a floral dress.

who's ready for spring?

i know many of you [who are experiencing extreme winter weather] are. and even though it may seem like winter is dragging on, don't worry...spring will come. and you better be ready for it. i picked up this floral dress from Patty's Closet in anticipation of all the fun spring pattern mixes i know we'll be seeing. i'll admit that florals are not at the top of my list (i mean, i'd rather be rocking leopard!), but ones with a black base are certainly easier for me to wear. and bonus that this one has hints of radiant orchid throughout.

and speaking of spring, have you entered the totally awesome spring giveaway yet? you can win a $500 amazon gift card (or paypal cash); second winner gets $100. you can buy a lotta floral dresses with that! scroll down to enter.

i am really looking forward to the weekend even though rain is in the forecast. it's another busy one for us with mini-she's speech competition, a poi-pounding session, mini-he wanting to see the lego movie, and me wanting to get a good run in, but it's still the weekend.

what's happening in your neck of the woods?

(vintage ring; 9th & elm necklace)

(not a 9th & elm member? here's an invite)

(Patty's Closet dress c/o (808-625-6441);

thrifted jacket; nordstrom shoes)

marathon chronicles 01. first run.

i jokingly mentioned in my fashion to fitness post that this blog may turn into a documentary of how i ran my first marathon. well, it won't...but since fitness has become a huge part of my life, i am going to write about it here in this series called marathon chronicles. if health and fitness don't interest you, then feel free to skip these posts...but ya might miss out on some fun stuff!

last weekend, i completed my first run of the year.

while i haven't officially started training for the marathon, i had been training for this 8.15 mile great aloha run. it was a nice substantial distance that allowed me to gauge my fitness level at the start of this year. i did this run last year with absolutely no training and completed it just fine. not fast, but not last...probably running 60%/walking 40%.

this year, after running 3-4 times a week, i shaved 10 minutes off last year's time and ran 85%/walked 15%. the one issue i faced this year was heavy and fatigued legs; they felt like lead at the start of the race. i was on my feet for most of the day-before, so it's possible my legs didn't get enough rest and recovery time? anyways, it's something i'll have to look into so that it doesn't happen on marathon day.

i slept at my friend's house the night before so that i didn't miss the 3:15am wake up call. last year i woke up at 5:30am!! after coffee and cereal, we headed out and arrived at the buses by 5am.

here we are around 6:15am making our way to the corrals.

7:00am gun goes off. so many people this year! it took a while before we were actually able to start running.

and...crossing the finish line.

next stop? breakfast!

leather-sleeved utility jacket.

this jacket is another score from the buy one, get two free promo i mentioned in my last post. these two jackets (this one and the varsity jacket) weren't on my radar, but i did love this striped sweater. so when i heard that i could get two items free, i didn't hesitate grabbing these two jackets. it was an ideal situation because i'm usually hesitant to spend money on cold-weather items. now i have these options in my wardrobe, and i didn't have to spend a dime on them. so what if i live in hawaii...these jackets will have their day(s).

i had an extra tub of greek yogurt on hand, so i made some yogurt pops...in a cake pop pan. this super simple recipe only calls for 1 cup each of blueberry yogurt and blueberries. i only had plain yogurt on hand, so i added honey to sweeten it. the minis loved them, and i have been loving them after my treadmill runs.

here's my modified recipe:

1 cup plain greek yogurt (i used fage)

1/4 cup honey (or agave)

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup strawberries

blend everything (or just mash fruits and stir into yogurt)

and freeze at least 2-3 hours. add your popsicle sticks

after they harden a bit.

(jacket via pacsun; denim c/o JustFab; vans shoes;

Patty's Closet tee; necklace via ShopLately)

a few to try:

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need to update your wardrobe for spring?

enter to win a $500 Amazon gift card

the varsity jacket.

who knew i'd own another varsity jacket post high school?

thanks to a buy one, get two free promo, i now own this quilted varsity jacket. at least it's much more fashionable and flattering than my high school one. the black and white is fresh and crisp and will work well for all seasons. i'm thinking it'll be perfect with winter whites, just the right edgy juxtaposition to spring pastels and prints (like these polkas), and a sporty cover-up for tees and denim cutoffs on chilly summer nights. btw, how super cute is this polka dot dress from Patty's Closet?

this weekend was all about mini-she. after months of late night rehearsals, her school play finally came to life...and she did a wonderful job. they all did. kudos to her teacher who did an awesome job directing the play.

do you have a wardrobe piece that works for all seasons?

mini-she as the gatekeeper.

(dress c/o Patty's Closet (808-625-6441);

LA Hearts jacket via Pacsun (on sale! buy);

Lulu's shoes; ShopLately necklace)

totally awesome $600 spring GIVEAWAY.

we're getting ready for spring with a Totally Awesome Spring Giveaway! this month we have two awesome prizes up for grabs -- one winner will receive a $500 Amazon gift card, and a second winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card.

there are lots of entries to choose from, so take your pick...or do them all! we also have daily entries, so bookmark this page and come back every day.

good luck!

prizes: $500 Amazon gift card & $100 Amazon gift card or cash (via Paypal)

organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

co-hosts: Married to the Game ♥ Craftyourself ♥ [oomph.] ♥ The Frugal Free Gal ♥ Mom and More ♥ Peanut Butter and Whine ♥ Honey & Birch ♥ Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog ♥ Food Folks and Fun ♥ StushiGal Style ♥ True Story Book Blog ♥ Pretty Thrifty ♥ Lush to Blush ♥ Fresh Fit N Healthy ♥ In The Moment with Sarah Halstead ♥ Sweet Giveaways ♥ Babushka's Baile ♥ Stacy's Savings ♥ Finger Click Saver ♥ Momma T and Family 

blog comment mandatory, all other entries optional

giveaway ends 3/21, open to all

enter using the rafflecopter widget below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

want to participate in giveaways like these?

