The Perfect Compilation Tape

Meet Me at the Barre.

2012-02-15T03:09:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, a dear friend told me about a Groupon for Bar Method classes. A barre-based class? This girl (meaning ME!) has ZERO flexibility. Always up for a challenge, I decided to give it a shot. It was awful. My instructor (who was tiny, adorable and EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT) constantly corrected my every move, and I HATE to be corrected. After one class, I had trouble walking for approximately four days. But I returned. Again. And again. And again.

And here we are, almost three years later. While I am not as stick thin as all of the lululemon-clad instructors, I am stronger. I can do 70 push-ups in one class. My thighs are thinner. While I still may "shake" (this is a good thing!) during thigh work, I take less breaks. My abs are more defined. And while I might have a pain or strain here and there, I know this barre class has helped my running significantly.

Bar Method classes are sixty minutes long, and in that hellish hour, the class "integrates the fat burning format of interval training, the muscle shaping technique of isometrics, the elongating principles of dance conditioning, and the science of physical therapy to create a revolutionary new workout that quickly and safely reshapes your entire body."

In other words, it sucks. But you will feel amazingly accomplished afterwards! From arms to thigh to butt to abs, this workout is organized and contains just the right amount of "I want to die" and "This feels so amazing".

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The dreaded thigh work, where uncontrollable shaking is encouraged!

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The "seat work" portion of class. They asked me to serve as the "ass model" but I declined.

I've noticed that in the past year, barre-based classes have become all the rage. Here in Chicago, Bar Method and BarreBee Fit seem to be the two most popular. I've attended BarreBee several times, and while I'll always remain partial to Bar Method, I do love BBF for the following reasons:

* The music is top notch! From Michael Jackson to Madonna to "Glee", I always find myself singing along.

* It's $5 cheaper per class!

* They also offer Bardio Barre and Barre Burn, which takes place in a heated studio.

* The studio? It's flipping ADORABLE!

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Again, they wanted to photograph my abs, but I didn't want to show anyone up...

No matter where I am, be it Bar Method or BarreBee Fit, I will always love the feeling I get after a class. In fact, I am so enthralled with barre classes that I will be checking out the Pure Barre studio when I'm in Nashville (thank goodness for THIS girl who doesn't mind working out at 6am on vacation) AND hopefully Physique 57 when I'm in New York (once again, with the same crazy girl).

Do you love barre classes as much as I do? Do you exercise on vacation???

My Quiet Little Weekend.

2012-02-13T03:32:00.000-08:00

My weekend, much like my life lately, was quiet. With an out-of-town school retreat AND Blissdom coming up, I have reveled in the silence.

On Friday, a quiet snow fell on Chicago - the second snowfall we've seen all winter! Between catching up on the DVR, fro-yo and the hubs, it was a perfect way to end the week.

It was certainly a far cry from THIS scene, a mere two weeks ago!

On Saturday morning, I had 8 miles to tackle on the treadmill. However, because I was running in honor of Sherry Arnold, the fact that I was stuck inside AND sporting a slightly sore hip didn't stop me.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Sherry's story, she is a wife, mother and teacher who was reported missing while out on her Saturday morning run in Montana. After weeks of searching for her and combing for clues, two gentlemen were arrested for involvement in her disappearance and one admitted to her murder. Sherry was just one mile from her home when she was abducted.

Her cousin Beth, the genius behind "Shut Up and Run", organized a virtual run in Sherry's honor. It's been an inspiration to see so many bloggers come together and support one of us who suffered while doing the thing we all love. You can read more about the virtual race, and Sherry, here.

I felt like a jerk that I forgot to actually print my bib, but here I am before the run. (I know. I'm so gorgeous you can't stand it.)

Much of my run was spent thinking about Sherry and this senseless loss felt by many. We all run, each and every single day. This could have happened to anyone. And so Sherry, I ran for you. I didn't complain about running on the treadmill like I normally do. I didn't freak out about a slight hip soreness. I just ran. 8 miles in 1 hour and 16 minutes. I thought about you and your family and friends. I prayed for all of you - that everyone who knew you has found some peace and comfort despite this tragic loss.

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Later that evening, my friend Meghan hosted a dinner party with a theme! This month's theme? "Food on a Stick"! Needless to say, it was quite a success:

I swear, everything tastes better on a stick (or with bacon) and I cannot wait to see what next month's theme will be! Between good friends, good food and great wine, what more do you need???

The weekend wrapped up with a quiet Sunday, filled with a wonderful Barre Bee Fit class (my review coming soon!) and brunch with dear friends and a cute baby at SOLA in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood. Sigh. What a perfect weekend.

How was your weekend???

P.S. I have lots of exciting news/posts coming up. Get fired up!

Fabulous Valentine's Day Challenge - My Family.

2012-02-09T03:37:00.000-08:00

I'm linking up with Neely, Casey and Amber to share a group of people that I love dearly - my family. And I figured that there was no better way to introduce you to my family then by sharing pictures from my brother's wedding. All photos were taken by my incredibly talented hubby, Mike! I wish I had one big family photo to share that included my hubby, but he was SO busy shooting the wedding that he had to photoshop himself into one of them. But I obviously consider him part of my little family:)

First up? The boys! Here we have my brother Kevin (the groom), my father Jack, and my brother Mike (the best man AND more commonly known as "Mook").

Next, I'd like to introduce you to my new sister-in-law, Karen! She is a DOLL, and I am so excited to have another sister in the family!

The siblings! That's me on the left. I don't look fantastic, but I am the oldest. My sister Molly, the youngest, got all of the good genes in the family. And Kevin and Mike? Well, they are up to their usual shenanigans.

This might be one of my favorite photos. Kevin and Karen were MADE for each other. And how stunning is she???

And last, but not least, we have my beautiful mama and best friend, Judy. She is the calming force behind the chaos that is my family.

Yet another typical scene. Brothers and shenanigans. I swear, there is never a dull moment when we're all together.

So, that's my family. I adore each and every one of them, and they have all made me the person I am today...especially my father. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am exactly.like.Jack. :)

Tell me about your family. What makes them so special? And consider linking up here!

My Love for NYC via Pinterest.

2012-02-08T03:51:00.000-08:00

So, today marks the FIRST TIME EVER that I am linking up with Michelle of The Vintage Apple for "Oh, How Pinteresting" Wednesdays! You see, when Pinterest first arrived, I had NO IDEA how to use it, nor did I have the time. So I deleted my account. However, when I saw how many awesome items were online, from prints to recipes to workouts, I knew I had to re-join.

And so, here we are.

It's no secret that I adore anything and everything NYC. As much as I love my Windy City, I cannot help but feel ALIVE when I visit the Big Apple. I know some people think it's crazy, but if I had my way, and money were no object, I'd rather live in a tiny Manhattan or Brooklyn apartment than buy a huge house in the suburbs. I have been, and always will be, a city gal.

(Listen. I'm not REALLY going to move to NYC. My life in Chicago is very complete. But it's fun to dream. And stalk Craigslist for apartments in NYC.)

So today, I am sharing my love for all things NYC!

Source: newyorkcitydreams.tumblr.com via Meghan on Pinterest

I don't know what it is, but I adore different neighborhoods. Each is so distinct and offers new adventures! When we last visited NYC, I found myself LOVING the Soho/Tribeca area.

Source: deuxjoli.nl via Meghan on Pinterest

When I return, I WILL recreate this!

Source: newyorkcitydreams.tumblr.com via Meghan on Pinterest

I'll take one brownstone, thank you.

Source: srgambrel.com via lise on Pinterest

A dream of ours has always been to own a loft space. For a cool $2 million, I am sure we can find one suitable to our tastes in Manhattan:)

Source: fromme-toyou.tumblr.com via Meghan on Pinterest

Vintage NYC. Kind of like "Mad Men", eh???

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This isn't from Pinterest, butI had to include one of my favorite areas, Central Park. I went for a run each morning and felt so at ease. When I visit again, I am super excited to have a new crop of running bloggers to stalk!

Are you like me? Are you crazy obsessed with another city???

Workout Playlist Swap!

2012-02-06T03:40:00.000-08:00

When Christy of "25 Before 25" mentioned the idea of a workout CD swap, I instantly jumped at the chance, as I am always on the hunt for new workout tunes! My partner, Megan (of "Semi-Charmed Kind of Life") posted her list for me a few days ago, and it ROCKS. I mean, she included my favorite Glee mash-up. She knows me too well!

Luckily, she mentioned that she has eclectic taste when it comes to music, so I hope she enjoys the following suggestions I have for her!

Source: katycat.mypage.ru via Holly on Pinterest

1.) "Rumour Has It / Someone Like You" Adele mash-up from "Glee" (I had to return the favor!)

2.) "1901" by Phoenix

3.) "Are You Gonna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz

4.) "Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That" by Robert Randolph & The Family Band

5.) "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn (Great cool-down song!)

6.) "Girl" by Beck

7.) 'Till the World Ends" by Britney Spears

8.) "When the Going Gets Tough" by Billy Ocean (You know you love the 80's!)

9.) "Hanging On" by Cheyenne Kimball

10.) "OK, Its Alright With Me" by Eric Hutchinson

11.) "Feeling Stronger Everyday" by Chicago (The song builds and builds, which is perfect for speed work!)

12.) "Empire State of Mind" Jay-Z and Alicia Keys (I love pretending I'm running through Central Park when I hear this song!)

13.) "I Believe In a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness

14.) "Pump It" by the Black Eyed Peas

15.) "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" by Phil Collins (An unlikely addition, but I promise it's great!)

Enjoy, Megan!

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Well, folks, week #4 of my half-marathon training is complete, and so far, so good! It boggles my mind that I trained for several marathons many years ago without any knowledge whatsoever. But, with every setback and injury, I feel like I've learned a lot about running smarter, and I am trying to incorporate this knowledge into my training.

Monday: Bar Method class

Tuesday: 3.5 mile run (Reality: 4.15 mile run at 9:12 pace. It was faster than I planned, but the weather was gorgeous AND I ran to my favorite cupcakery, Molly's Cupcakes!)

Wednesday: 3 mile treadmill run at 9:26 pace / abs and stretching

Thursday: REST

Friday: 60 minutes of Bikram Yoga

Saturday: 7 mile treadmill run at 9:34 pace

Sunday: 60 minute spin class at GoCycle Chicago

While I am pleased with my workouts, one thing I definitely need to incorporate is more daily strength training. I've been stretching a ton and doing a plank challenge, but I need to do more!

How are YOU? Any workouts you want to brag about? Any music to contribute?

Fabulous Valentine's Day Challenge - Our Wedding!

2012-02-02T03:45:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to be linking up for the Fabulous Valentine's Day Challenge. Today's topic?

LOVE WEDDINGS!

