Life

Fabletics Clothing Review!

| cheriarmour
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via Shape Magazine

So, I wish I could have a subscription to every workout publication that’s out there, but usually, I limit myself to purchasing them when I see someone on the cover whom I love, and Kate Hudson definitely falls into that category for me.  She’s funny, she’s Goldie Hawn’s daughter, and I was particularly intrigued by this cover cause didn’t she just have another baby?

At any rate, Kate Hudson teamed up with Fabletics, which is her new, affordable brand of activewear.  I’m sure that you’ve started to see all the commercials for things like JustFab, FabKids, Stichfix, and Runnerbox, all subscription programs that you can enroll in, and Fabletics is a similar program, and I was super thrilled when they sent me a few pieces from their spring line to try and tell you guys all about.

The way it works:

You go to Fabletics, and you start by taking their Fit Quiz, which determines what sort of activity you’re engaging in.  From there, there are a few options, a VIP membership option, which will allow for more discounts and a full outfit option, and a regular membership option which still allows you to shop, but at a less deep discount.  But basically, after selecting your option, you’ll receive a new set of active wear (from a wide array of bottoms, tops, bras, jackets, and all of that), and If you hate anything, or you want to skip a month you’re totally welcome, but the basic premise is that you’re paying less for active-wear that’s pretty good quality, as opposed to a $90 pair of tights, which you can easily do elsewhere (and I’ve done it!).

The stuff. 

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DSC_0014So the pieces that I have are:

The Kingston Hoodie, which I’ve been wearing nonstop since it came in the mail a few weeks ago.  Seriously, I wore this and the tank top like 3 times to work last week with different bottoms, and wore them to my race last Sunday.

The Extension True Tank, which is kind of like a muscle tee, and seems like it would be really good for hot yoga if you don’t want to run around without a bra on.  I also wore this in my race Saturday, and it moves really really well with you, but I probably would go down in a size personally, and…

The Lima Capri, which is truly one of the most beautiful colors I’ve ever seen.  The tight is really really comfortable and warm, and I’d probably do shorter runs in this one.  This one is a little tricky in the sizing – I felt like I’m in-between the small and medium, and when I was down on the floor stretching, I felt like it was pulling in the crotch a little bit, fit that makes sense.

The verdict:  I’ll start with some improvements so that we can end on the good stuff 🙂  This seems really dumb, but the tags inside of the clothing are really stiff and crunchy, and in a piece of active wear, that’s a big no-no.  I don’t like taking scissors to my tags, because sometimes that makes it worse, so I’ve dealt, but I don’t love that aspect of the clothing.

The good stuff is very good.  The clothing comes in the most stunning colors I’ve ever seen, and the photos don’t do it justice.  The clothing is comfy and extremely easy to wear or pair with regular pieces to make it more “street-ready”  and it translates easily between activity.  I taught a Zumba class in them last week, hopped on the treadmill after and ran for a while, and was able to run a full half-marathon in the tops pictured above with ZERO chafing and that says something.  At the very least, check out Fabletics, give them or month or two, and let me know what you think about your new (and affordable) digs!

[Full disclosure:  Fabletics hooked me up with the beautiful clothing, but these opinions are 1000% my own]

 

I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

| cheriarmour
Fun fact: This is the best x-mas album ever, and if you grew up as a black child in the states, this and the Temptations x-mas album were a main staple of any holiday.
Fun fact: This is the best x-mas album ever, and if you grew up as a black child in the states, this and the Temptations x-mas album were a main staple of any holiday.

Okay, so I know this is really random, but another blogger wrote this random fact the other day, and it completely, 100%, blew my mind.  So, I grew up listening to ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’ and I really thought it was a song about, in my case, Katherine Jackson kissing on some other dude, the other man in her life.

Now imagine when my mind was blown into the Milky Way when this blogger revealed that she had just learned this (and it educated me), that the song was from the kid’s perspective, and the reason why the Mom was kissing on Santa was because it was the dad dressed up like him and evidently, they have a healthy physical relationship.

WHAAA?!

Anyone else’s mind blown by this?  Like, 1000%?