click here for more info.

sheer + studded.

getting out the door in the mornings has become quite the chore because of two things. juice and water. a few months ago, i caved and bought a TIGER stainless steel [water] bottle. depending on the style and size, these bottles can cost up to $60...but they are the bomb! it keeps my water cold all day. and, if i didn't eat them all, i'd still have tons of ice at the end of the day. it went on sale for $29 at my local drugstore, so i grabbed a couple. on a rare occasion, it goes on sale for $19, but you better be first in line when they open if you want one; they go fast. i figured i could take them on my hikes, but i now bring it to work everyday. the water just tastes good coming out of the bottle (maybe psychological!), and i can easily drink the liter throughout the day (whereas before i didn't drink any water while at work). 

i also started juicing in the morning. i try to drink it at home, but i usually don't have time to finish it all.

so...in addition to my coffee, i'm now carrying a

water bottle and a cup of juice.

and...that's in addition to my bag, my makeup bag,

and my lunch bag.

and...on occasion, i'll have my camera bag.

anyone else have this problem?

water, juice, and coffee...every morning.

yes, the paint is coming off my coffee cup, but i haven't found any other that is as spill-proof as this one. i've even dropped it, full of coffee, and the lid stayed on!

dried coconut chunks & strawberries from chinatown...

(top & skirt c/o Patty's Closet (808-235-2924); JustFab shoes)

a printed bodycon.

hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. i'm currently recovering from an eight-mile run i did yesterday, but i'll share more about that later this week. with mini-she busy with school play rehearsals and track meets, i got to spend some QT with mini-he. we saw the movie the nut job, spent some time at the beach house, and watched a chinese lion dance at my friend's shop.

i usually steer clear of body conscious clothing or reserve them for days when i'm feeling "skinny" in the mid-section. but here's a few things that help me feel more comfortable in bodycons:

- big hair. the fullness balances out the skinniness

and draws attention upward.

- prints. busy patterns camouflage unsightly bulges. designs that give the illusion of skinny, like the triangular print

on this aztec bodycon, also help.

- a long necklace. helps to break-up all that material and draw some attention away from the mid-section.

how was your weekend?

feeding the lion dollar bills.

about the chinese lion dance: lion dance troupes visit shops of the chinese community and perform a traditional dance that is believed to bring good luck and fortune to the businesses. auspicious green vegetables are hung with a red envelope containing money, and in the traditional cai qing [literally meaning 'plucking the greens'], the lion eats the greens and spits it out, keeping the red envelope as a reward.

mini-he got to try on the lion's head!

dim sum for lunch after...

(Patty's Closet dress (808-625-6441); Lulu's shoes)

the science behind a happy relationship.

did you know that happiness is a skill that is

within our control?

just by spending a few minutes a day on fun activities and games [designed by leading scientists], you can start to form life-changing habits that will lead to a more fulfilling life.

regardless of how happy you are in your current relationship, there are little changes you can make in your interactions that can boost your relationship satisfaction for the long run.

check out this interesting infographic created by happify™:

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i am a happify pioneer. by spending just a few minutes each day on fun activities, i am reminded to savor the good stuff, to be thankful for what others do for me, to give more than i receive, to empathize and understand the thoughts of others, and to aspire and have a sense of purpose. if you are interested in building your happiness skills, leave me your email and i will send you an invite.

happy valentine's day!

design your life with Kleenex Style Studio.

[this post is brought to you by Kleenex; all dirty tissues

(and opinions) are my own.]

from sniffles and sneezes to wiping up spills, Kleenex plays a big role in our home. with school germs and allergies [seemingly always] present, we're forced to have several boxes handy around the house...and for something that is so necessary to have at your fingertips, we're always trying to find inconspicuous places for these Kleenex boxes. either that or cover them up with grandma's crochet creations, haha.

thankfully, Kleenex has been paying attention to the fashions and styles around us. to celebrate their 90th anniversary, they've brought us The Kleenex® Style Studio...a fun and inspiring way to discover more of the Kleenex brand designs and products you love. not only will you find over 100+ cute new designs worthy of showing off, but you'll also find tons of ways to use Kleenex tissues (i loved browsing the uses...really fun!).

i picked up a few decorative tissue boxes from my local Longs Drugs/CVS store, and i'm still on the hunt for a few other designs. you can check out my #KleenexStyle Inspirations pinterest board to see all my favorites and where i'd put them around the house. find your local retailers here.

my everyday use: i lay out one tissue every morning when i put on my makeup to wipe off excess product and to clean my brushes when i'm done.

dresser-top real estate is precious! see that big rectangular box hiding back there? it's ok, but the square box takes less space and better reflects my style.

mini-she's everyday use: catch the drips when she's painting

her nails.

while this huge box is ok, the square box takes up less space on her desk giving her more room to...well, study!

plus, it's a fun design.

head over to the Kleenex® Style Studio to find your inspiration. which designs do you love?

test your fashion knowledge by taking the Catwalk or Kleenex quiz. i got 3 out of 5 correct...eek! can you beat my score?

lastly, i'd love if you would

take this quick 1-question survey.

pretty please? and thank you!