Little pre-weekend getaway to the beach

Oh, how I have needed a weekend getaway. Even when I'm not working weekends, I'm not relaxing. It's hard for me to relax at home. There is always something I haven't done that needs to be done. Even if I'm not doing it, I'm thinking about doing something. My job had a 4 day weekend for Independence Day and instead of doing Friday-Monday, we were given Thursday-Sunday. It worked out pretty great so we could go for the weekdays and avoid the holiday crowds. Two days is about all I can handle without wigging out about all I should be doing. So, Thursday morning, we packed up the girls for a road trip. They like riding in the car as long as it isn't to the vet or the groomer. Good little passengers on their fluffy fleecy bed in the back.

We arrived and checked into La Quinta in Corpus Christi. La Quinta is pretty nice as they are dog friendly. The hotel was clean and we quickly settled in and changed and hopped back into the car for a trip to Mustang Island State Beach. It was pretty nice to just drive up and park and settle in for the afternoon. We had snacks for us and the girls and plenty of water. The girls took a little time figuring things out. It's been a long time since they've been to the beach and last time we were at the ocean, Bunny could see. The girls got their feet wet and eventually stopped freaking out whenever the waves approached them. After a few hours basking, the sun started to drift down and we headed back to town.

Alley says "Thanks for bringing me to the beach"

Alley enjoyed watching the birds and really wanted to chase them.

I just like standing and staring into the great nothingness of the ocean.

Now ... the Gulf Coast isn't the most vegan-friendly place, but we used our Happy Cow app and found a Thai restaurant near the hotel that makes everything to order and the curry is made with vegetable base and can be done without fish sauce. And, don't be fooled by the hole in the wall. It was amazing. The inside wasn't any more impressive than the outside, but the food was amazing. But, be careful, "mild" was hot hot hot for my taste buds. Tons of flavor, but ooohhh, I drank a looooottttt of water. It's also really hard to find Tom Yum that is made with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I was soooooo happy.

Next morning, we slept late. Woke up when we woke up. No alarm. No schedule. Breakfast at the hotel was great. They had the usual hot fare with waffles and eggs and sausage or something like that. I stuck with my usual ... and favorite ... hot, lumpy oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins and maple syrup. We loaded up again and headed to the National Seashore. Yes, a nice military perk is free entry into national parks.

Ready to go on another adventure

Once again, we were able to park at the beach and set up "camp" right next to the car. No lugging a bunch of stuff. We spent hours in the hot hot sun. I love baking, but don't like frying, so sunscreen was generous. I wore an INKnBURN top and just chilled. We walked up and down the beach and then sat and relaxed and walked some more and relaxed some more. Bunny remembered how much she loved the ocean and she really tried to bite the waves as they came in. But, no matter how many times she attacked, they kept coming back. Eventually, she said "uncle" and was ready to rest. Alley regained her courage and tried to swim out jumping over the waves. She was really swimming for awhile without feet on solid ground. But, then a big wave came and tumbled her a bit and she said "enough" and headed back.  As the sun moved across the sky, we kept moving to make sure we were in the shade.

At one point, the Musician pointed out this guy on the beach. Beautiful, huh? And, I felt bad for him (it?). He was moving, but couldn't go anywhere. So, I tried to get him back in the water before he dried out. I found some flotsam and tried to scoop him up and out to the water. Those tentacles are super duper long and the waves kept bringing him back to shore. I was a little scared to go too deep because I wanted to avoid those long tentacles. The Musician saved the day and took him out deeper water and we watched him ride some waves. I had a few tingly spots on a foot and hand and think maybe I was whipped by one of those tentacles. Just a little. Sadly, as we left late in the day, I encountered him again on the sand. Most of his color was gone and he was dry and not moving. I said a little funeral prayer for him. 

As I was saving Man O'War, Bunny decided she no longer wanted to sunbathe in the sand and she stole my chair. She is such a little princess!! So, what do I do? I let her keep her perch, of course. She didn't leave it for the rest of the afternoon. I was in the sand with Alley. Yeah, who's spoiled? 