Also, ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ is kinda gross and assaulty, but that’s another discussion for another day…

What are some crazy things you figured out as an adult?  

Blog Happenings.

| cheriarmour

I’m squatted on the couch right now, because I’m still a little queasy from having some sort of stomach bug + that half marathon this weekend.  Usually, a marathon or a half wouldn’t wipe me this much, but the stomach thing that got me last week (and also got a lot of my clients) kinda doubled up on the ass-whooping and I’m a little worn out.  Seriously, wash your hands often, because that bug is no fun.  It will last for like 24 hours and you will feel gross for a few days longer than that.

All of that said, I’m excited for this week.  My sister is coming to visit this weekend so that we can perform at a dinner together, and the last time I saw her was for a memorial service, so it will be better to see her in happier times.

And this came today.

1966747_10100289945603663_146569336_nI’ve been really looking forward to getting a more expensive camera for the blog to shoot some events with, and my sweet future MIL, Sharon bought us one as an early wedding present.  As soon as it arrived, I busted it out, strapped it up, and started shooting pics of the cat until it was time to put it away and do some work for the evening.  I’m really looking forward to posting photos from this baby 🙂 

What is your week shaping up to look like? 

 

Here’s What! What three things are you obsessed with?

| cheriarmour

By now, I think you’re familiar with my here’s what, a little slice I stole from Bravo Andy.  If you’ve missed any of my ‘Here’s What’ segments, I’ll fill you in.

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3.7.14

Okay, so go there, and review…

Now come back!

Here’s what three things I’m obsessed with this beautiful Carolina Friday.

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  • Whole Foods Soup.  Mama doesn’t cook on Thursday evenings because I usually teach my Thursday evening Zumba classes, try to get a few miles in after.  By the time I get home, it’s late, and I don’t feel like cooking.  I try to avoid the fast food trap and go for something a little cleaner, and soup was perfect on this kind of blustery night.  Tonight’s soup was a roasted garlic sweet potato.  A little weird. Mostly awesome though, especially when the spice kind of hits you

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  • Amazon.  Is there anything you can’t buy off of Amazon?  I ordered two bras off Amazon and because they were Prime, they showed up like two days after I ordered them.  New Balance isn’t paying me to say this (quite unfortunately) but this bra, the “Discreetly Sassy Psyche” is awesome.  It’s minimizing, it won’t give you a uni-boob, and a little bit of underwire lifts and keeps you from bouncing all over the place.  Try this bra!

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  • I found chocolate malt balls in the bulk section at Whole Foods.  It’s Whole Foods related, so it can’t be bad for me, right?

MMkay, that’s what I’m up to this week with what I’m obsessed with.  What three things are you obsessed with?

My love affair with reality television.

| cheriarmour

I’d say I have some pretty good things going for me.  I’m at least moderately attractive.  I’m very in shape, and I have a nice(ish) personality, right?

Don’t answer that.

But I have a really, truly dark secret.  I have a love affair with reality television.

Off the top of my head, here are a few quality programs I have watched in the past few years.

  • Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.

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    • 16 and Pregnant
    • Teen Moms 1 and 2
    • America’s Next Top Model

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  • Real Housewives of Atlanta/New York/Beverly Hills/Orange County (not sure why Andy continues to bother with Miami, and DC was horrific.)

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  • Flipping Out with Jeff Lewis
  • Work Out with Jackie Warner
  • Party Down South (thank you Jesus for this discovery on late-night television)
  • The Millionaire Matchmaker
  • Watch What Happens Live
  • Couples Therapy
  • Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team

 

380887_10100318509646029_899369494_n…And these are just to name a few. 

My love affair with reality television began when I was in middle school, and Road Rules (the literal best invention ever), and Real World were at the peak of their popularity.

the-real-world-oI dreamt of being on one of these shows, and I’m not sure why.  Over the summers, when we’d be home from school, MTV would play marathons for days and days, and I would watch them all, hoping that my mother would not find out about my strange addiction (which I don’t watch, funny enough).  I once auditioned for the X-Factor, made it pretty far, and had my dreams crushed before the season started.  Glad it didn’t work out though 🙂

Please ladies, tell me I’m not the only one in this boat.  Are you addicted to terrible reality telly?  Which shows are your faves?