Mike and I were married on July 24, 2009. We had been dating for approximately five years before our wedding day. We were married in my childhood church, and our reception was held at a local country club. Our colors were navy blue and fuchsia, and we planned a day for 300 of our closest friends and family:)

Mike was very instrumental in helping plan our wedding, as we tried to plan a day that was very unique to our tastes and personalities. We decided NOT to include typical wedding traditions, like flower girls/ring bearers, the garter toss, group dances, etc.

Before I get into the details, I have to say one thing: I learned that it's SO NOT WORTH IT to stress over the little details! You will always remember your wedding day, but it's ONE DAY. Your marriage is a lifetime. I loved July 24th, but my marriage gets better each and every day. So if you're planning a wedding and getting stressed out, DON'T! No one really cares about the details except you! Enjoy your day! (Sorry if that's harsh, but it's true.)

(With the exception of the first photo, of the photography provided is courtesy of our AMAZING photographer, Matt Schademann. If you're a Chicago bride, I highly recommend Matt's style and approach.)

My sister Molly and myself before the rehearsal dinner, which took place at the restaurant where Mike and I met!

It's wedding day!

My dress! It was an off-white, A-line dress - completely different than what I originally wanted, but what they say is true. You just know!

I really loved our flowers and the way they popped against the navy bridesmaids dresses, which were regular dresses from Nordstrom.

My other maid-of-honor and oldest friend, Danielle.

My favorite ladies!

The kiss!

We're married!

Some fun at the golf course. I loved the grounds - perfect for a July wedding!

Our photographer compared this shot to "storming the beaches at Normandy".

You know you're surprised to see cupcakes!

Classy bride.

My sweet sissy.

The brothers. I swear, they certainly know how to entertain.

One of the last dances of the night. We had a BLAST - AND happened to get stranded at the reception. Like, everyone left and my husband and I had no ride to the hotel. The staff at the club had to call us a cab!

Sigh. It was an awesome day. Can you imagine if Pinterest had been around when I was wedding planning? Eek!

Are you married? Or do you have awesome ideas? Link up and play along!

Attitude Adjustment

2012-01-30T05:19:00.000-08:00

If you follow me on the Twitter, you know that I've been doing a lot of moaning and whining about how "life is so harrrrd" and "I'm exhausted" and blah blah blah. I thank you for putting up with me. Sure, last week was hellish, but it's over and it's time to move on. I need a little less of this:

(This is my adorable sister. She really isn't a sad clown. But I just had to use this picture.)

And more of this:

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Therefore, I decided to embrace all that is positive and focus on some upcoming events that I am SO excited to experience.

Chicago Restaurant Week

My husband and I make several reservations every year. It's a fantastic way to take advantage of dining at pricey restaurants for half the cost. Our restaurants this year include David Burke's Primehouse, Perennial Virant and Naha.

BLISSDOM 2012

Yes, I am about to attend my first blogging conference, and I am elated! I am also a little nervous to meet so many new bloggers at once (I can be super awkward), but I've never been to Nashville AND I get to room with these lovely ladies (& Lindsey)!

The OneAmerica Indy Mini-Marathon

The largest half-marathon in the nation, Indianapolis provides a great backdrop for a super fun, flat 13.1 miles. My siblings and I participate every year, and we have a set plan:

Friday Night: Expo and dinner
Saturday AM : RACE
Post-Race: Starbucks, lunch and drinks at Chatham Tap, nap, and more fun in downtown Indy in the evening

Post-Race, 2010

Post-Race, 2011. Notice a pattern? I'm seriously going to work on better race fashion this year.

This year? Our group has doubled in size! Sub-2:00 half, I'm coming for you!

What are YOU looking forward to?

Go For the Goal: January Progress

2012-01-27T03:35:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our first "Go For the Goal" link-up! I hope y'all consider sharing the progress you've made so far with your New Year's resolutions/goals, whether they are fitness-related, financially driven, personal, etc. We figured that these monthly check-ins would be a fantastic way to celebrate progress and pick up some great tips in the process!

Running:

* To listen to my body and take rest days when needed. I am three weeks into my training program, and I JUST took a rest day on Monday. I'm pretty sure I pulled a muscle during yoga and decided to take a day off to heal.

* To run a sub 2:00 half-marathon. Minus the pulled muscle and a crazy week, my training for a spring half is off to a great start. I've slowed down and incorporated speed work and tempo runs.

Source: the-perfect-me.tumblr.com via Nellie on Pinterest

* To NOT rule out the possibility of a full marathon. Still waiting on NYC. Who knows??? :)

* To continue to practice yoga and Bar Method once a week (each). DONE!

Blogging:

* To post three times per week. DONE! Now, let's see if it continues!

* To take more quality photos and not be so reliant on my iPhone. This is definitely something I can stand to improve. I just never have my camera handy!

* To add one new link-up feature. You're looking at it!

Personal:

* To cook one meal per week for my adorable and much-deserving husband. Umm. I think I have done this ONCE! I really need to start using Pinterest for ideas.

* To FINALLY, FOR REALSIES quit the Starbucks. I would like to state that it has been 14 days since my last Starbucks trip, thanks to my new Keurig!

Source: etsy.com via Lizz on Pinterest

* To "unplug" from social media one evening per week. Epic fail on all counts. I feel like I am turning off the computer earlier, but I am still online each night.

* To become my own version of a "Crazy Couponing Lady". I purchased a coupon organizer, but so far, have yet to use the coupons. Oops:)

Is your year off to a great start? Share your progress with us!

A Post Written By Other Bloggers...

2012-01-25T03:37:00.000-08:00

***Did you see my last post regarding a new monthly link-up??? Several bloggers and myself are hosting a "Go For the Goal" link-up where you can share your New Year's goals and progress! The link-up starts THIS Friday - you can grab the button in my sidebar!

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It was Saturday afternoon, and as I was watching the snow fall here in Chicago, I realized that I had absolutely no idea what to blog about. After throwing the question out on the Twitter, I received some awesome ideas!

That Pink Girl asked: What is your dream job?

As much as I love teaching, if I had to choose my dream career, where money or benefits wouldn't be an option, I'd die to become the next:

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little girl in the big world: What do you do for fun?

Quite honestly, this one stumped me! Between work, working out, cleaning, grading, etc. I realized that I don't have much time to engage in hobbies just for fun. However, I do love to:

Read

Source: houzz.com via Bethany on Pinterest

Bake cupcakes

Source: bakersroyale.com via Linda on Pinterest

Explore Chicago's culinary options

Source: chicago.neighborhoodr.com via Bridget on Pinterest

Running in High Heels suggested: Share 11 facts about your husband.

I loved this! A few people have mentioned that I don't talk about Mikey much on the blog, so here you go!

1.) Mikey started his own photography business years ago, and it is booming! He's incredibly talented and I am so proud of him.

2.) He plays the guitar.

3.) Mikey won't admit it, but he loves "The Rachel Zoe Project". In fact, we just might be the next Rachel & Rodger.

4.) It doesn't matter what you put in front of him - Mikey WILL figure it out. He's smarter than the average bear.

5.) Since he was a bartender and short order cook in college, Mikey is a WIZ in the kitchen. Hence, the reason I don't cook:)

6.) Mikey is a bit of a shoe diva.

7.) A total foodie, he knows every restaurant and chef in Chicago. Well, almost... :)

8.) Right now, as I type this, my husband is creating the programs for my school's talent show. For me. Because he's amazing like that:)

9.) In the words of Marcel the Shell, Mike loves "Treats and snoozing. Snoozing and treats." I swear, he can fall asleep anywhere!

10.) Mike has a full beard, and as much as I hated it at first, I wouldn't have it any other way.

11.) Speaking of hair, his haircuts take longer than mine...

Thanks for the questions, ladies! It was a lot of fun!

On Why I Will Never Own a Kindle...

2012-01-23T03:23:00.000-08:00

Good Morning! Before I dive into today's post, I just wanted to invite y'all to participate in a little link-up!

Hosted by:

Meghan at "The Perfect Compilation Tape" (That's me!)

Lori at "A Crazy Walk on the Safe Side"

Meghan at "little girl in the big world"

Whitney at "The Land of Sunshine"

So many bloggers have set New Year's Resolutions/Goals, so a few of us thought it might be fun to host a monthly link-up where you can brag about your progress! Whether your goals are about fitness, money, fashion, etc - anyone is welcome to participate! Besides, I bet we would all get some great tips, too!

If you'd like to participate, please feel free to link-up this Friday, January 28th!

P.S. My friend Lisa of Grass Green Design created the button for the link-up. She is AMAZING and I would love it if you would check out her work. She has a blog AND an Etsy shop!

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Growing up, I was always a voracious reader. My mother had to tell me to "put the book away" as we were sitting down to dinner on a daily basis. I'm not entirely sure when I started to love the written word, but it was early and often. I am thoroughly convinced that this love was absolutely crucial in my academic success.

I remember devouring the Nancy Drew series as a child. In school, I adored "The Westing Game" and "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler". I wrote short stories in my spare time and even won a creative writing award. As I entered high school, I never complained about reading assignments, and while I abhorred "A Tale of Two Cities" (Sophomore Honors English was indeed the "worst of times"), "To Kill a Mocking Bird" and oddly enough, "The Scarlet Letter" were some of my all-time favorites. While I jumped from genre to genre, I will always remember the thrill of visiting the local library (usually with my dad) on the weekends and checking out books. One week, it was a biography of Katherine Hepburn. The next? Shakespeare. But the one thing they all had in common? That musty library book smell. While it may cause others to cringe, it made me incredibly happy.

Over the years, I have read and collected books. From historical biographies to classic works to the life of Tori Spelling, the bookshelves in my apartment are filled with stories and memories.

Since my bookshelves are filled with stories, memories, and yes, the smell of books, I cannot and will not ever own a Kindle. As amazing as they are, I just can't bring myself to do it.

Do you own a Kindle? Or are you old-fashioned, like me???

Hey, It's OK...

2012-01-19T03:39:00.000-08:00

I'm linking up with Neely and Amber for their weekly series, but I only have one thing to say...

Hey, It's Ok...

(Photo courtesy of greenkey photography)

...to have an epic dance battle at a dear friend's wedding with someone you barely know to the tune of "Africa" by Toto.

...and to post said picture on the interwebs, sweaty mess and all. (I guess I had two things to say.)

To the beautiful bride, your wedding was MAJOR.

Eleven Things I Bet You're Dying to Know About Me!

2012-01-18T03:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the lovely Kate, I have been tagged in this adorable little blog feature. The premise? Share eleven random facts with all of you, and then pass on the love!

1.) Whenever I get home from work (or after I've showered after a workout), I immediately get into my PJ's and these amazing wool socks. I cannot get enough!