Eventually, the day had to come to an end. We went hunting for snow cones and then back to the hotel for a quick shower. Then back to Bangkok Star for some carry-out...a little milder this time. It really was good enough to eat several days in a row if we stayed longer. Exhaustion set in and then sleep. Once again, we woke up when we woke up. Breakfast made me sad because no oatmeal. If I were a carnivore, I would have enjoyed the biscuits and gravy ... my favorite breakfast meal of the past. We were moving slow and I found a few spots that got missed when I put on repeat layers of sunscreen. Other areas, I decided not to show in pictures. 

We moved slowly and leisurely and slowly checked out. The girls sacked out in the car on the way home and so did I. Then a quiet night at home as everyone else enjoyed the fireworks.

So, how did I feel about a lazy weekend? I totally needed it. I need to learn how to relax again.

Beaches? Both were great. Neither were crowded on a weekday and they were clean

La Quinta? Friendly. Clean. Good breakfast. I would go back

Bangkok Star? Awesome flavor. Vegan friendly. Definitely go back.

Wantable Intimates July 2015

Wantable has 5 subscriptions: an Accessory box (I am not a good accessorizor), their Intimate box, Make-up box and their Fitness wear and Style box (try on at home and keep what you want). For the Accessory, Intimate, and Make-up, the cost is $40 the first month and then a 10% discount subsequent months if you keep everything. You can return individual items, though, so it's not a keep all or none sort of thing. When you sign up, you set up a style profile an select things you love, like, and dislike. They will never send something you dislike. Each box is selected for you, so my box will be different from everyone else's box. And, you can return if you want. That's a bonus most boxes don't allow. Aaaannnddd .... you always have the option to skip a month when you just need to take some time off. I chose the Intimates box. Assortment of undergarments, socks, loungewear, etc. Should be 3-4 items per box depending on value of items.

One of the things that impresses me most about Wantable is how quickly they ship. My July Intimate box arrived exactly on July 1. My style profile says that I love Loungewear, Leggings, and Socks. I have reviewed on their site each item I've received and they seem to do a better job selecting my items each time. I also appreciated a friendly note included with my package. It seems personal like they have read my reviews. 

So ... onto the box

Rene Rofe Spring Print Chemise and Robe. I have been really a lounge pants and tank kind of girl, but the chemise and robe in this box made me feel really kind of pretty for lounging. Soft. Comfortable. Both size small and felt true to size. I have gotten a lot of wear of of this already. Retail $22 for Chemise and $36 for Robe. My cost to keep? $12.39 for Chemise and $20.28 for Robe. 

Ozone Big Dot Socks. OK, who doesn't like cute socks. I like the big black and white bold dots print. I can wear it with almost any pants. The socks are also pretty soft inside. So, yeah. Of course I love them. Retail $13. My cost to keep $7.32. 

So ... opinion. Yes, I am sticking with it. I love the surprise items and I feel like I'm getting value. Retail is $40 for the box, but because I kept everything last month, I paid $36. Value was $71. 

Midsummer Night's Dream 5K

"Though she be but little, she is fierce." This is a great Shakespearean quote to describe a night of running with friends. I ran the Midsummer Night Dream 5K last year with a friend and had fun, so I decided to run again this year. This is a fun little race put on by Scallywompus Events. It's women only and filled with Martinis, Mimosas, and Massages. Starts at 9 PM on a Friday night, which is a bit dark for me, but ok.

After work, I picked up Sorority Girl and we headed to Brackenridge Park to pick up our packets and T-shirts. Parking was already pretty crowded, but not unexpected. We walked from our car to the registration to the car and back to the central area. We will call it a warm-up.




We had our bibs set up and decided to look around. Yep, vodka samples and mimosas. The vodka line was long and I hate lines. The mimosa line wasn't bad, so we thought we would have ourselves a refreshing drink before starting the evening. What better way to race than after a little beverage? Right?