A tale of some scallops.

| cheriarmour

So yesterday, I had a hankering for some scallops over veggies, after I spotted this post on IG.
photo (2)I looked up a recipe online, went to Harris Teeter, bought .75 pounds of sea scallops, and set to prepping a delicious dinner, complete with a glass of SkinnyGirl California Red Wine.

I blogged for a little while, and hopped into bed.  As I was falling asleep, sweat sprang up on my forehead, and I knew what I happening, but I chose to pretend like it wasn’t.

1 am, I sat straight up, jumped out of bed like a ninja, and proceeded to throw my entire dinner up, and take a nap on the bathroom floor.  And my only thought was, my race this weekend won’t be a PR! And I started to whimper.

So, I’m pretty sure that between this and my situation I got myself into in September, I need to take a little break from shellfish for a long, long while.  And come hell or high water, I will be running

 

If this were Elon…

| cheriarmour

I came to Elon Univeristy, about an hour from Raleigh, in the Fall of 2005, when my father read an article about this up-and-coming school in North Carolina that I just had to apply to.

I was the first of my parents’ four to apply/go to college, so not really knowing any better, I applied to 10 schools.

  • UNC
  • UNC Asheville
  • NC State
  • Brown University
  • Carnegie Mellon
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Ithaca College
  • Cornell University
  • Brown College

And finally, at the last minute, I applied to Elon University.  Long story short, on the way back from a beautiful visit to Pitt, my dad pulled us over and stopped us at Elon, at which point, we decided I would go to this beautiful place that was sunny, where the swans were walking around and where it wasn’t snowing (At that point, in April, it was snowing in Pittsburgh as we left).

So I went, and it literally changed my life.  You would not be getting this absolutely phenomenal blog if I hadn’t gone there, I can guarantee you that ;). So it’s gorgeous out, and it got me thinking about Elon (plus it’s Elon’s 125th anniversary so Happy Birthday, beautiful school!)

If this were Elon…

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  • I would be sunbathing, similarly to the way I’m doing above, except I’d be in a bikini. 
  • I’d  be pretending to sunbathe, but I’d really be watching these cute boys play volleyball.  I was always too scared to talk to them.
  • I would have napped at least once by now, because of the fact that I stayed up til 2 am doing homework the night before instead of using my time efficiently.
  • I would have run into our handsome President, Dr. Leo Lambert on the sidewalk, and gotten really flustered, too much to do anything but utter an unintelligible greeting. 
  • I would have Twisted Measure practice that evening, that usually would consist of us doing actually singing for an hour and a half or so, with half an hour of us pulling pranks on each other or singing things in the wrong key on purpose to peels of laughter.
  • After practice, I’d go get a grilled cheese from Varsity with these greasy chip things, and chase it with a coffee from Acorn, our local sandwich shop.  At this point, I was just starting my coffee addiction, but I’d adopted the awful practice of drinking coffee at night, and a 5-hour energy mixed with a Sunkist in the morning a lot of times.  Quite obviously, I took my health quite seriously.
  • I would have hit Belk Library to “study”, which really means socialize with boys and kinda work on stuff.  When I got sick of that, or when I felt like walking home by myself would be too creepy, I’d leave, watch Nancy Grace, and come home.

What was the culture at your school like?  

Oh, and Long Live Elon!

 

The worst date ever. [Reader Discretion Advised]

| cheriarmour

So this post is part of a link-up with Life of Bon – and I love love love this idea!

Granted, I have not been on a date in some time, as I’ve been with the same guy for a while, and I didn’t date a whole whole bunch before that.

But, even without a ton of experience with bad dates, when my close close friend, we’ll call her Tina, called me 20 minutes after this truly awful date, I knew that this had to be, hands down, the worst date in history.  Shall we?

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So Tina was spotted by Creeper one day in her building.  He informed her that she was the most beautiful women he’d ever laid eyes on and that he’d like to take her out to dinner.