2.) I'm not ashamed to admit that I own an espresso machine and a Keurig - at least they were purchased with gift cards! My husband and I will stop at nothing to rid our household of our Starbucks addiction.

3.) As much as I absolutely adore living in downtown Chicago, I am ready for the next phase of my life - most likely, in the 'burbs!

4.) I probably consume no less than eight Oreos each day.

5.) I was the salutatorian of my graduating middle school class - and subsequently, a total nerd:)

6.) My husband and I met at a wedding!

7.) I will never own a Kindle. The smell of real books makes me happy.

8.) I adore skulls and would love to adorn my future children with them someday.

9.) I am horribly competitive when it comes to running - even with total strangers!

10.) I have a weird obsession with Marcel the Shell. I make my husband watch it every single day.

11.) Sometimes I wonder if I am getting too old for blogging...

So, I now tag YOU, if you'd like to play along and share some fun facts!

Training and Tunes.

2012-01-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

While I'm certainly not complaining, life has been pretty quiet around these parts lately. I've returned to work after a fantastic two-week vacation, my husband's business is continuing to grow, and I've resumed half-marathon training. As such, my three-day weekend has been filled with running, dinners with friends and movies on the couch with my love.

When I am training for a race, it tends to consume most of my free time. However, I don't mind - I feel empowered and motivated and quite frankly, all of the sweating helps me sleep better at night. Since I am excited about my start to the training cycle, I thought I'd share my progress thus far and some incredible new tunes!

Thanks to my friend Christy, I finally feel like I have a plan! Typically, when training for a race, I just run the allocated amount. But now, I am incorporating tempo runs and speed work into my training, thanks to Christy and Hal Higdon's intermediate training program.

Monday: Easy 3 mile run (8:55 pace) - DEFINITELY should have taken this slower

Tuesday: Strength training (Bar Method class)

Wednesday: 3 miles with light speed work (9:17 pace) and strength training (BarreBee Fit) - I wouldn't normally do two strength training classes in a row, but I was already signed up. Plus, it was Madonna night!

Thursday: REST!

Friday: Hot Power Fusion Yoga at CorePower Yoga

Saturday: Easy 3 mile run (9:20 pace)

Sunday: 5 mile long run (9:24 pace)

Overall, I am pretty pleased with Week 1, and after looking at my times, I truly believe I need to be running a MUCH slower pace to start out. My hope is to run the half at an average 9:00/mile pace, so I'd like to gradually build to that in order to avoid injury.

So yeah. The tunes. One could argue that my taste in music is slightly eclectic. Please don't be deterred by my inner old man! My favorite running tunes, as of late, have included:

Helena Beat (Foster the People)

Till the World Ends (Britney Spears)

1901 (Phoenix)

St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) - (John Parr)

Something Happened on the Way to Heaven (Phil Collins)

Feelin' Stronger Everyday (Chicago)

Adele Mash-Up of "Rumour Has It/Someone Like You" (Glee)

Finishing a run to the Adele mash-up = totally amazing. You should give it a shot!

What are YOUR go-to workout songs? I could definitely use some new ideas!

Chicago Cuisine.

2012-01-12T16:41:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that my husband and I are total foodies - meaning, my husband loves to cook and appreciates the artistic flair of those who are talented in the culinary arts, and I am the one who loves to eat. Therefore, our social life typically revolves around trips to Chicago's latest dining opportunities.

Over my holiday break, we were fortunate enough to check out a few places on our ever-expanding list.

Stop #1 - Table 52

Claim to Fame: "Downhome" comfort food by the renowned chef, Art Smith. Chef Smith is Oprah's former personal chef AND "Top Chef Masters" contestant.

As a Christmas present, we took my in-laws to Table 52 for dinner. It was quite the experience! From the intimate space to the incredible food, it was probably the best meal I've had in a LONG time. I wish I had taken pictures, but shockingly enough, I DO sometimes feel odd busting out my camera and/or phone when in public.

I was MORE than satisfied with my dish, which was "Jambalaya with Carolina Gold Rice, Charleston Rice, Amish Chicken, Shrimp, Andouille." Sigh. I wish I had a photo of this masterpiece!

Stop #2 - Franks and Dawgs

Claim to Fame: "Upscale" hot dogs with a twist, prepared by the former sous chef of "Blackbird" restaurant.

OMG, y'all. This place was INSANE. My choice?

Slagel Farms pork loin & caramelized onions sausage, corn bread, cherry bourbon BBQ sauce & scallions

My hubby's choice?

Thuringer sausage, bacon lardons, shallot marmalade, shoestring potatoes & parsley

Stop #3 - Charlie Trotter's

Claim to Fame: One of the finest restaurants in the world, Charlie Trotter just announced that he will be closing his doors in August after 25 years!

My husband and I are fortunate enough to be friends with another couple (we met at their wedding!) who are willing to have such a crazy dining experience such as Charlie Trotter's. The menu???

Uni Chawanmushi with Aged Soy & Gala Apple

Buttermilk Poached Breast of Guinea Hen with Cipollini Onion, Parsnip & Sweet & Sour Celery

Steamed Alaskan Sable with Crosnes, Sunchokes & Peeky Toe Crab

Roasted Muscovy Duck with Candied Kumquats, Nantucket Bay Scallops & Thyme-Infused Duck Consommé

72-Hour Braised Short Rib with Tamarind, Pickled Kohlrabi & Crispy Lotus Root
(MY FAVORITE!)

Spiced Cranberry Sorbet with Rosemary Stuffing & Gravy Panna Cotta

Sweet Potato Pie with Orange & Sunflower Sorbet

Crème Fraiche Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate & Earl Grey Tea

And of course, my outfit. I HAD to dress for the occasion, so I was super excited to wear a
"Mad Men" inspired dress that I found on sale at Nordstrom Rack for $29!

Do you enjoy dining out??? What's your favorite restaurant?

Guest Post: Cait from "Fit Fierce and Fabulous"

2012-01-11T03:24:00.000-08:00

(Special thanks to Cait for taking over the blog today! She is such a doll, and I am so glad we've become bloggy buddies! Please give her a big Compilation Tape welcome!)

Hi Friends! My name is Cait and I blog over at Fit Fierce and Fabulous. I'm so excited to be guest posting for my fabulous friend Meghan! Isn't her blog just the cutest?!

One thing I love that Meghan and I share is our love for Chicago! That's right, this little girl has been living near this great city for the past 25 years. I say "near" because I've actually grown up in a suburb about 45 minutes away but still I love the city for so many reasons.

Shopping at Water Tower is one of the exhilarating and exciting things about the city. It's a "premier shopping experience" where you can find some of the largest stores including Nordstrom, the American Girl Place and Macys. It's one honestly one of the top places to go for shop-a-holics like myself ;)

The night life in the city is also breath taking. I mean, how could you not love strolling along the Chicago river and seeing this? Not only do you have clubs and small little bars on every corner but the city sure does know how to throw some amazing New Years Eve party like the one I attended last weekend. My 85 year old Grandma sure knows how to bust a move..that's all I'm saying!

Lastly why I Chicago is defiantly "my kind of town" are the views that it has to offer. If you're ever in the area make sure to come in the summer. Not only does Chicago offer some great attractions such as 'walking tours' but also viewing the city by boat and going in the 'channels' to view the amazing sky scrapers. I also love going to my cousin's apartment and sun-bathing while over-looking some of the buildings.

Well friends that's it for this girl! Come by my blog if you'd like to learn more about me! I blog about fitness tips, healthy eating, fashion and my upcoming wedding which is approaching fast! Thanks again for having me Meg!

The Ultimate Fantasy Team

2012-01-09T03:25:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! Before I begin my regularly scheduled post, I'd like to say, "HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY" to my brother, Kevin!!!

(Can you guess which one is my brother??? Saturday night was filled with birthday shenanigans...)

Anycrazy, I'm excited to share with you a pretty lighthearted post, which is something I definitely need as I head back to work today - EEK! Quite honestly, I am looking forward to the return of a schedule, but these past two weeks have been nothing short of wonderful. I am one lucky lady!

When people tell me that "they don't watch Bravo" or that they "hate the Real Housewives", I usually give them this face:

These are usually the same people who love professional sports, to which I say:

(I know. This photo is SUPER unflattering. But so are football uniforms. And clashing colors. And hats that look like slices of cheese.)

But seriously. Given our society's obsession with fantasy sports, I thought I'd put together the best fantasy team EVER. This team can TOTALLY kick Tom Brady's shady ass (See what I did there? I totally made a football reference!)...

The Real Housewives All-Star Team

I don't know what exactly they'd be the all-stars of (life? fashion? drama?) but I thought it would be a fun post to conceptualize. And of course, Bravo Andy HAS to be the coach.

The rules? I decided to choose my favorite character, past or present, from each city, with the exception of D.C. and Miami. Because those seasons were a total snoozefest.

Orange County - Tamra Barney

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New York - Bethenny Frankel

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New Jersey - Caroline Manzo

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Atlanta - Kim Zolciak

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On the Bench - Vicki Gunvalson (O.C.), Ramona Singer (New York), Melissa Gorga (New Jersey), Phaedra Parks (Atlanta)

Do you agree with my top picks? Who would be on YOUR team?

P.S. This post was brought to you by "Not Penny's Boat" - my new band.

In Transit.

2012-01-05T06:37:00.000-08:00

(Warning! This is probably the most random post ever. I mean, who really writes about public transportation? Don't worry - there are more posts with cute pictures of me in the works! Ha!)

When you live in a big city, it's essential to learn the existing public transit scenario. While I own a car and commute out of the city for my job, I try not to use my car when in the city limits, especially during the summer. Public transit, while considered hellish for many, is an easy, cost-effective way to move about within these concrete jungles, and since moving to Chicago almost seven years ago, I'm not ashamed to admit it:

I secretly love public transportation.

Not only do I love its convenience and its prime people-watching, I am thoroughly intrigued with its history. I'm also amazed at its initial complexity to a first-timer. So many lines. So many choices. Yet once you acclimate yourself to the inner workings of public transit, one can navigate with ease.

The Chicago "L" system is color-based, which in my opinion, makes life a lot easier.

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When my husband and I visit other cities, I do my best to learn the ins and outs of the public transportation that is available (much to his chagrin!) - especially to avoid exorbiant cab costs.

There was the "T" in Boston, which was also color-coded, making the transition from Boston to Chicago quite easy!

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The MTA in New York. While it's not quite as easy to navigate as Chicago or Boston, we used it every single day. I can see how one might be completely overwhelmed, as there are colors, letters and numbers. Oy.

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And for me, the Metro in Paris and Rome. I found the Paris Metro in particular to be incredibly easy to navigate, which allowed me to feel comfortable wandering the city on my own.

