Hi!! It’s Friday which means there’s an excited buzz in the air that I just adore. Ryan and I have a date night on the agenda for tonight and, aside from that, the ridiculously simple thing I’m looking forward to early this evening is a haircut. I cannot remember the last time I got a haircut but my poor stringy hair needs some help. Great Clips, here I come! (I’m so fancy.)
In keeping with our Friday tradition around here, let’s chat about things we’re loving this week, shall we? Below you will find a compilation of things that are making me smile this week and, as always, I’d love to hear about something that made you extra happy this week in the comments section of this post. Let’s get to it!
Things I’m Loving Friday
Last night I attended a training to learn how to be a head coach for Girls on the Run! I will be volunteering with the organization through mid-December and leading a team of girls through twice-a-week practices as they train for their first 5K! I am so thrilled to be volunteering with such a fantastic organization whose mission is to “inspire young girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.” I am psyched and will definitely keep you guys updated on my experience with Girls on the Run!
- My Grandma’s Key
When my family and I headed up to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania last October to help clean out my grandmother’s house, we all walked away with some treasured mementos (with my grandma’s blessing, of course). One of the things I was lucky enough to snag was this wrought-iron key that hung in her kitchen. I’m not sure what it is about the key that I love so much, but it was one of the very first things I remember seeing when I walked into my grandma and grandpa’s house growing up. Now it’s hanging on a wall in our house and it makes me think of her every day. (And, as a side note, I am also loving the fact that the former homeowners of our house left behind a ton of keys. We now have a few solo keys on hand to grab when we head out to walk or run with Sadie and don’t want to bring our full sets of keys. Highly recommended!)
- Coconut Water Green Smoothie
My mid-morning snack yesterday was this green smoothie that I found on The Green Plate Club’s Intagram feed! It is so delicious and super simple to make. Simply combine 1 cup coconut water, 3 cups greens (a blend of romaine, spinach and kale), 1/2 inch piece ginger root, 1 large celery stalk (chopped), 1/2 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple and 1 pitted date (optional – I omitted this). It was so refreshing! Definitely check out their Instagram feed for more awesome plant-based meal and snack ideas!
- Fringe Purses
Are these purses weird? Maybe, but I adore them! I’m not sure what it is about fringe purses that I love so much, but I think they are so fun! They’re sassy, cute and eye-catching and I’m hoping to snag one this fall. Some favorites: $25 fringe studded crossbody, $28 flap-over fringe, H&M fringe shoulder bag (pictured above), Aldo fringe bag (This one is probably my favorite – I think this one would go with so many things!) and for the big spenders this Tory Burch bag is gorgeous (I love it in navy)!
- Food/Fitness Links
Some great food and fitness-related links that I thought might interest you guys from around the blog world this week: How to Eat Intuitively (FannetasticFood.com), 10K Turkey Trot Training Plan (RunEatRepeat.com), Printable No-Equipment No-Running Cardio Workout (FitSugar.com), 5-Ingredient Paleo Fudge (FitBottomedEats.com)
Buying a house was apparently the nudge I needed to become obsessed with Instagram feeds that center around home decorating. DearLillie’s account quickly became a favorite of mine after two of you tagged me in one of her pictures to show me her adorably decorated fireplace. I love her style! If you guys have any favorite home decorating Instagram accounts that I need to follow, please let me know! I can’t get enough!
- Oliviers & Co. Giveaway Winner
Congratulations to Lindsey G., the winner of the $300 Oliviers & Co. giveaway! Lindsey was emailed yesterday. Thanks so much to all who entered!
Question of the Day
- What is one thing you are loving this week?
- If you follow an awesome Instagram account that centers around home decorating, please let me know!
I will be volunteering with Girls on the Run this Spring at the school I am student teaching at! I can’t wait to hear about your experience with it!
I coached GOTR for 3 years and LOVED it!!!
I’m excited for you 🙂
Ugh, I need a haircut sooo badly but I keep putting it off. I last got it cut in November, so it’s gotten really long. I don’t like my ponytail whipping around when I run, so when it starts to do that I have to start putting it into a sort-of bun. I know that it’s gotten way too long, though, because even after I put it up there’s still a bunch sticking out the bottom. I will make it a priority to get that done after my (first!) half-marathon on Sunday.