Since lots of folks were wearing fairy wings, we thought the winged idea would be fun. Well ... at least feathers and we had our INKnBURN. Sorority Girl was in Flutter and I was in Peacock, just like last year.






We relaxed, took some jumping pics, and were shooe'd off part of the grass because they had just put down some kind of treatment. Weed or bug killer? I don't know, but we followed rules. At the start line, we met up with MamaCostey and the Reservist from work. The Reservist is a faster runner so she took off after the start. Sorority Girl is doing OK, so she ran ahead of us. MamaCostey and I are both on the walking list these days and we hung together. Start line was crowded and slow, but eventually it spread out.

The course is run on golf-cart paths along the golf course. It has the ability to get crowded and there were times where it could be tough to get around people moving slower. The volunteers were amazing and supportive. So nice along the course and I never felt low on water (even though I carry my own). There was one area where very briefly, there is bidirectional running and the volunteers were great about letting us know it was coming up and to keep to the right.

Mama Costey and I chatted and caught up on the events of the week. We reached the finish and she headed out to find the Reservist and I went to find Sorority Girl. It was hot. Mosquitoes were out. The Reservist wanted to head home quick. Sorority Girl was a bit overheated, so we sat down for a bit. There was food, but not vegetarian or vegan, so I skipped it. I honestly don't even know what it was. Medal has a bottle opener. That's cool.

Little Lace Box June 2015

Little Lace Box is a subscription box for women. It's curated for women by three sisters and isn't really described as a "lifestyle" box, but curates their boxes around particular themes. They used to be a monthly box and that is changing after the April box. I think because of their popularity, they grew really fast. They put so much thought into the curations, it has been challenging keeping up. After April ... the subscriptions are going to every other month ... six times a year. I had an annual subscription ... so it extends it out 18 months for the remaining 9 boxes. No complaints.

You can purchase a bi-monthly subscription for $59.99. 3 boxes over 6 months for $149.97. 6 boxes over 12 months for $269.99. If you have a recurring subscription, you can email them to suspend subscription for any reason and then resume when  you are ready.  I purchased mine when the annual (12-box) subscription was $383.90 ($31.99/box). Shipping is between the 20th-23rd each month and they bill monthly just before shipping.  If you like items you receive and want more, they have an on-line boutique where you can purchase more. For every dollar you spend in the boutique or on the purchase of the box, you get a loyalty point.  50 loyalty points is one dollar to spend in the boutique.

I really love that you receive a text when your box ships. And I really love that each theme has a story behind it. This month was Classy and Fabulous and inspired. The April box was inspired by their grandmother and this one was too. I'm kind of jealous of the family the sisters grew up in. It seems full of love and laughter and joy. I sure would have loved their grandmother.  

The first item in the box was Watercolor Print Silk Scarf: This is really one of the prettiest and most timeless scarves I've received in a subscription box. I love scarves. They provided great hints and style suggestions that really do bring out Audrey  Hepburn or Coco Chanel. I do have a bit of angst because it is really pretty and really soft and really versatile. But, it is silk. To some people that's a great thing and a little luxury. But, I've recently learned how silk is obtained from silkworms and it seems the silkworms fight back. My belief is that if it fights back, it probably feels something, so silk is one more thing I'm slowly removing from my life as I move towards being fully plant-based. I may have to gift it. Retail $45.99.

