiright, ladies?!) and I decided to see what all the fuss was about. There were sooo many different flavors to choose from. After a solid five minutes of just staring at the shelf, I decided on the Buttery Caramel flavor. Holy moly, this stuff is good. I can't wait to try their holiday flavors! 

Favorite Quote

Favorite Treat

You can thank me later. This is the mooooost delicious treat from Trader Joe's! There is nothing I love more in this world than cozying up on the couch with a cup of chamomile tea and a spoonful (or three) of this tasty treat. 

Happy Halloween! 

Home Sweet Home

10.29.14

One of my all-time favorite things is looking at decor and interior design ideas. About a week ago, my best friend and I helped my mom pick out some centerpiece ideas for an upcoming party our family is hosting.

Whenever I'm killing time on Pinterest, 9 times out of 10, I'm looking at home decor. I'm such a homebody and I spend most of my time at home. It is important to me to make a space look beautiful and feel comfortable.

I'm sure you're sensing a pattern in my preferences for bedroom looks:

I gotta say, there is nothing more delicate and warm than a cluster of white and cream candles. I absolutely love this look and I'd like to take steal some of these looks!

The Qs were camp kids so we have a handful of these trunks hanging around at home. I'd love to put a fresh coat of paint on it and use it for storage!

I absolutely adore the maps of France on this gallery wall. I currently have maps of Paris and London (two of my favorite cities in the world) and I'd love to display them like this. I'm looking for cream and gold frames for my prints. 

A couple of summers ago, I painted and distressed a nightstand I picked up from my neighbor...'s curb (one lady's trash is another lady's treasure). I picked a really fresh minty green color. Now, I'd love to paint it to this off-white color. It is so dreamy!

I am currently in the thick of graduate school applications right now. Once I'm actually enrolled and taking classes, I'll need a clean space to work. On my to-do list is to find a simple and structured desk chair like this one.

Time to get started on these projects!

Friday Favorites 1

10.24.14

So I've been writing this blog for over 5 months and I can't believe it has taken me this long to do a Friday Favorites post! I regularly follow six bloggers and their Friday posts are always my favorite.

Favorite Song

Fleetwood Mac "Dreams" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEi7GPkxfsE

I'm so incredibly excited to see Fleetwood Mac's reunion tour in January! I grew up listening to Fleetwood Mac and idolizing Stevie Nicks and her energy. She is iconic. Seeing them live is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Also, Lindsay Buckingham is like a fine wine... he just gets better and better with time. (Note: it is a really difficult task to pick just one Fleetwood Mac song to feature here but this is definitely in my top 3)

Favorite Beverage

Ok so I mentioned a little bit about juicing in my last post. I usually like to add pineapple and/or lemon to any juice I'm making to sweeten it up. I've been trying new recipes and concoctions to see what else works. This morning, I whipped up a spicier juice with less citrus than usual:

-Handful of carrots
-1 apple
-1/2 lemon
-Ginger

Ginger is a superfood that has anti-inflammatory properties, helps curb nausea, improves digestion, protects against cancer, and boost immune system. Some people really hate the taste of ginger (and I used to be one of those people) but it is actually really yummy if juiced correctly.
Favorite Beauty Product

There are endless possibilities to use coconut oil. So far I have:

-Put it on my hands and cuticles before bed

-Used it as a lip balm (so unbelievably moisturizing!)

-Dabbed it on my eyelids and lashes to remove any remaining eye makeup

-Used it as a hair mask (I let it sit in a twist with a clip for about an hour before I showered)

*Note: my hair was still a little greasy post-shampoo because I think I overdid it. Now I know to use less next time!

-Put the tiniest amount on my face as moisturizer

...and that was just in the first day!

I am officially addicted.


Favorite Workout

I absolutely love this DVD because it combines vinyasa yoga with fat-burning moves. My muscles were definitely sore the next day. The DVD includes a Level I and Level II workout. I am a little biased about doing this particular workout because one of Jillian's background ladies is named Maddie. So Jillian will walk around instructing and say things like "Maddie wants to get stronger!" and it kiiinda feels like she's talking to me. I can start to cut corners with any other at-home workout, but not this one! She keeps me motivated the entire time.