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I've also used subway systems in D.C., Munich and a handful of other places, but these were the cities that I found to be incredibly convenient in their options.

And above all, I just really find the maps to be visually appealing:) My hope is to use versions of these maps to decorate my home someday - to bring a little piece of the city with me when my husband and I make the jump to the 'burbs.

Do you use public transportation???

The Obligatory 2012 Resolutions Post.

2012-01-03T04:34:00.000-08:00

Hey friends! I hope your year is off to an amazing start! Like everyone else on the planet, I thought I'd share the rationale behind some of my goals for the year. I've always been a very goal-oriented person. Additionally, I'm usually pretty organized and committed to achieving said goals. While I may not have achieved everything I set out to in 2011, overall, I am very pleased with my commitment and view my 2012 goals as more of a maintenance than anything new or groundbreaking.

My other intention? To re-assess my progress at the end of each month, and if necessary, adjust the goals accordingly. Because goals should be flexible, y'all!

Fitness/Running

* To listen to my body and take rest days when needed. I've been going at it 6-7 days/week as I try and get my body back into long-distance running shape. I cannot be afraid to take time off.

* To run a sub 2:00 half-marathon. I know this is totally possible, as my half PR is 2:03. I'm signed up for a half in April and another in May, so we'll see!

* To NOT rule out the possibility of a full marathon. I've trained for full marathons but have actually never completed one, as crazy as that sounds. My first attempt ended in injury, and my second attempt ended because "life got in the way". The Chicago Marathon also happens to fall during my busiest time at work, and when you combine that with the fact that I hoped I'd be pregnant by now, a full marathon just never seemed like it was in the cards for me. However, I just placed an application to run the ING New York City Marathon in November, so who knows?!?!?!

* To continue to practice yoga and Bar Method once a week (each). I've been doing this for months now, so I just want to continue.

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Blog

* To post three times per week. Let's face it. I will never be a 5 days/week type of blogger. I would, however, like to schedule posts in advance and work on QUALITY over QUANTITY.

* To take more quality photos and not be so reliant on my iPhone.

* To add one new link-up feature (in the works)!

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Personal

* To cook one meal per week for my adorable and much-deserving husband. I'd like to thank Pinterest for the amazing inspiration and for the multitude of recipes available!

* To FINALLY, FOR REALSIES quit the Starbucks. My DeLonghi Nespresso machine is amazing, and it deserves some loving!

* To "unplug" from social media one evening per week.

* To become my own version of a "Crazy Couponing Lady". I mean, I'm not going to lie to you. Kourtney Kardashian inspired me on this one. Don't judge.

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What are your 2012 goals???

"Not Penny's Boat" - My NYE.

2012-01-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

***I know you're all waiting with bated breath for my resolutions post. Don't worry, it's coming soon!

The older I get, the more I despise New Year's Eve and the pressures associated with one night. I've done the whole "new outfit/fancy hotel party/bar package/high heels/cry at midnight because I have no one to kiss" song and dance, and even at the time, I never really enjoyed myself. My favorite celebrations have been quiet ones with my husband - low key parties at our house, or, as was the case this year, traveling to a quiet cabin in Michigan with dear friends.

The setting? A quiet little cabin, aptly nicknamed "Nirvana" in western Michigan, surrounded by adorable coffee shops, art galleries and wineries.

(Amen! )

(This wasn't our cabin, but I'll take one lake house, thank you.)

The plan? To enjoy some time with friends. To play games, have some adult beverages and take a break from the usual chaos.

(Now THIS is the life!)

(Every weekend snuggled up in a cabin requires leg warmers and slippers!)

The people? Dear friends and family alike, who are all equally entertaining and hilarious.

(This is our new band - "Not Penny's Boat"! You know you want to join.)

(Lovebirds.)

How was your New Years???

2011 in Review.

2011-12-30T04:42:00.000-08:00

Since my husband and I are off to Michigan to ring in 2012, I figured I'd take a look back at the year ~~like every other blogger on the planet~~. 2011 was certainly a quiet, but pretty fantastic year for me, and while there were some minor bumps in the road, I couldn't be happier with the way things turned out. To be perfectly honest, I really thought that by now, my husband and I would either be pregnant or have a baby. But sometimes, life doesn't always turn out the way you expect it to, and it's important to focus on the accomplishments and blessings rather than the downfalls. And above all, EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. I swear, I never really believed that until recently.

In 2011, I had several goals. I wanted to "live like a European" - which meant that I wanted to embrace life's little moments, spend time with loved ones, and understand that it's always ok to have dessert. I also wanted to continue to remain committed to my fitness, and arguably, this is where I excelled, as I now work out seven days a week (unless my body tells me I need a break). I also wanted to learn how to alleviate my stress levels and not sweat the small stuff. I've definitely gotten better at this, but there's always room for improvement.

So, without further adieu, here are the little moments that graced the blog this year...

In January, my "Top 5 Thursdays" feature was still going strong, and I shared my affinity for 90's music...

In February, I shared my love for all things food, and waxed philosophical on Chicago Restaurant Week (arguably my favorite week of the year)!

(Dessert at Blue 13)

The hubs and I had an amazing time in Austin, TX in March. We spent time with old friends, family and of course, FOOD!

I ran my fastest 8K in April. This may not seem like a major milestone, but it was the start of several PR's this year!

For my 31st birthday, my friends and I rented a room in a Korean karaoke bar in May. I also ran the OneAmerica 5o0 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis, where I PR'd again!

(Seriously. This is what one wall looks like in a karaoke room. The rooms are super bedazzled with crazy lights. And you haven't lived until you've tried to sing Britney Spears in Korean.)

The lovely Neely and Ashley came to visit me here in Chicago in June! We had a BLAST!

My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary in July! We spent some time in New York City and Ithaca, NY - a PERFECT celebration for two people who love food and travel!

(Photo by Matt Schademann)

In August, my brother got married! SUCH a fun weekend...

I expressed my love for Asian babies in September. What can I say? It was a slow month...

In October, I remained committed and focused to my running, and in November, I ran the Hot Chocolate 15K.

And since it's still December, well, you can go back and read the posts!

I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be a magical year. Thanks for stopping by this little blog of mine. I hope you'll continue to follow along with my adventures into the new year! Cheers, and Happy New Year!

The Luckiest Gal on the Planet.

2011-12-27T05:34:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I hope y'all had the most incredible holiday weekend! Saturday was not only my first full day of Christmas break, but as you know, it was also my hubby's birthday. After a wonderful morning of celebrating with friends, a virtual 5K and last minute shopping, our time with family commenced!

We spent Christmas Eve with my in-laws and topped it off with midnight mass. For the first time in years, we spent the night at my parents' house. It was a wonderful feeling to wake up on Christmas morning in our jammies and open gifts with my family. Some highlights???

My parents were super excited about the family portrait we ordered! My mom has been dying for a nice family picture forever, so her excitement absolutely made my day.

My sister-in-law Karen and brother Kevin said the best gifts they received were each other. Aww.

And while I thank my lucky stars for this adorable man each day, he certainly shocked me with a new Macbook Air! We don't exchange gifts at all, and when he hinted that he had purchased "pants" for me, I immediately assumed he bought me pajama jeans! Little did I know...

After a fantastic brunch, we took our obligatory family pictures before heading to various family parties!

Sigh. Christmas was pretty amazing, but one thing is certain. I need to remember how blessed I am every.single.day - and NOT just on major holidays!

Now that the holidays are over, I am really excited that I still have TWO full weeks of vacation! My school didn't begin break until the 23rd, and while it was a bummer at the time, I am super pumped to have so much free time left! Much of today has been spent cleaning, grocery shopping, taking care of laundry and house projects, and of course, yoga with the greatest view ever...

Here's to two more weeks of fun with friends and family! How was your holiday?

A Special Birthday and a 5K!

2011-12-24T10:45:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday so far!

I look forward to giving you a full re-cap of my holiday, as it's certainly been a busy one. However, I'm going to leave you with two things:

First of all, I want to wish my husband a VERY Happy Birthday! He absolutely loathes the fact that I refer to him as my "little Christmas miracle", mostly because he doesn't want people to think he has a Jesus complex. But, he's my favorite present each year, and I don't care who knows it:)

But seriously. They do both have beards. And like to wear sandals.

Also, I participated in the Daily Vitamin F "Christmas Virtual 5K" and while I certainly won't be winning any prizes, especially since my time is two minutes slower than my 5K PR, I was excited to participate nonetheless!

(My husband insisted on taking this picture out on our balcony. In Chicago. Where it's 25 degrees.)

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday! Cheers!

Hey, It's OK...

2011-12-22T03:46:00.000-08:00

(Don't forget that Amanda is giving FIVE lucky readers a copy of her holiday mix CD. It's, like, super easy! Details HERE!)

Today, I'm linking up with Neely and Amber. So, without further adieu - It's OK...

...to kind of LOVE wearing tacky holiday sweaters.

(The hubster and myself - it might be a blurry iPhone photo, but you get the picture. Ha. Get it???)

(The bro and sis-in-law. Aren't they sweet???)

...to spend money on workout classes because one of the greatest gifts I can give myself is good health. I think I read that somewhere:)

...to have coffee at breakfast, and then grab Starbucks on the way home.

...to watch "Elf" twice in one weekend.

...to not really care that we don't have a huge Christmas tree, or more decorations. Or a house, for that matter.

(What? "You hate our love fern???" Name that movie!)

...to be kind of nervous to attend the Blissdom blogging conference - what if other bloggers think I am weird? :)

...to really hope that my husband bought me pajama jeans for Christmas. DON'T JUDGE. They could be totally awesome.

...to be super excited about our Christmas cards this year, which is a spin off of THIS album:

...to re-consider the direction of your blog and get excited about some major changes coming next year!

It's been a chaotic past few weeks with work and the pending holidays, but I'm finally on vacation as of tomorrow and I cannot WAIT to devote some more time to blogging and catching up with you lovelies. I have so many things to say, pictures to share and post ideas swirling around in my head. Thank you for being so patient with me!

And, since I most likely will be celebrating the holidays over the next few days (duh) - I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! :)

Christmas Music on Repeat.

2011-12-19T03:32:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! While I am wrapping up first semester at school, the lovely Amanda of "Project Simple Life" has agreed to guest post. If you aren't familiar with Amanda's blog, you should definitely check it out! She's a total sweetheart, super creative and I just love reading about her adventures with her husband. Thanks for hosting, Amanda!

pin no. 175288610466183421 | via collegehumor.com

There are officially seven days left until Christmas Day which means, ten more days to listen to Christmas music.