And don’t worry about not going to a fancy hair salon. I usually go to Hair Cuttery.
I’ve made Paleo fudge before, and it’s delicious! It’s definitely different, but it’s yummy and filling!
As a middle school teacher, I was a Girls on Track coach two years ago when the program debuted at my school. I think it’s a great way for girls to build confidence, make great friends, and learn how to cope with the stressors of life. I found out I was pregnant very early into the program, so I was unable to do the 5K at the end of the season (and was on maternity leave during our school’s second season 🙂 I’m so happy to see you’re doing this! I would like to see some updates and what you think of it! I found it to be very well organized, and I enjoyed every minute with the girls in my group!
Love Jenny at Dear Lillie.
Do you follow Kevin and Layla Palmer? @letteredcottage
AHHH! I’m totally attending an info sesh for girls on the run! Glad to hear you are as stoked about it!
One tip that our realtor gave us when we bought our house was to always change the locks! You never know who the previous owner gave keys to.
Yes!! Great advice and it’s definitely on our to do list! Thanks!!
I think you’ll love working with Girls on the Run. There is a program at the school my mom works at and last spring I ran the 5k with one of the girls as a running buddy. It was so much fun to run with her and chat with her. Seeing all the girls’ excitement as they finished the race was amazing too. I can only imagine how great it must be to watch them progress through the program. I hope you share what you can about your experience as a coach.
Girls on the run is awesome!! I’ve been a site coordinator and a coach for four years and it’s super rewarding and fun 🙂 have a great time!!!!
I was an assistant coach for Girls on the Run last spring! I’m a college student so I was only able to make it to one practice a week, but it was still an awesome experience. We had 40 girls in our group, so we definitely had our hands full! I’m excited to hear about your coaching experience! 🙂
I love all your favorites!! Mine this week have been incorporating different greens in my smoothies every morning. I am a real lover of green smoothies for breakfast, and I wanted to keep switching and playing with things around to avoid the banana-spinach (which I love) combo every day. I’ve tried it with bok choy, arugula, swiss chard, collard greens, all kinds of lettuce, spinach and kale (these last two are kind of common). So far I keep loving my green smoothies and the idea of having diff nutrients from different greens 🙂
I love Girls on the Run! I actually coached for awhile and then started a council in my county and was the council director for awhile. Now I am the 5k race director. Such a wonderful mission and you are going to loVE it!
Ohmygosh that green smoothie looks so delicious! I was on a major smoothie kick until my (very old) blender went kaput. Also, so cool about volunteering with GOTR! I hope it’s an amazing experience for you!
I love blogs!!! And, as you know, a lot of them are on Instagram. Home-wise, I follow @athroughtfulplace and @carmel_ourfifthhouse. And then of course there’s @potterybarn. Happy decorating. Btw, my house looks nothing like these Instagram accounts. Apparently I only like to look at the pictures. 🙂
Thank you for the recommendations!!
I love Girls on the Run- it’s such an inspiring organization! I hope to work with them next year!
Keep us updated on your experience with Girls on the Run! It seems like a great organization. Once I get my work situation (and life lol) figured out I’d love to volunteer with them!
GOTR is a Great Program.. I having been Coaching here in Holland, MI for a couple of years and just hanging out with the girls after school a couple of days a week is so much fun. !!
Girls on the Run sounds like an awesome organisation! I wish we had something like this in Perth! Can’t wait to hear about your experiences! 🙂
@housebyhoff, @roomsforrent, @cityfarmhouse1, @jenmigonis, @thriftydecorchick are great ones! get ready to waste some serious time looking at instagram feeds
I got a haircut on Friday, too! Except I got over a foot chopped off! I hadn’t had a real cut since February 2013, just before having my daughter. It feels SO much better!
Girls on the Run is so much fun! 🙂 I’m currently raising money for GOTR and about to run the Chicago Marathon for them! I’m so excited! Here’s more info about the SoleMates (fundraising to run a race for GOTR) https://www.crowdrise.com/gotrchicagomarathon2014/fundraiser/ellieholcomb
I’m on the Solemates Committee for GOTR NYC and it is such an amazing organization! As soon as I have a schedule that allows it, I will for SURE become a coach! Enjoy!!