Her reaction.

So, that Friday, he sent a box of bagels to her office and told her something to the effect that he was so so excited to go on this date with her.

Date night.  They go close to work, to a local Mellow Mushroom to have dinner.  And within 10 minutes, he tells her that he’s into feet.

As in, feet are something that turn him all the way on.

45 Ridiculous And Amazing GIFs Of Nene Leakes For Her Birthday

Tina told me at this point, she was really perplexed, and asked him a few questions out of ignorance about the topic.

“So like, in the spring time, when everyone is wearing flip-flops, what do you do?  Are you just going crazy with all the feet?”

He explained to her that it didn’t work that way, and continued on to explain that additionally, he was into some more interesting stuff. 

And finally, as if she wasn’t looking horrified enough, he explained, on the first date, at the dinner table, without any prompting, that he was into something called breath play, where he fashioned for the lady in question a suit made out of pantyhose, and asphyxiated them while they got down.

Tina, obviously horrified at the very definition of oversharing on a first date uttered, “Isn’t that dangerous?  Like can’t you pass out from that?”

“Well, yeah, it happened to my last girlfriend and it really turned me on.”

So all of that said, after the date was over and Tina was safely stowed at home, the texts began.  And Tina didn’t answer a single one.  He wanted to explain, that he wasn’t a monster, and that she should give him and his plastic grocery bags a chance.  He begged her for 5 more minutes of her time.  He sent her his rap music in hopes that this too, would win her over, and finally Tina asked that he never contact her again.

And that, my friends, was the worst date in history.

[Now a little disclaimer, what everyone does in their personal time is really their own business, however, within the first 10 minutes of a date at Mellow Mushroom is not the time to share your deviance.]

What was your worst date ever? 

Calling all my social workers! A post on self-care.

| cheriarmour

imageSelf-care is a big buzzword in social work land.  (For those of you just kinda tuning in, I’m a runner, a Zumba instructor, a blogger, and a social worker, all usually within the same week).  Anyhoo, like I was saying, self-care is a big word in social work land, mainly because burnout in social work is really prevalent.  We work really really hard with very little pay, all because we love people, and we love to serve people.  If HIPAA wasn’t a thing, I’d talk to you all day and all night about my clients, and how phenomenal they are, but I guess I have to respect their right to privacy, right?

But it’s hard.  There were two weeks last month that I truly thought I wasn’t cut out for the work, after some clients were especially horrible to me, that after viewing the puffy stress eyes, that I was ready to quit the job, and blog full time.  But here I am, and I’m starting to recognize that self-care is really important, and not just something that we should be joking about in the office.

Self-care means….

  • Going for my runs.  And I make sure I do it 5-6 times a week, but sometimes, I don’t bathe myself in the runs like I should.  I shouldn’t be thinking about notes, about deadlines, about my to-do list.  I need to do my runs, and be present for the runs.
  • Not mindlessly scrolling through my phone.  I’ve found myself, before bed, mindlessly scrolling through my phone before bed.  I don’t need to do that.  I need to actually sleep when I’m in bed.
  • Throwing myself into the things I enjoy.  I enjoy teaching, dancing, planning my wedding, reading, blogging, running, going to yoga, and I need to quit doing that thing where I divide my mind time.  If I’m running, I need to be present.  If I’m teaching, my mind is only there.  If I’m planning, my mind is all on me and what my future husband are doing.  Blogging? I’m all yours.
  • Recognizing when I’m tired.  There’s a difference between sleep and tired.  And sometimes I have troubles recognizing when I’m exhausted, tired, and when I just need to slow things down.  This weekend, when I opened my eyes on Sunday morning on Fripp, I was so happy, so in love with life, so in love with the beach, and I recognized that not only did I sleep like a rock, that I am tired.
  • Booking a room for myself at the Westin in Georgetown to run the Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Half Marathon.  I’m checking into a hotel in a beautiful part of DC, and I will be ghost, snuggling in a king-sized bed by myself, taking a bath, reading a book, and thinking about why my life is so beautiful! 

What are you doing to care for yourself, beautiful readers?