Now, if you're like me, you've been listening to Christmas music on the radio for over two months. That's the nice thing about small-town Wisconsin -- come December 1st we have two stations that declare themselves "the official Christmas radio station". So, I've gotten my tasty fill of "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". And, I'm cool with listening to these songs and have....fourteen times in the past five days.

But now, I'm sick of the same Christmas music on the same radio station over and over and over again. If I can make it through the next ten days without hearing Band Aid, I'll be a happy girl. Seriously.

So, to get me through until Christmas, I made a merry little christmas mix. Featuring artists like Sufjan Stevens, Matt Costa, Sarah MacLachlan. Because that's the kind of music that I want to listen to this time of year. Quiet. Reflective. Perfect snuggle-on-the-couch-with-just-the-Christmas-lights-on music.

Listen to: Project Simple Life // merry little christmas mix

Project Simple Life: merry little christmas mix by Amanda on Grooveshark

And, I'm offering to send five lucky readers of Meghan's blog cd copies of the merry little christmas mix much like the ones that I made and sent out for family and friends last year (read the related post here). All you have to do is comment on this post with an answer to this sentence:

"Christmas isn't Christmas until I hear or sing this song: _____________________."

Thanks, Amanda! Not just one, but FIVE of you can win! The giveaway will close on Thursday, 12/23 at midnight!

My Christmas Wish List - Or Lack Thereof...

2011-12-11T16:26:00.000-08:00

Are any other teachers out there feeling the chaos of the end of the semester like I am? Oof. This little old bloggy of mine has certainly taken a beating this past week, as I've been swimming in a sea of essays, deadlines and more essays. If you're a teacher, best of luck as you close out the semester. Hopefully you are able to do so with far more grace and far less caffeine than I...

I've seen similar posts floating around the blogosphere lately, and I had every intention of linking this up to Neely and Amber's Holiday Blog Challenge (Sorry, ladies...) but life got in the way. So, without further adieu, here is my very sparse holiday wish list...

(Here's the thing. I am more of an "experiences" person as opposed to a "things" person. I'd rather spend money on vacations and amazing dinners than a watch. I really could care less about designer brands - I mean, I've had the same H&M purse for the past year, and it only cost me $19.99. And if I really want something, which is rare, I usually just buy it.)

* Gift cards to lululemon / Dick's Sporting Goods

I could really use some updated workout gear. My gym bag is the SAME Nike bag I used when I played basketball in high school. And most of my Bar Method/yoga gear comes from Target. One area that I do NOT exercise frugality is my running. As such, I've become obsessed with Nike running tights...

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* Gift cards to Bar Method

I know many ladies within the blogosphere are familiar with similar studios (i.e. Pure Barre). When I first started going to Bar Method over a year ago, I HATED it. It was difficult, and being a pretty athletic person, I felt super intimidated by a workout that I didn't immediately excel at. Yet, Bar Method has done wonders for my flexibility and core strength. It's 60 minutes of pure hell, and I love every single second. Sometimes:)

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This is called seated pretzel. I don't look nearly as calm or graceful as these women. I wonder if my instructors notice that I drop the "f bomb" under my breath each time...

* Gift cards to CorePower Yoga

Much like Bar Method, I hated yoga when I first started. Now, I cannot get enough! CorePower offers a heated "yoga sculpt" class that for me, is a fantastic combo of yoga and strength training.

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So, am I a totally lame person to shop for or what???

What's on your holiday wish list???

A Winter Wonderland Wisconsin Wedding!

2011-12-05T03:32:00.000-08:00

Well, friends, it's been quite the whirlwind weekend. My husband, dear friend Christy and myself ventured up to the great state of Wisconsin to celebrate the nuptials of our friends, Jordan and Jeremy. We had a BALL and I wanted to share some highlights!

First of all, Jordan was a true DIY bride! She had so many creative little touches to enhance her big day, and I thought I'd share them with you - especially if there are any brides-to-be out there!

A photo montage in the shape of their initials! It was ADORABLE - and the guests loved checking out all of the pictures of the bride and groom through the years.

So many adorable items adorned the guest book table. From little trinkets to initials, the entire table was filled!

Candy cane favors and "snow" (epsom salt). Mine was gone before the soup - oops!

Obligatory husband/wife shot! What a handsome man:)

My dear friend Christy. Pardon my crazy "smize" and "broken doll" pose. I had overdosed on way too much Tyra...

Did someone say carrot cupcakes???

You know it's been a good night when your shoes are on the table.

I regret that I don't have any pictures of the beautiful bride, but I felt funny taking pics of her when the professional photographer was there - you know, I didn't want to show him up with my mad skills! Ha! Anyway, she was just stunning and even though we had to wake up at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday to make the journey back to Chicago, it was a blast of a weekend!

How was your weekend? Did you eat Taco Bell TWICE like I did? (Hey, it was a road trip...)

Holiday Blog Challenge - Favorite Movie!

2011-12-01T03:25:00.000-08:00

Hello! I hope everyone has had a wonderful week so far! I have a HUGE weekend planned, which may or may not include a dear friend's wedding in Milwaukee (which is Algonquin for "the good land"). Early congrats to Jordan and Jeremy! I cannot wait to post all about the deets when I return. Until then...

...I'm linking up with these fabulous ladies to share my Favorite Holiday Movie(s)!
Things get pretty stressful at work this time of year, and with the weekends filling up, I really don't have much time to sit and watch movies. However, this year, I am DETERMINED to enjoy some quiet evenings at home with my husband, hot tea, blankets, and...

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Sigh. Colin Firth. Liam Neeson. Alan Rickman. Hugh Grant. WHY ARE BRITS SO AMAZING?!?!?!

And THIS SCENE just does it for me every.single.time.

Other favorites include "White Christmas" and "Elf", but "Love Actually" has it all - drama, romance, comedy and music. Sigh.

What's YOUR favorite holiday movie???

Favorite Holiday Tradition

2011-11-29T03:40:00.000-08:00

Hiiiiii! Before I begin, can I announce the winner of the "Give Thanks" giveaway, sponsored by my dear friend Lisa??? Yes? OK! Well, without further adieu, the lucky winner was #18 - SALLY!

Sally said...

And now I follow her blog.

November 23, 2011 9:49 PM

Thank you so much to Lisa for hosting - and for everyone who entered! YAY!

Well, friends, I'm moving from one holiday challenge to another and linking up with my sweet friends Neely and Amber for their Holiday Blog Challenge. This particular topic had me thinking not about Christmas at all, but rather...

THIS GUY'S BIRTHDAY!
(Mikey, at Shake Shack in New York!)
You see, Mikey (my cute hubby) was born on Christmas Eve. He HATES it when I tell people that he is my little Christmas miracle. But it's true:)
Since Mike shares a birthday with the chaotic holiday season, we have two traditions each year in order to make sure that he gets his special day. I always take him out to breakfast the morning of Christmas Eve and since we're not really "present" people, (Weird, I know. But we'd rather spend our money on a trip than stuff we don't need...) we usually go out for a wonderful birthday dinner right around the holidays as well.
For Mike's 30th birthday (TWO years ago - eek!), we went to Alinea. It was recently voted the sixth best restaurant in the world by Restaurant Magazine, and boy, was it an experience. We invited our dear friends Terri and Jon to join us (arguably the only two people we know that were willing to go crazy with us on a dinner), and we ordered the twelve-course tasting menu. The dishes were incredibly intricate and flavorful. Since it's such an intimate environment, I have no photos from the evening, but I'll leave you with a few from Alinea's website.

When your dishes are presented to you on pillows infused with lavender that slowly deflate as you eat, well, you know you're in a different world. It was one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had, and while I probably won't drop that much money on a meal again, I am glad I can say that I've given SUPER fine dining a shot!

What is YOUR favorite holiday tradition? Link up with the lovely ladies!

Plenty To Be THANKful For Challenge: Black Friday/Leftovers

2011-11-25T08:39:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all! Happy Belated Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday. Before I begin my re-cap, I just wanted to remind you that my friend Lisa was gracious enough to give one lucky reader a beautiful Thanksgiving print. In fact, it's more than just a Thanksgiving print - it really is a print that encapsulates gratitude all year round. Check it out here!
As I mentioned in previous posts, I prefer a nice, quiet Thanksgiving dinner with my family, and in the spirit of keeping things simple, I flat out refuse to participate in any sort of Black Friday shopping. Quiet honestly, I'd rather pay the extra money to maintain my sanity. And so far, I am happy to report that my holiday has been wonderfully quiet. It has included:
* The Turkey Trot 8K with my friend Sally yesterday morning. It was chilly, but I managed to finish in 44:23 - average pace of 8:56. I'll take it!
* Quiet time with the hubs after the race. I know I am incredibly blessed to have a husband who insists that I put my feet up and catch up on "Gossip Girl" while he cooks all of the dishes to bring to my mom's house.

(Did I mention that I am also grateful for Chuck Bass?!?!?)

* Dinner with my immediate family. It was delicious and I am so glad we had the quiet time to catch up with one another.

My mama's table!

The ladies of the house

Do we notice a pattern here? Thanksgiving is all about putting your feet up!
Today, Black Friday, has already included:
* A recovery run along the lake, where I spotted my cousin's amazing art work along Oak Street Beach.

The rest of my day *should* include:
* Putting up our tiny little tree!
* A night out with my high school ladies.
How was your holiday??? Are you eating lots of leftovers today? Did you do some shopping??? Link up and tell us all about it!

Give Thanks for a Giveaway!

2011-11-23T03:52:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, my friend Lisa has decided to offer up her awesome "Give Thanks" print to a lucky reader! I mean, how perfect is this for the holiday season???

The rules are SO simple! Ready???

Mandatory:

1.) Leave a comment below and tell me what YOU are thankful for!

For extra entries:

2.) Tweet about this giveaway, using the following - @CompilationTape is giving away a Thanksgiving print - http://tinyurl.com/cjhtyg2

3.) Visit Lisa's Etsy shop and tell us what your favorite item is!

4.) Follow Lisa's super amazeballs design blog!

So, give thanks for a giveaway and enter already! This giveaway will close on Sunday, November 27th at midnight!

Plenty To Be THANKful For Challenge, Day 8: I'm THANKful for the Special People in My Life

2011-11-23T03:46:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm THANKful for the special people in my life! I am so blessed to have many people who love and support me unconditionally that I don't even know where to begin!

How about with my beautiful, intelligent and fabulous girlfriends?

(Some of my favorite ladies, at my bachelorette party!)

(Photo by Matt Schademann)

How about my amazing family? Sure, there are a lot of us, and we tend to be loud and repeat stories, but we love each other just the same.

And of course, my husband. My rock. My best friend.

(Isn't he adorable???)

Who are the special people in your life???