 The Kitsch Ring is super cool and original and classic all at once. I love the personal story and the focus on the founder and designer. These rings were made specifically for Little Lace Box. 14 Karat gold and I received the Amethyst stone (the other option was Turquise). I would have loved either, but I am a fan of purple, so Amethyst is perfect. I don't wear rings often (other than my wedding ring), but I might have to make an exception. Retail $24.99 





Depending on the color of stone, the box matched a LucyB's Apothecary Nail Lacquer: I received starlet, with is a very pail pink. I love that they paired the ring with the polish to really tie it together. I've seen pictures of the other color (Premier) and it is gorgeous also. Retail $12.99

And TaDa!!!! Little Lace Box now has their own natural line of sugar scrub. I love sugar scrubs. Pour Some Sugar Scrub on Me. I love the name. The line os organic, 99% natural, vegan, and cruelty-free. That makes me happy. There were four options in the box. I received Oatmeal Milk & Honey, which is probably the least exciting scent, I would guess. The others had much more fun names like You Leave me Peachless, Lollambambooza, and Coconut Mango Mimosa. I may have to buy more. And at the price point, I can't complain. Retail $19.99

The final item in the box is by far my favorite. The Packable Summer Hat by San Diego Hat Co. Last summer I searched for a wide-brimmed hat that I could pack and wouldn't get bent in the suitcase. I didn't have a lot of luck. The packable hat I did find didn't hold up as well as I had hoped and didn't fit my head quite right to stay on. This one is adjustable and can be wrapped snugg. I can also jazz it up with the scarf. There were several color options and I can't complain about mine. I love the belted touch of the brown one I have seen. I have already worn this to the beach, but didn't take any glamorous pictures. I sure felt glamorous though. My only complaint is that in my previous search, I have been really hoping to find a hat that was not made in China. Seems they are all made in China these days and I would really like to find something made in the USA. But, I love the hat and will wear it all summer. Retail $27.99 

 So, what do I think? I absolutely LOVE it. The theme was fun and the curation was spot on. Everything will be used and loved, if not by me, by a lucky friend. Retail $131.95 so definitely great value. I can hardly wait so see what August brings. The theme is Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. I know the sisters are having fun with this one. They have hinted on how many different directions the theme could take them. They are also going to send out clues on Facebook to help us guess what's coming or to intentionally send us down the wrong track. How fun this is going to be.

Magic Shorts...Part 2

Awhile back, I posted about the magical shorts of INKnBURN. I have been running in skirts for a long time and was really  hesitant to try shorts. They seem so, well, short and I'm self-conscious about my legs. And I fear the dreaded chub-rub. Then I discovered INKnBURN shorts and couldn't get enough. I still run in skirts, but I also really love the shorts. Why am I writing about them again? Well, there are some changes that are awesome that I want to share. The newest shorts are the Liberty Design. Stars and Stripes ... living in Texas, of course I had to have them. C'mon ... it would be wrong not to have them. And the changes start with the new design.

Before I get started, I wanted to demonstrate the differences in INKnBURN Denim shorts. I really love the classic denims because they are so versatile. I've shown you before, so no reason to re-post the pics of front/back/waistband, but just for a comparison of colors.

Classic Blue Denim

Classic Dark Denim

Wildflower--more distressed denim look

Liberty ... I love how the denim continues to have the distressed look. The blue is really much more blue than the other denim looks. I love this look and it's perfect for Texas. But, I find it a little harder to match the colors/patterns to other items I own. It doesn't stop me from loving them, though.

 Now, lets talk about some of the differences in the new designed shorts. If you read my earlier post, you may recall that in the newer designs, there seemed to be some size discrepancies. Some people felt the shorts fit exactly the same. Others felt that they ran a little smaller. Well, the folks at INKnBURN took those concerns very seriously and did some investigating. It turns out that the dry I.C.E. fabric they were using had changed in the most recent purchase run and some of the fabric shrunk a bit in the processing. They wanted to make sure this never happened again because they want the sizes to be consistent so their customers can be happy. After much research, they found a new fabric that doesn't have the shrinkage issue ... because, seriously, who likes shrinkage?

So, the first difference is the new material. The original dry I.C.E. fabric has a light-weight rip-stop look and feel to it. A teeny bit "nubby." The Dry I.C.E. 2.0 fabric is very smooth feeling. I personally think it feels a little heavier than the original, but heavy isn't the right word. It's still light and breezy, but to me, it feels tougher. It doesn't have the look of the fine lines you see in rip-stop either. It still dries super fast and didn't get sticky-sweaty when I took it for a run in 100% humidity that turned to rain. So ... how do I feel about the new fabric? I like it a lot. I liked the old fabric, too, though.

