Top Three...good things!

Y'all, I'm going to be honest with you (as I'm wont to do ad nauseum).  I've been having a hard time at the new job. I'm trying to stay positive, but it's been a challenging first two weeks. Deeply challenging. I'm not sure what's in the cards, if it's a match and suddenly will click into place (I've had it happen before), or if it's just a royally screwed lemon. Time will tell, but if you've been wondering where the heck I've been, I hope that helps explain it.

Not that all things are bad. Nay, good happens every day! What are my Top Three good things that happened and/or exist today? Funny you should ask, because!

#1. There is a chill in the air every morning that is the whisperiest whisper of FALL!!!!! It feels so amazing even though it's a blistering sauna by 5:30 every day. It's still coming!!!

#2. I have been able to laugh even though I've wanted to punch walls and/or cry every ten minutes. No seriously! I've had at least a dozen decent giggle fits today! Nothing like it. Best drug there is!

#3. I've had my sweet boys around me all night. Little, Big, and Papa. I sure do love those rascals. They make me feel loved even when I want to get all Incredible Hulk.

(The Hubs is gonna be so mad I posted this, but I love this picture of my guys giving me their "intense look").

That's it for me today. I am definitely trying to have more of a presence this week and I do so apologize for the sparseness lately.

X's & O's, y'all! I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Top Three...Wardrobe Staples

I have a tendency to buy multiples of things that I like. That means I have duplicates of a lot of stuff. To be honest, I would wear nearly the same thing every day if I could. Some days I like to mix it up, but if left to my own devices...yep- I'd have the "Lulu Uniform". So, today's Top Three are my three favorite items I would wear every day if I could (and oftentimes do).

One of the dozen denim shirts I own (and not the same one as from yesterday's post either).

#1. Denim shirt. When I did the KonMari purge in April and May, I forced myself to get rid of the denim shirts that didn't float my boat 100%. I got rid of several and still had three left over. Since then I've purchased two more. I can't help it. White button down shirts look open up a whole other door of inconveniences (keeping it looking clean, different opacities which requires special attention to "underthings" that I prefer not to use my brain space for. It's the same idea, but less ease! Denim shirts are my go-to and probably always will. I even rock the "Canadian Tuxedo" at least twice a week (denim on denim).

#2. Red lipstick. It's been my staple since I was fifteen. I only wear one shade (Revival Red, Maybelline). I'm sure there are multitudes of other shades, but that one is the perfect orangey-pink. I can customize the intensity so I don't come off as a rabid vampire. If I'm not wearing that color, it's au natural with a swipe of lip balm (I can't be bothered, honestly- I'll pony up to my laziness). But I seriously rock the red at least four days a week. 

Black...yes even at the beach (and at my heaviest- hello Paleo!).

#3. Black. Black and oh yeah- more black. Ask anyone who's known me for more than five minutes and they'll tell you I wear a lot of black. It looks good on me and it's a blank canvas for whatever mood I may be in. Simple and chic? Black. Bohemian and exotic? Black. All-American? Black and denim. Night out on the town? Black. It's my ultimate go-to.

So there's my Top Three Staples. What are yours? I'd love to know!!

Top Three: Guilty Pleasures

Too cool for Y2K (an ode to the 90's)...you'll see!

I had so much fun with the Top Three last week (and loved hearing what yours were too!). This week it's all about the guilty pleasures. Those things you really like, but maybe don't want to broadcast (or you enjoy when no one is around to judge you).

Here are mine!

#1. Frat-humor movies. I don't know why.  I love classic movies, indie films and foreign subtitled masterpieces. I love a good family comedy, the occasional RomCom and a solid action film. For the most part I have a pretty average leaning toward pompous taste in cinema. But there's a little black hole in my preferences, and it's anything goofy, dumb and over the top. 21 and Over, Animal House, Old School, American Pie, Neighbors. I'll be chuckling along with it- alone so the hubs won't judge me (because he really doesn't grasp this apparent void in my tastes).

#2. Move theatre popcorn. If you remember the Paleo experiment, I don't eat corn products if I can manage it. However, there is no way in heck I will avoid that nasty salty buttery over-priced popcorn if I go to see a (I'll just say tasteful) movie in a theatre. It's a nostalgia thing. My dad and I used to spend whole days at the movies when I was a kid. It was awesome. And yes the popcorn makes my stomach hurt and yes I have to have it with Buncha Crunch bites (sweet and salty!) which also make my stomach hurt. Try as I may, though, I cannot pass it up! Oh, and yes, I usually eat it all before the movie starts because I show up nerd early.