Plenty To Be THANKful For Challenge, Day 7: Thanksgiving Traditions

2011-11-22T03:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday, y'all! Today's topic? I'm THANKful for Thanksgiving Traditions! I'm sure everyone has their own traditions that they celebrate, and I cannot wait to read all about them!

My Thanksgiving is usually pretty quiet, and I prefer to keep it that way. While my husband cooks various dishes to bring to our family party (Yes, my husband does ALL of the cooking. I pick out the wine!), I run the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 8K here in Chicago.

(Pics of me, last year, before and after the Turkey Trot. The glasses were part of a blog challenge!)

Typically, the hubs and I then pick up some Starbucks before heading to my parents' house for a quiet dinner with our immediate family. My mom makes a wonderful meal, and it's nice to have time just with my siblings.

So yeah, that's our Thanksgiving! I'm really looking forward to getting out of school early on Wednesday AND to have two whole days off on Thursday and Friday. It's about time!

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Link up below and share your traditions!

Plenty To Be THANKful For Challenge, Day 6: Your Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe

2011-11-21T03:22:00.000-08:00

Hello! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. Compared to last weekend, mine was incredibly relaxing and filled with some highlights which include:

"Breaking Dawn, Part 1" - I have to admit, I was expecting a little more, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. Until a girl in the theater got up, walked a few steps, and fainted right on top of my friends and I. In the middle of the most important scene in the movie. Pure disaster.

A run along the lake. Sure, it wasn't super long, but it was a great way to start my Saturday. 6 miles, 9:17 average pace? I'll take it!

A Christmas card photo shoot! Oh, just you wait...it's going to look amazeballs! We're talking PROFESH, people.

Anywho, today's topic is "Your Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe". And since I don't cook, like, AT ALL, I just figured y'all could check out is recipe for hot spiced wine...so yeah. There's my contribution:)

via

Do you have any recipes to share? Link up below!

And don't forget the rest of the week's topics!

Tuesday November 22^nd – I’m THANKful For Thanksgiving Traditions!

Wednesday, November 23^rd – I’m THANKful For The Special People In My Life!

Thursday, November 24^th – I’m THANKful For Thanksgiving! (Post a picture of your table… if you have time!)

Friday, November 25^th – I’m THANKful for Black Friday & Leftovers!

Monday, November 28^th – BLOG SWAP REVEAL!

Plenty To Be THANKful For Challenge, Day 5: The 21st Century

2011-11-18T03:42:00.000-08:00

Whew! Ladies, it's been one exhausting week, that's for sure. Thank you so much to everyone who has linked up this week! I have encountered so many new blogs, and I am LOVING everyone's perspectives on each topic.

I have to admit it - this topic was a tough one. There are SO many directions one can go with this, but I figured I'd focus on one aspect in particular.

I'm THANKful I live in the 21st century because...

...I am a WOMAN with many opportunities!

Think about it. If you had lived fifty years ago, what would your life be like? Would you be working? Married, with children? Women have been given so many incredible opportunities and past pressures have been removed. Today, women are embraced for their independence. For being single as long as they'd like. For choosing to NOT have children. For climbing the corporate ladder. For wearing whatever the hell they want.

I like to think that in my first 31 years on this earth, I've done things my way. I've built a career. I moved in with my boyfriend (now husband) before marriage. We bucked the "get married & buy a house in the suburbs" tradition and are enjoying life downtown. I've built a career that I love. I do things that make ME happy.

(Please don't get me wrong. I do want a house in the suburbs and kids someday. Just on my own time.)

I'm not entirely sure that would have been possible, had I lived in 1955.

And if I had lived back then? Well, there would have been some great fashion...

via

Except I wouldn't be as hot.

Why do YOU love living in the 21st century? Link up below!

Plenty to Be THANKful For Challenge, Day 4: THANKful for the Blogoverse

2011-11-17T03:31:00.000-08:00

Before I begin, I wanted to announce that the winner of the Easy Print Canvas giveaway (which I totally forgot about - SHAMEFUL), is:

Ainslee, of "First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage"

Ainslee, send me an email at perfectcompilationtape@gmail.com with your contact info -

CONGRATS!

One of the many things I love about blogging is that those who don't blog just DON'T GET IT. They don't always understand...
* That sometimes, bloggers understand us better than those "IRL".
* That blogging and reading blogs for hours on end can be extremely therapeutic.
* That we have our own lingo.
* That we win FREE STUFF!
* That online friendships develop into real friendships, and that it totally isn't creepy to meet up with people you've never met.
I've been fortunate enough to have met several bloggers in real life, and I'd love for you to check them out, too:
Alissa from "Grace's Birdcage" (Not once, but twice!)
Christy from "25 Before 25" (Christy, next time we'll have to go for a run!)
Megan from "Little Girl in the Big World" (We went for a run along the lake!)
Neely from "A Complete Waste of Makeup"
Ashley from "Ashley's Carnival Ride"
Neely and Ashley came to visit me in Chicago this summer and we had a BLAST! I loved that my real life friends had the opportunity to meet the blog friends, and the merging of my two worlds was a success!
We had a ridiculous amount of fun...

Maybe a little TOO much fun...

Did I mention that I not only get to see Neely and Ashley again in a few months at Blissdom, but I also get to meet this rock star, Lindsey, as well??? (Who just happened to complete her first half-marathon, along with these two lovely ladies!)

Sigh. I adore the blogoverse. There are so many women who love and support me unconditionally that have never met me, and I will be forever grateful. Don't you love blogging, too? Tell us why below!

Plenty to Be THANKful For Challenge, Day 3: Your Hometown!

2011-11-16T03:40:00.000-08:00

Woot! Thanks to everyone who has linked up so far! I am absolutely loving this challenge - thanks for playing along!
While I've lived within the Chicago city limits for six years, I spent the first twenty-four years of my life (with a four-year hiatus for college) in "The TP", as it's affectionately known, is one of Chicago's southwest suburbs. And, while we have a super shady roller rink that moonlights as a meth lab (just my opinion), my hometown was recently ranked as "The Best Place to Raise Your Kids" by Business Week. BOOYAH!
While I could go on and on about the fantastic school system, or the affordable housing, or the adorable downtown area, I thought I'd share the far more interesting landmarks.
Like Teehan's.

via
Teehan's is a legendary dive bar in the heart of my hometown. It's tiny, was once smoke-filled, and they've served dollar drafts for as long as anyone can remember. There is one super tiny, often dirty bathroom, and NO FOOD. Yet somehow, each time my girlfriends and I used to visit Teehan's (~~like every Friday night~~), it was magical. I can picture it now. The jukebox is playing my favorite song (on the jukebox, not like, my favorite song ever in life), Pearl Jam's "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town", while my friends and I chat up some of Tinley's finest men, with nicknames like "The Cheese" and "Gay Jim" (who isn't really gay and isn't offended by the nickname).
By the way, special thanks to my friend Lisa for always taking me to the local Arby's at 4:00 a.m. after a night at Teehan's...
If that isn't enough to get your pulses racing, how about the ~~World Music Theater~~ ~~Tweeter Center~~ First Midwest Bank Amphitheater?

via
I have to admit, it was pretty fantastic to have a major music venue in our hometown. "The World", to use its original name, was actually home to the first Lollapalooza. The best and worst part about this venue? THE LAWN. Great to sit and relax, awful if the people next to you are super wasted and spilling beer. From Dave Matthews to Maroon 5 to even Bon Jovi, I've seen it all...
Don't get me wrong. My hometown was and still is pretty awesome. I know how fortunate I was to grow up in a strong community.
But really. Who wants to hear about property taxes?
Where are you from??? Link up below and play along!

Plenty to Be THANKful For Challenge, Day 2: YouTube!

2011-11-15T03:26:00.000-08:00

First of all, my sincere apologies for yesterday's link-up snafu. I am new at this, so please forgive me! Everyone's blogs are linked from here on out:)

So, when it comes to the latest YouTube clips, I am usually WAY behind the curve. I mean, it's all I can do to get a couple of blog posts together each week, let alone keep up with the latest video stars. Yet, I do have a soft spot for one little guy in particular...

Oh, Keenan Cahill. You're so adorably awkward and strange. And yet somehow, I cannot get enough. Especially when you "collaborate" with Darren Criss from "Glee". Le sigh.

Do you keep up with YouTube sensations? Who do you love???

Plenty to Be THANKful For - Guilty Pleasures!

2011-11-14T03:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! I hope your weekend was fabulous AND that you are super excited to kick off the "Plenty to Be THANKful For" Challenge! Remember, you can see the full two weeks of topics here - and there is no pressure to participate everyday! Just link up for the ones that float your boat.
Today's Topic? I'm THANKful for My Guilty Pleasures!
Here they are, in no particular order...

* Good wine. Chicago-themed prints. Skulls. It's funny how three things I totally love all ended up in one phot!

* Coffee. Sometimes, coffee several times a day.

(image via weheartit.com)

* Going out to dinner with friends. And getting excited about the prospect of playing cheesy music on the jukebox.

*Cupcakes! Cupcakes! Cupcakes!

(Image via Matt Schademann)

*Anything on Bravo, but especially the Real Housewives. And as crazy as she is, I kinda sorta love Ramona...

(image via weheartit.com)

What are some of YOUR guilty pleasures??? Link up below!

Plenty to Be THANKful For - Thanksgiving Blog Challenge Topics!

2011-11-10T03:28:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

First and foremost, we’d like to say THANK YOU to all of you who have signed up for our blog swap and link-up! We hope you are just as excited as we are!

(And special thanks to SAM for pairing everyone up. Seriously. I bet that was a total pain. Sam, you're a goddess.)

If you have any questions about the blog swap, be sure to contact any of us hosts (myself, Kristine, Courtney, Sam, or Caroline) via comment, tweet, or email. We’d be more than happy to answer your questions. Be sure you send out your blog swap packages no later than November 17^th!!

(And side note! I just sent a package earlier this week with nail polish, and I am SO glad I put it in a Ziploc bag because it exploded in transit. This stuff really happens, you guys!)

Anyway, here are the link-up topics you’ve all been waiting for. We figured if you were the type of blogger who was super organized and scheduled posts, it would be helpful to get these out ASAP. Remember, you don't have to post every single day (though it would be super cool if you did)! It's all up to you!

Monday, November 14^th – I’m THANKful For My Guilty Pleasures!

Tuesday, November 15^th – I’m THANKful for YouTube (and other internet fun)!

Wednesday, November 16^th – I’m THANKful For My Hometown!

Thursday, November 17^th – I’m THANKful For The Blogoverse!

Friday, November 18^th – I’m THANKful That I Live In The 21^st Century Because…!

Monday, November 21^st – I’m THANKful For My Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe!

Tuesday November 22^nd – I’m THANKful For Thanksgiving Traditions!

Wednesday, November 23^rd – I’m THANKful For The Special People In My Life!