Next, let's talk about the fit. Each piece is hand-cut, and then the design sublimated to embed deeply into the threads, and then hand-sewn. With that, there is always bound to be some size variation, but that's the beauty of it. One thing I noticed on my pair was that in the back, the waistband seam and the center seam didn't line up perfectly. I don't really care because if you are spending that much time staring at my butt, shame on you (unless you are The Musician, then stare away). I feel like the fit is the same as the older designs, but does seem to hug my butt a little more. I've heard a few other people of different shapes and sizes say that they feel like the shorts were cut exactly to their measurements. I feel the same way.

I wear my shorts a little looser than some and a little tighter than others, so ... everyone has to make their best call on the best size to choose. One of the things I really love about the fit of the shorts is that the back is longer than the front. It provides good coverage, especially for someone who is plagued by gravity.

I noticed a few small differences in the cut of these shorts compared to some of my others. The inseam seems a tiny bit smaller. That means a slightly shorter short. Remember, I said I'm super self-conscious about chub-rub? It's not pretty, but even worse, it can be painful. Well, with shorter inseam, I was worried. I kept looking down to make sure the shorts were riding up. They weren't. So ... shorter inseam not a problem for me.

The other thing I noticed on fit was that the back seems actually a little longer than the older styles. For me, that's a good thing. Gives me a little more time before gravity says "no more."

Something that isn't particularly new about the fit is the waistband. It has a really cute design on the inside and can be worn up or down. It's already a bit low-rise and fits exactly where I want at the top of my iliac crest. For me, it's not pretty to roll it down. No one wants a muffin top and it just makes the shorts feel too small for someone my size. I think if I were 20 years younger and everything was tighter and maybe smaller, then I would be rocking the roll-down look.

I think the waistband fits great. I have no reason to make any adjustments. But, if you happen to have better curves than me, the waistband has a draw-cord for cinching down the waist. I have never used it and didn't even realize it was there until someone else pointed it out to me. But, if you have a teeny waist, you can make adjustments.

One more difference in the new shorts ... the pocket. The shorts have two front pockets. The pockets are really subtle so if you aren't stuffing them, you might not even notice you had them. The difference in the pockets is the size, which apparently, does matter. The new design has larger pockets that are large enough to fit an iPhone5. I took a picture of the Samsung Galaxy S5 in the front pocket. It's wide enough even with a protective case. And it is a deeper pocket. I personally, wouldn't carry my phone in my pocket for running, but I would carry some nutrition. I'm not a gel person, so these pockets provide enough room for a bar of sorts. This is a bonus for me.

INKnBURN is a small company of 14. Everything is hand-made right here in the good ole USA. The designs are produced in limited quantity and once they are sold ... they are gone, as the artists/designers are moving on to their next great masterpiece of artwork on clothing So...go shopping NOW!!! and tell me what you think of the new shorts. Be sure to check out their fun patriotic themed shirts for women and men.

OK ... so you think I'm a crazed fan-girl/groupie. Well, in addition to the beauty, quality, and uniqueness of the apparel ... it's really about the people of INKnBURN. Yes, I spend a lot of pennies buying their clothes. But, they pay attention to their customers. They paid attention when people said the shorts were having sizing issues. They paid attention when people asked for bigger pockets. And, they noticed that I am addicted to Oreos. One day, out of the blue ... I got an unexpected package in the mail. It had been a rough-ish week and this made everything better. How many people who buy a lot from big-brand names know the names of the owners and employees, have seen really cute pics of their awesome kids .... and how many customer service representatives care enough to get to know their most loyal of customers?

And yes, I like green tea Oreos ...
Maybe if I didn't have an Oreo addiction, I could roll down that waistband