(Allie and I occasionally watch The Biggest Loser now and it makes me wish I tuned in when Jillian was a coach! She is badass.)

Favorite Past-Time

I'm sure anyone who knows me even a little bit can tell you that I love me some serious pampering. Ever since I was young, I have lllloved bubble baths. After I did the Yoga Meltdown workout, I put together a little eucalyptus bubble bath for a soak. Last month, I purchased the Dr. Teal's Eucalyptus Epsom Salts and Dr. Teal's Eucalyptus Bubble Bath (both at Target). 

Let me tell you, these are game-changers! Eucalyptus is an aromatherapy essential oil and has many benefits:

-Cures nasal congestion

-Strengthens immune system

-Relaxes muscles

-Stimulates mental activity

-Provides relief for flu symptoms 

There ya have it! Have a fun weekend everyone!

Detox.

10.22.14

October has been a crazy month! I feel like the last couple of weeks was nothing but planes, trains, and automobiles. I know it's definitely not an excuse but it is hard to maintain a well-balanced diet and fitness regimen when you're traveling all the time. 

Now is as good a time as any to start making healthier choices. I finally dusted off my juicer since I've moved to Nashville in July. *face in hands* I got my juicer in February and had an intense obsession with it until moving to Nashville. 

I returned from my weekend in Rochester on Monday night. By Tuesday morning, I was at the grocery store stocking up on produce! How exciting!

As soon as I got home yesterday, I whipped up a juice: 
-Celery
-Romaine lettuce
-Lemon
-Apple
-Pineapple

The first sip made me realize how much I really missed juicing!

First thing this morning, I made one of my all-time favorite juices: 
-Carrot
-Lemon
-Pineapple

Also, I downed a giant glass of water with a slice of lemon. I'll tell ya... my morning started off on the right food with that vitamin boost!

As far as fitness goes, I did this HIIT workout (from the Peanut Butter Fingers Blog) yesterday to get back into the swing of things. 

I was a little annoyed because I brought my running shoes and workout clothes to Florida and had NO time to workout. I neglected to bring anything to Rochester during my visit and had PLENTY of time to workout before and after Mel Weekend. Ugh, I hate when they happens.

Going 2+ weeks without working out really throws me off. It's amazing how much the body adapts to an inactive lifestyle, even when it was purely unintentional!

I finished off this afternoon (filled with grad school prep) with another green juice - this time I added ginger for a little spice! I did Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown DVD (holy booty workout) and took a eucalyptus detox bath.

After two straight weeks of celebrating, aka drinking, I'm ready to get back to a healthy and fit lifestyle.

Key West: Wedding Day!

10.21.14

Ahh, the wedding! This post is a little delayed due to a trip to Roc for Mel Weekend. I wish I had more pictures to share in this post but I was far too busy dancing to take pictures. I cannot WAIT to see what the photographer captured of the crazy dance floor.

We spent the afternoon lounging around the house getting our hair and makeup done. I wasn't all that picky about the hair situation as long as it was off my neck and shoulders in the 90+ degree weather. (Key West never cools down at night, by the way. It was brutal.) 

We arrived at the Hemingway House at 5:30 to take a few pictures with Jon before the ceremony. People started to arrive and found seats. The guests especially loved the cold lemonade and water at the entrance. Let me reiterate how hot it was that day! The venue was beautiful and intimate. 

By the time everyone was ready to go, we began walking down the aisle at about 6:15. Mom was escorted in my Jon and Dad. Before I knew it, Allie and I were signaled to walk! Heels and the uneven brick were a recipe for disaster. Luckily, nothing disastrous happened.

I was holding back tears the entire time walking in.. and doing a very poor job at that. The family walked in to the ceremony to The Beatle's "In My Life." That picture is deceiving. Just seeing my brother at the alter was so sweet! After we took our seats, Danielle arrived at the balcony of the house and was escorted in by her dad and stepdad. She walked into Alison Krauss's "When You Say Nothing At All" and it was very sweet. Every little detail was absolutely beautiful. There was not a dry eye in the house (or in the garden next to the house). 

The ceremony was perfect... flawlessly blending two religions and two families. Danielle's mom was the Matron-of-Honor and my Dad was the Best Man. My favorite part might have been when Uncle Richie (Danielle's family friend) opened with "Thank God FSU won today and thank GOD Danielle is marrying Army." Amen to that!