Thursday, November 24^th – I’m THANKful For Thanksgiving! (Post a picture of your table… if you have time!)

Friday, November 25^th – I’m THANKful for Black Friday & Leftovers!

Monday, November 28^th – BLOG SWAP REVEAL!

Remember, there’s PLENTY to be THANKful for!!

Plenty to Be THANKful For - Thanksgiving Blog Swap Partners!!!

2011-11-09T04:45:00.000-08:00

Hey gals!

Sam was amazing and put together the swap partners! Here is a message from her:

Due to certain time constraints and the fact that I (Sam) am still out of cable/internet (til November 15th, earliest... please kill me!), unfortunately we won't be able to pair you ladies up for the swap based on location. I know not everyone can get on the internet or check their blogs every single day, and only about 1/2 of you have given me locations, so I'm just going to go with it at random if that's okay. Courtney made a point too, that postage seemed pretty similar throughout the US. I don't do all that much shipping so, I don't know, but I trust her ;).

So if it is okay with everyone else, I am just going to go at random and pair you guys up so that we can give you ample time to prepare swap gifts and send them about by then 17th!

Also, side bar, in going through all your blogs to get your links and such, I have to say, while I already knew a bunch of you, there are a lot of blogs I'm going to be following when this is all over! They are all so cute, and I love the blog names! (This is Meghan interjecting, and I totally agree!)

Anyway, without further adieu...

Meghan (The Perfect Compilation Tape) & Neely (A Complete Waste of Makeup)
Sam (A Careless Man's Careful Daughter) & Ainslee (First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage)
Courtney (Chaos Theory) & Alex (Ruffles Ribbons & Bows, Oh My!)
Kristine (Living a Barefoot and Crazy Lifestyle) & Melissa (Nashville's Melrose)
Caroline (Simply Smithwick) & Adventuresome Wyomingite
Meghan (Shine On) & Stacy (Cardigans & Crayons)
Caitlin (Done & Done) & Krystal (It's Krystal....with a K)
Erin (Everything According to Erin...) & Christy (25 Before 25)
Leeann (Join the Gossip) & My Own Little Corner
Jenna (Step by Step) & Simply Mily
Joanna (Dance and Dream 4 Ever) & Southern Belle
Megan (Chicago Girl) & Faison (Fat to fabulous... and everything in between)
Michaela (my world in a paper cup.) & Kit (Life of a Scott)
Michelle (Stuttering Shell) & Jess (Pretty Physicist)
Carly Chubby Cheeks & Michelle (Snapshots)
Marcy (Marcy's Mazin' Moments) & Kattrina (Maple and Mud)
Meghan (little girl in the big world) & Sar (Life of Love)
Jenn (right where i should be) & Christine (Fancy Function)
Kristen (KristenDanielleXO) & Kimberly (Kimberly's Korner)
Kate (Dancing in the Minefields) & Lori (a crazy walk on the safe side)
Cait (Fit, Fierce, and Fabulous) & Megan (Sweet Serendipity)
Stephanie (Life's Lyrics) & Jules (Chic & Pink)

Now, go forth and get to know one another! And, remember, the DEADLINE for Swap Gift send outs is Thursday, November 17th!

xoxo,
- Sam, Courtney, Kristine, Meghan, & Caroline

Easy Canvas Prints Giveaway!

2011-11-08T03:25:00.000-08:00

Hey friends! So, many moons ago, I won a giveaway hosted by the lovely Miss Tara. The prize? A photo canvas from Easy Canvas Prints. After days of agonizing over which photo I wanted to turn into a canvas, I finally selected one of our wedding photos:

As for the process, it was super easy. Like, you literally upload a photo and order the canvas. When it arrived, I was very pleased with the final product - the colors are vibrant and the material is extremely durable.

Anywho, Easy Canvas Prints is offering an 11x14 print to one of my readers. YAHOO! So, start thinking of the photo you want to turn into a groovy canvas!

The rules?

* Just leave a comment below and tell me which photo you would convert to a canvas.

For extra entries?

* Become a follower of this here old blog.

* Tweet about this giveaway! You can use the following format to make it easier:
@CompilationTape is giving away a photo canvas - check it out! http://theperfectcompilationtape.blogspot.com

* "Like" Easy Canvas Prints on Facebook! BTW, if you do this, ECP will offer you 50% off your next order AND free shipping! BOO YAH!

This entry is only open to U.S. readers (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) and will close on Sunday, November 13th at midnight!

Good luck!

Will Run for Chocolate.

2011-11-07T03:26:00.000-08:00

Hey kids! I hope everyone had a stellar weekend!!! It's a quiet and chilly day here in Chicago (this was written on Sunday, btw), and it's been nice to take the time and catch up with the blogosphere.

Before I delve into my weekend, I wanted to remind you that I'm helping to host the "Plenty to Be THANKful For - Blog Swap and Challenge" - you can read all about it here and sign up if you're interested! Thanks to everyone who has signed up so far! If you have signed up, check out Sam's latest post with updated info!

Anywho, the weekend was pretty fantastic. On Friday, the hubs and I had dinner with our friends Matt and Lisa (who, btw, designed my blog header) at Havana, a "Cuban" restaurant here in Chicago. I use the term Cuban lightly, as I am sure there are far more authentic places in the city. However, it was still pretty amazing. Seafood paella? Yes please!

Saturday morning started out COLD! I suppose that's why they call it the Hot Chocolate 5K/15K! Any race that promises free Ghiradelli products at the finish?!?!? Sign me up.

(Obligatory pre-race photo, taken in my bathroom)

I met up with my friends Julie and Sally before the race. They both ran the 5K and kicked some booty! Since there was 40 minutes between the two races, I spent some time warming up at Starbucks before heading over to the start. It was definitely a rocky beginning, as I had to use the bathroom at the last minute, thus losing my spot in my corral, and my Garmin acted up for the first three miles since we were right downtown. 3:50 minute miles? I think not. Regardless, it probably took me that much time to just warm up. Gotta love Chi-town in the fall.

However miles 3-7 felt amazing and I maintained a pace just below 9:00. I developed a cramp right around mile 8, and my trek to the finish felt a bit sluggish. My official time? 1:23:47 - average pace of 9:00 on the dot!

(My brother Kevin, my sister-in-law Karen, our friends Ryan and Jill, myself and Sally)

After the race, a few of us gorged ourselves on the chocolate, and afterwards, I headed home to get ready for the first birthday party of my darling godson!

(I love this little man!)

Whew! Yesterday was exhausting and I'm glad I had today to catch up on the little things. Here's hoping the upcoming week is just as relaxing!

How was your weekend???

Winner Winner!

2011-11-04T03:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Before I tell you what I have in store this weekend, I wanted to thank everyone who entered my "Favorite Things" giveaway. It really meant so much to me! The lucky winner is (selected by "Random Number Generator")...

Michelle said...

And, of course, I follow on the Twit. I'm @maliasma.

October 26, 2011 6:10 AM

...MICHELLE of "Stuttering Shell"!

Congrats, Michelle! Please send me your contact info - perfectcompilationtape@gmail.com.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! I'm really looking forward to...

* Dinner at Havana, a Cuban restaurant in our neighborhood.

* The Hot Chocolate 15K - I have to admit, I am a little nervous. This is my longest race since my half-marathon in May and my injury. Eek!

* My godson's 1st birthday party!

(My godson, the little lion, and his big sister. I adore these kiddos!)

* Quiet time with the hubs.

(I think we're super badass...)

What do you have in store this weekend???

A Photo an Hour.

2011-11-02T03:43:00.000-07:00

Did y'all sign up for the "Plenty to Be THANKful For - Blog Challenge/Swap"? See below if you're interested!

Last week, I thought it would be fun to "try" and take one photo each hour so y'all could get a better sense of how I spend each day. It was definitely a lot of fun, but a little more difficult than I anticipated. Anyway, here is a little peak into my life!

4:00-5:00 a.m. - While my alarm is always set to go off at 5am on the dot, I usually wake up a few minutes beforehand (I am SO a morning person). Therefore, I thought it would be fun to show you the view I see each morning from my bedroom balcony.

5:00-6:00 a.m. - My morning routine consists of getting in the shower, and sipping some espresso while I read blogs and eat breakfast.

(Hi, Lindsey!)

6:00-7:00 a.m. - I'm usually ready to go by 6:15 a.m. Most mornings, it's a struggle to get my husband out of bed, but once he's up and moving, we make the bed right away! I'm a stickler about this...much to my hubby's chagrin.

7:00-8:00 a.m. - After I drop my hubby off at work, I begin my 35 minute commute. I usually listen to political talk radio until I hit the expressway, and then it's time for music. I thought it would be fun to catch what was playing right at 7:00 a.m.

8:00-9:00 a.m. - My school day starts at 8:30, and since I think it's uber creepy to post pics of my students, I thought I'd capture one of my favorite things about my classroom right before the day began - my HUGE wall map!

(The day flew by, as usual, without any major hiccups or problems!)

3:00-4:00 p.m. - The day ends right at 3:00, but I had to run off to a meeting. Therefore, the first time I put my feet up? 3:50 p.m.

(It was also leg-warmer day!)

4:00-6:00 p.m. - I forgot to take a picture from 4:00-5:00, as I was busy grading and lesson planning. I suppose what I was doing wasn't all that exciting anyway:) I don't typically stay at work this late, since I like to head home and workout, but today was different due to dinner plans. Here is a photo I snapped on my way home, right around 5:30. I loved the sunset - and I definitely realized that I need a car wash in the process.

6:00-7:00 p.m. - Who would have thought that an hour later, it would be completely dark and storming back downtown? Since I had dinner plans with a friend, I picked my husband up at work and he dropped me off at the restaurant on his way home!

7:00-8:00 p.m. - My friend Sally had a Groupon for dinner at Geja's, arguably one of the most romantic restaurants in Chicago. It's a fondue place, and I had never been, so I decided to be her date. Quite honestly, I thought it was hilarious. The lighting is very dim and red, and each booth is surrounded by wine bottles and curtains.

(Hiiiiiii, Sally!)

8:00-9:00 p.m. - The final fondue course - CHOCOLATE

All in all, it was a good, but LONG day. Admittedly, my life is pretty boring, but I needed blog post ideas. Thanks for humoring me:)

Plenty to Be THANKful For - Thanksgiving Blog Swap and Challenge!

2011-10-31T03:38:00.000-07:00

Before I forget! My giveaway closes on Tuesday at midnight - you can still enter here!

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to announce an awesome Blog Giveaway & Challenge that me, Kristine, Courtney, and Sam are hosting!