Oh it's so 90's, I love it!

#3. Anything 90's. T.G.I.F., butterfly clips (technically I never really liked those), criss-crossed hair parts (see Sabrina above). Delia's catalogs, Hardy Candy anything! Wayne's World, Empire Records, MTV's Beach House! Toaster Strudels, Nick at Night, Bop-it's, stretchy weird choker necklaces (also see Sabrina above), daywear being made of satin for some insane reason. Alanis Morissette and Natalie Merchant Records! Oh! Everclear and Gin Blossoms! Boy Meets World and Aaaah! Real Monsters! I could go on and on. I eat that silliness right up. I get so goofy nostalgic, I can't help myself!

I have a million more, but I think I'm beginning to subscribe to what Dave Grohl said about guilty pleasures. I'm going to paraphrase, but basically it goes as follows: "Screw the idea of guilty pleasures. I like what I like and I won't apologize for it."

With that little nugget of inspiration, let me know what your guilty (or no longer guilty) pleasures are! The Monkees? Britney Spears? Judge Judy? Krispy Kreme donut sandwiches? I'd love to know!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

My Top Three: Every day Obsessions

#NoFilter (i.e. morning light and no soft-focus- yikes!)

I dig reading about people's indispensables. You know, the things they'd take to a desert island, or the things they cannot leave the house without. If I'm in line at the grocery store, I'll flip to that "What's in my bag" section in Us Weekly (or whatever rag it is). It's so cool to get a glimpse into people's heads like that (it's the Psych 101 student in me I guess).

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to do a Top Three series here. Once a week, just a random Top Three Whatever list. I'd love to hear your Top Threes too!

For the first ever Top Three, just to get our feet wet, I'll tell you my three biggest Everyday Obsessions.

The sad (but truthful) thing is, I didn't prep for this post. I really did just have these three laying around the house. Geesh. 

#1. Twinings Irish Breakfast Tea. I know, it isn't as rock and roll as you may have hoped. I actually used to be an obsessive coffee drinker (like twenty cups a day obsessive). But after a fluke fever had me laid up for over a week two years ago, I came out completely disgusted by coffee (and Chinese food from my formerly favorite place). After that I didn't consume caffeine at all (it kinda cleansed me of all bad habits to be honest), but now I have at least two cups of it a day (waaaaaay more if I'm at work- yawn!). I buy the biggest boxes I can get my hands on (fifty count usually) and I have to drink it piping hot or I don't like the taste (weird). I'm drinking my second brew as I type this. Thank goodness I accidentally bought decaf last week, otherwise my heart could feasibly pop out of my chest from the caffeine overdose.

#2. Tie between Cadbury Fruit & Nut Bar and Whole Foods chocolate covered dried cherries (seen in the above picture). I can't help myself. My mom put the Cadbury's in my stocking the past few Christmases which started the obsession that then slowly grew and now I get one at least once a week. The Whole Foods issue arose when my local grocery store sold out of the Cadbury's and I had to feed the craving. It has since become my beauty pageant runner up if I can't get a hold of my Cadbury Crack. I get one or the other and slowly eat them throughout the week. They're my happy pills. I don't typically order desserts or really like sweets for that matter (minus an INSANE craving for cherries this Summer), but for at least the past year or so these are my "don't want to go without" fave treat. If I could give them up, I'd probably be a size smaller, but life is meant to be LIVED, people!

#3. Rose Petal Witch Hazel by Thayer's. I've been using witch hazel as the foundational product in my skincare "regime" (I use that term loosely) for over 15 years and if nothing else, will still use it by itself if I'm feeling too lazy to go through the rigor marole of a regime. I don't know what it is that has me completely addicted, other than perhaps it makes my skin feel lovely and never stings.  Plus the Rose Petal version smells absolutely wonderful. I cannot be persuaded to use anything else and I've tried. I'm a "try anything once" kinda gal, and I still go back to my witch hazel over and over and over again. It's my skincare soul mate.


Those are my three super duper tried and true, don't-want-to-go-a-day-without Obsessions. What are yours? I'd love to know!

Next week's Top Three? My Top Three Guilty Pleasures. Start brainstorming yours!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!