Challenge Accepted

Here's an outfit I wore last Friday.  And a bunch of words not about outfits at all.

Spoiler alert:  having a baby kind of wrecks your body.  Especially if your body wasn't in the best condition before getting pregnant, like hypothetically if your immune system attacks you.  Anyway, I gained a bunch of weight in the year and a half or so before getting pregnant, because I was dealing with RA, and some of the medicine I was taking made it impossible to lost weight.  Plus, it's hard to exercise when your body hurts so bad (also, cookies made me feel better).  So fast forward to now, almost 4 months post-partum, I'm trying to figure out how to get as healthy as possible.  But like, I have this baby who needs me all the time, and my body still hurts, and I still like cookies.  

Since I'm working with a busted body and limited free time, my plan is to start small.  I hesitate to even blog about it, because I tend to be a quitter, and then it will be embarrassing, but you know, accountability and whatnot.    

In August, I started 2 of those 30-day challenges that I always see popping up on Pinterest.  Squats and planks.  I'm almost done with both of these (and doing more than 100 squats in a row is super hard!), so I'm trying to think of what to do next.  I'm might pick up this challenge on day 6, to continue working on holding planks for longer, and maybe try these variations on squats .  Or maybe try to get my arms all sculpted in time for winter when they are covered.  

I don't have a real specific goal (I mean, I'd love to lose about 50 lbs), but I'm hoping to build my core strength back up so I can start actually working out (true story: I tried doing this ab challenge and couldn't even do the first day, because I have absolutely no core at the moment. I'm hoping that we will have a couple months of cooler-but-not-freezing weather so I can go on more).  Also, my baby is heavy, and I want to get stronger so it's easier to haul him around.  Rumor has it he is going to get quite a bit bigger before he can walk everywhere himself!    

Anyway, that's my story.  Any advice on easy/fun workouts to try?  So many on pinterest are like "Beginner workout: do 10 pushups!" and I'm like "I can't even do 1 pushup, thanks!"  

*and now I need to go do 190 squats before I go to bed.  Who thought this challenge was a good idea??

Cardigan: JCF

Tee and Skirt: Gap

Shoes: Sperry

Twofer Tuesday - Gray Cardigan

Here are 2 recent outfits I wore featuring my gray cardigan.  Super exciting, I know!  But this is what happens when you are 9 months pregnant.  Comfortable skirts and tops are just about the only thing I want to wear.

I wore outfit #1 to meet a friend for lunch, and I wore outfit #2 over to a friend's house.  Have I mentioned how much I love past me for buying skirts with stretchy waistbands??  Seriously, smart move, 2014 Andi!


Outfit #1
Cardigan: Old Navy
Tank: Old Navy maternity (top 10 remix item)
Skirt: Gap
Shoes: Target

Outfit #2
Cardigan: Old Navy
Tank: Target Maternity
Skirt: Gap
Shoes: Sperry (top 10 remix item)

Double Sweaters and a New (old) Necklace

These 2 sweaters were hanging next to each other as they dried and I thought they needed to be worn as a team.  And then I decided that I really need a purple cardigan, like not lavender, but really purple.  And then I searched on Shopstyle and couldn't find anything remotely close to what I would like.  So, I guess I should add it to my Wish List.  And you know, update that at some point, because I don't think I've looked at it in awhile.

Oh, and more importantly, this necklace is really cool, right!  My dad got it in Israel when I was a baby, and I don't think I ever wore it (and then the string was all stretched out).  So I recently restrung the beads and then forgot about it again.  Then Meghan suggested a wooden necklace to go with this outfit, and I remembered I should really wear this one sometime!  And I'm so glad I did!

Necklace: gift
Cardigan: Gap
Sweater: Old Navy
Skirt: Gap
Tights: Target
Boots: Madden

Copycat Day

 

Sometimes, I just have mornings where I have no idea what to wear.  This usually happens when I am so fed up with how cold it is and all I want to do is wear a sweatshirt and stay in bed.  On these days, I turn to Pinterest for help.  And sometimes I find something that isn't exactly rocket science, but it is perfect.  Like this.  And then I know what to wear for the day.

In other news, did you know that Christmas is less than 2 weeks away!?  In a completely unprecedented move, I'm done with my Christmas shopping.  It's pretty exciting.  But I ordered almost everything online and shipped it to the recipients, so I think I only get to wrap about 2 presents.  I love wrapping presents, so I'm a little bummed.  But hooray for being all done and mostly avoiding crazy shopping crowds!

Sweater: Gap (similar)
Top: F21 (similar)
Skirt: Gap (exact)
Tights: Target
Boots: Steve Madden (exact)

A Birthday Party

Several of my friends have birthdays in the coming weeks.  An unreasonable proportion of my college friends have birthdays in the late Sept-early Nov range.  So we always had lots of birthdays to celebrate this time of year.  Over the weekend, one of my friends had a kind of epic 30th birthday.  I skipped the roller skating rink, because I'm clumsy enough on my own..  Strapping wheels to my feet seems like a recipe for disaster.  So J just met up with everyone for dinner, which was at a bar with karaoke.  I wasn't brave enough to participate, but a few friends did and it was awesome.  And then a few strangers sang and it was very bizarre.  There was an eclectic mix of folks at this particular locale.  The best part - my friend gave our favor bags (just like in elementary school) that contained awesome things like slap bracelets and Lisa Frank stickers.  It was like 1993 all over again!  So fun.

Okay, the actual best part was hanging out with friends that I don't get to see very often.  But the favor bag was pretty great.  And I absolutely can't believe we are all turning 30 this year.  I still think of my college friends as "new" friends, but I guess we've known each other for 11+ years now.  Not so new anymore.  Funny how that happens.

Jacket: J.Crew Factory (exact)
Scarf: Target (similar)
Tee: Gap (similar)
Skirt: Gap (exact)
Shoes: Old Navy (similar without captoe)

Miscellany

I don't have anything interesting to say, so I'll just tell you a few random things:

• I'm about 80% done with reading Edge of Eternity.  This has taken up the majority of my free time in the last week.  1000+ pages will do that.  I'm sure I'll write a full review when I'm done. 
• The rest of my free time has been spent watching season 4 of Walking Dead.  I don't normally like scary stuff, but this show is just so good.  Season 4 is much better than season 3 was.  The suspense is killing me! 
• I'm also pretty excited about Gilmore Girls being on Netflix.  I've never actually seen this show at all, but people have been telling me for 10+ years that I talk like a Gilmore Girl, and that I should definitely watch it sometime.  So I'll probably do that.  But there are 7 seasons, so it will probably take awhile.  
• Also excited about the new Weezer album coming out on Tuesday!    

So there.  This is what writer's block gets you.  

Jacket: J.Crew Factory (exact)
Top: Gap Factory
Skirt: Gap (exact)
Shoes: Old Navy (option, option)