We're super excited about this! "Plenty to Be THANKful For" is not only a blog swap, but it's a Thanksgiving topic challenge as well! The challenge will be awesome - we'll announce the topics for the challenge on Friday, November 9th. The challenge will run from November 14 - November 25 (but not on the weekend days) and then on the 28th we'll post a link for you to post the reveals of your swaps :)

As for the swaps!

Please sign up on the link below by November 8 - and post (blog, tweet, etc!) about it so we can get more people involved!

The limit is $20-5 (not including postage) and should include things you're THANKful for :) After the partners are posted come back, find the link to your partner's blog, get to know them (this is really the most fun part!) and then make sure to mail your package out by November 17.

If you send anything that's liquid - like nail polish, lotion, etc - please make sure to put it in a zip-loc bag or wrap it really well! :)

What are you waiting for? Sign up now :)

HAPPY (ALMOST) NOVEMBER!

- Courtney, Kristine, Meghan, Sam

Meghan's Favorite Things - A Giveaway!

2011-10-26T03:55:00.000-07:00

So, you may not remember this, but months ago, I promised to host a giveaway for reaching the 300 reader milestone. And then life got in the way. And then I totally forgot. But, it's finally here! Better late than never, right??? Ladies and gents (well, mostly ladies), I am happy to announce that YOU (Yes, YOU!) have the opportunity to be the winner of my "Favorite Things" giveaway!

Since blogging is one of my favorite things, I figured I'd share some other items that make me just as happy, too! What's included? Well, I'm so glad you asked!

The lucky winner will receive:

* Some adorable owl notecards (I die for owls!) and my favorite nail polish. It is difficult to ascertain from the photo, but the color on the left is gray, one of my faves!

* Cupcake Mittens. Y'all know that I am obsessed with cupcakes! These are adorable AND functional - you can wear them as is, or cover your little fingers with the cupcake.

* A blue (my favorite color!) eternity scarf.

Here's a shot of everything together. All items are from one of my favorite shops - Urban Outfitters!

And, of course, what "Favorite Things" giveaway would be complete without something coffee-inspired? The winner will also receive a gift card to the coffee place of their choice: Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or Caribou Coffee!

How does this all work? Well, there are some rules involved!

* Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment and tell me about one of your favorite things.

For extra entries?

* Become a follower of "The Perfect Compilation Tape"

* Tweet about the giveaway, using the following if you'd like:

"Check out the Favorite Things giveaway hosted by @CompilationTape - http://theperfectcompilationtape.blogspot.com"

* Follow me on the Twit - @CompilationTape

I think that's it! Please leave a separate comment for each entry. The giveaway will close on Tuesday, November 1st at midnight and is open to ALL readers!

Oh, and one more thing: THANK YOU! Seriously. It's because of all of you that blogging has brought me so much happiness and so many opportunities! :)

What a Weekend!

2011-10-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! I hope everyone had a phenomenal weekend. Mine was filled with the right combination of fun and relaxation, and I hope yours was the same. It started out with receiving my blog swap partner's gifts in the mail:

A few weeks ago, I signed up to participate in the Trick or Treat Halloween Blog Swap, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Not only did I get to know the lovely Ashleigh (of "this lil heart of mine"), but I definitely received an amazing package!

First of all, when I opened the box, it contained 300 pieces of candy. Jackpot! Other items?

Adorable Halloween bowls!

A candle and pen set! I mean, any teacher will tell you how exciting new pens are - especially colored ones! It was seriously perfection.

Thank you so much, Ashleigh! I am so glad I signed up!

**********************

In addition to receiving these items in the mail, the rest of the weekend was pretty fantastic. Due to Parent-Teacher conferences taking place on Thursday, I had a day off on Friday! Therefore, my three-day weekend included a few highlights:

* Bikram Yoga

via

(Once again, this is NOT me. I wish...)

Oh.Em.Gee. This class was seriously no joke. I've been incorporating yoga into my workout plan in order to help increase my flexibility, especially for my running, and when I came across a Groupon for classes at Bikram Yoga River North, I signed up immediately. For 90 minutes, I was pulled and stretched in ways I didn't know were possible, all while dripping with sweat. However, I'm glad I went, and I look forward to the remaining 19 classes! Oy.

Update: I returned on Sunday and didn't feel like I was going to pass out. YAY. Also, my flexibility level matches that of the men in the class...in other words, it's not great:)

* Dinner at Bistro Campagne on Friday and Cooper's Hawk on Saturday

Friday night ended with a delicious dinner at Bistro Campagne, a French restaurant in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood. Unfortunately, I do not have any photos, but I will say that the space is very intimate and cozy, and the trout (Rushing Waters trout, fresh citrus, capers, brown butter & haricots verts) was incredible:)

Saturday night brought me some bacon-wrapped sea scallops at Cooper's Hawk, a local upscale chain restaurant/wine bar. Umm. I die for sea scallops.

* Saturday Morning Run

So, while this might not be very impressive to some of you, I am elated at the success of my long run on Saturday. It's been months since I've run this much (due to my injury) and I am really happy with how I felt. I hit the pavement at 7:00 a.m. with zero expectations - all I wanted to do was run. My lovely friend Sally joined me for miles 4-7, and it was great to run with a friend.

Official Stats? 7.01 miles in 1:05:16 - average pace of 9:19!

I'll take it!

How was your weekend???

My Love Affair With Running.

2011-10-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

In the wake of the Chicago Marathon, I've been feeling awfully inspired and motivated in regards to my running. (Especially after reading about the woman who ran while 9 months pregnant!) I suppose I'm always pretty motivated, but there is something about reading race re-cap after race re-cap that fuels the fire.

As many of you know, I've had a tumultuous relationship with running. I've trained for the Chicago Marathon not once, but twice - only to be sidelined each year (one due to a stress fracture, the other due to life getting in the way). While both times were heartbreaking, I know now that it just wasn't meant to be. In fact, the year I had a stress fracture was the year it was 85 degrees and ridiculously humid! I remember watching the runners just drop like flies in the heat, and thinking to myself, "Perhaps this fracture was a blessing in disguise..."

Since then, I've grown faster and stronger. I've completed three half-marathons, and countless 5K and 8K races. Yet my need-to-be-competitive side drove me to push my limits - and to a piriformis strain this summer, sidelining me from my fourth half-marathon. I literally attended the Rock & Roll Chicago Half-Marathon expo with tears in my eyes, as I knew that I wouldn't be joining all of the runners the next day.

So now, where do I stand? I've definitely done a lot of soul-searching over the past few months. Am I meant to be a runner? Will I ever run a full marathon? Will I ever be one of those bloggers that does race after race, all while avoiding injury?

The answer (to all questions) is a resounding YES. I AM a runner - if I wasn't meant to be one, I wouldn't be running at all. I WILL run a full marathon. When this will happen, I'm not sure. But I know deep down that it will happen someday. Will I become "that girl"? The one who races weekend after weekend and lives to tell the tale? ABSOLUTELY.

Right now, I am feeling good. Strong. Healthy. I'm slowly building my mileage back up. I'm incorporating more yoga and strength training. I drink chocolate milk with the enthusiasm of a small child and wear my compression socks to work. To be able to share last week's workout schedule with you is exciting in itself:

Monday: 4 mile run / 60 minute yoga class

Tuesday: Off

Wednesday: 4 mile run

Thursday: 60 minute Bar Method class

Friday: Stretches / Weights

Saturday: Pumpkins in the Park 5K (8:58 avg. pace)

Sunday: 4 mile run

Sure, it may not be impressive to many of you, but to me, it's proof that I'm running smarter, not necessarily faster - and that I am on my way to achieving my goals once again. I've got a 15K and a 10-miler on the schedule, and I simply cannot wait to crush them:)

I would like your abs, thank yew.

(Images via weheartit)

Do you have any fitness goals? If so, best of luck!

What I'm Loving Lately.

2011-10-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hello! I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. Mine was one of the first weekends in a long time where I actually spent the majority of it at home, and I loved every minute of my quiet time. Now that things have calmed down at work, I've been able to enjoy life's little gifts, such as...

* Foster the People

Whether I'm running to "Helena Beat" or listening in the car, this group rocks my world!

* New running tights

Even though I think people who spend $100 on a tank top are nuts, I do appreciate a good pair of running tights - but it's even better when they are only $24.99.

* Random date nights

I kinda sorta love the fact that I can be sitting on my couch in my PJ's on a Friday night, and my husband calls to say that I should meet him "downstairs" for dinner. Yes, in 15 minutes, I can put on a cute outfit and take the elevator down, walk out the front door and immediately into Smith & Wollensky for a nice dinner. Sometimes, living downtown has it's perks:)

* Hipster Babies

Whether it's hipster baby names or outfits, I cannot wait to dress my little baby in skinny jeans someday...

via

My prediction? That my first child will be a boy, and I will try and find matching outfits for our little man and my husband. We may or may not have already discussed this...

What are you loving lately???

Sad News.

2011-10-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

Brace yourselves. I have some sad and unfortunate news. After several loving, loyal years together...

...Starbucks and I have decided to call it quits.

Don't get me wrong. I will ALWAYS love my Starbucks, and will probably treat myself when on vacation. And when the red holiday cups arrive. However, my poor little DeLonghi Nespresso machine has been neglected for months, and I just cannot bring myself to make a few little shots of espresso in the morning AND then grab a skinny caramel macchiato from the 'bucks.

Le sigh. I still drive by each morning with a heavy heart and remember the fond memories we've shared. But it's time for mama to save some money and find something else to get excited about in the morning.

Perhaps the Biebs will get me through??

(photos via weheartit)

Have you "broken up" with anything lately?

Pure Michigan!

2011-10-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

Cabining: (verb) "The act of renting a cabin in the woods for a weekend with friends. See also: wineries, bonfires, laughter and good friends."

This, my friends, is exactly what I did this weekend. Instead of "camping", my friends and I rented a cabin in Michigan. From making great dinners together to visiting local wineries, this weekend was exactly what I needed after my craziest time of year at school. We go "cabining" at least once a year, and I really love that we have found such an awesome tradition that does not involve sleeping outdoors:)

Some highlights from the weekend?

The view from our bedroom!

Pure Michigan!

Taken on my morning run. What a view!

Crazy hijinks. This is Henry. In a salad bowl. We thought it was hilarious. His owner? Not so much...

The cabining crew, minus me and my hubby.

One of the most gorgeous rooms EVER. Can someone please have a wedding here?

Enjoying the Harvest & Wine Fest (with my new auburn hair)!

What did you do this weekend?

P.S. It just occurred to me that if you're not from the Midwest, you may not understand my many references to "Pure Michigan". You see, Tim Allen does the voiceover for the Pure Michigan commercials, a marketing campaign to attract tourists. These commercials seriously want to make you a.) fall asleep, or b.) kill yourself. I'll let you decide. Check them out here.