I wish I personally had more pictures of the ceremony but I left that up to everyone else attending. 

After the ceremony, we waited for our turn for the big family portrait. Most importantly, I was waiting patiently to be dismissed so I can get a cocktail!

Another sister pic!

I took my "little" cousins, Jack and Dane, to the dining area so they could sign the guestbook. Jon and Danielle had a ginormous wooden "Q" for the guests to sign. Snaps for that cute idea!

Our family friend snapped this pic of the 4 of us before we were announced into the reception. 

 

Danielle and her stepmom, Flavia, were visionaries with the vintage decor. No detail was left unnoticed. I even loved the place cards! 

I snapped a candid of the sweetheart table. Jon is checking out his new bling... too cute. Every table had a bottle of Querciabella, our family's favorite wine (for good reason). 

I couldn't wait to get my booty out on the dance floor! I taught Dad a thing or two about breaking it down. Shout out to Jon's McQuaid and Villanova friends and Danielle's FSU friends for keeping up with me out there. I clearly was too preoccupied dancing all night because I missed out on the chocolate-covered Oreos... iknowright?!?

After the reception ended, we all headed out to Duval Street to continue the celebration. This was the only picture captured from Irish Kevin's... *slow clap* to Jenn and Meter for taking one hell of a selfie with me. 

The whole celebration was an absolute blast. Congratulations to Jon and Danielle! Can't wait to see you both in a few weeks!

Key West: Rehearsal Dinner + Sloppy Joe's

10.14.14

The week went by so quickly and things really started to pick up by the weekend. On Friday, we headed out to the Hemingway House for the wedding rehearsal. 

What I loved most about Key West was being able to walk everywhere. However, all the ladies got dolled up for dinner so we voted in favor of cabbing it to the rehearsal. 

No excursion is complete without a some selfies in the cab! (Take note that Jon is actually smiling. How sweet!)

 

Snapping some pics while we waited for the boat to take us to Sunset Key for dinner:

The happy couple!

We went to dinner at a restaurant called Latitudes. I ordered fried eggplant with roasted asparagus and black quinoa. It was absolutely delicious and easily the best asparagus I've ever had in my life. Plus, this sunset made getting on another boat so worth it. Still a little queasy though...

We sailed back to Key West around 9ish to meet family and friends at Sloppy Joe's. It was insanely fun seeing all of my favorite people!

Don't know what I'd do without these guys... Did you know I actually have three brothers?

I love these beauties!

It is simply amazing having people from every stage of your life coming together to celebrate as one big family!

Pictures from the wedding ceremony and reception will be coming very soon! I can't wait to see the crazy moments the photographer captured on the dance floor. Stay tuned...

P.S. Still icing my ankles and calves from burning up the dance floor. I would have loved run or walk and enjoy the crisp air in Nashville but I am too busy limping around the house. 

Key West: Pre-Wedding Festivities!

10.12.14

Wheels touched down in Nashville this evening! We are back from a beautiful week in the Sunshine State! My brother is officially a married man and I have gained another sister! We are truly a blessed family. The celebration was simply incredible. But first, I'll share some pics from the week leading up to the wedding.

I flew into Naples on Friday, the 4th, to catch up with my parents. On Monday, we hit the road for the Keys bright and early. In case you guys didn't know, driving across the state of Florida is positively boring. But I entertained my parents with obnoxious road trip games. 

We stopped at an adorable beachside restaurant for lunch. I was so excited to start taking some pictures!

The house we rented for the week was gorgeous and perfect for our group! Kudos to Mama Q for all of the beautiful accommodations!

We had plenty of time relaxing by the pool with books and enjoying the house before all of the guests arrived.

I was constantly trying to capture the charming character of Key West!

I stopped into this quaint church down the road from our house for a sprinkle of holy water. Lord knows I needed it after my sinful dancing on Saturday night.

The following pics are from our trip to Dry Tortugas. We sailed a few hours to an old military fort. It was breathtaking! There really aren't beaches in Key West so this was our chance to enjoy the water. Unfortunately, the 3+ hour boat trip was pretty brutal on the family. The Qs are NOT boat people. It was worth it though!

Many more pictures and stories to share in the coming posts!