Joining the dark side...

Fall is everywhere!

    The urge to succumb to the season is hard to resist in many aspects! Today feels like the day to make some changes to my tresses! Trade in the highlights for rich chocolate and vibrant reds! 7W is my go to color, but this warm tone contains beautiful caramels that fade quickly! Great  for that sandy blonde base when adding a platinum highlights over it throughout the summer...not so much for keeping with the rich Fall tones! 

Reds are tricky!

    Versed hair stylists with clients (or themselves:) enamored with red know and feel this frustration! Keeping a rich red vibrant can be as easy as washing less, waiting to wash newly colored hair, and by using a gloss or color depositing shampoo. Try washing with cold water to keep the cuticle sealed.

   You can also ask your stylist to add a base for your more vibrant tones to grab onto! Blondes coming over to the dark side.... be sure to request a filler to add any missing pigment! 

    If I were younger, and braver I would love to try something like the picture above! I also think the Ombre hair color technique is awesome! It looks amazing on everyone else, but I am not sure how it would look on me! Think I will stick to the Jessica's! I love this color!  Her eye shadow rocks as well! Wish me luck!

What are your Fall hair traditions?

I am truly sorry....But!

Can we get to Winter already!

If the slipper fits...

                                           Fall 2012 Shoe Guide - Runner's World

     I have recovered from my race exactly a week ago today! I feel great and even more encouraged to pursue my fitness goals! My desire to complete the annual 10K race in my hometown has been a long time goal of mine. Years ago a much more naive me believed I could just step on the race course and complete a race...just because! My last place status was the largest slice O humble pie ever! I have wanted to prove to myself ever since that I could do better, accepting the fact that some effort is in fact required!

    A older and wiser me now knows and respects the many obstacles a runner must face in training, during a race, and the recovery. Weeks ago when I began training I joked with a friend how I only had a few minutes to myself each day in between naps, diaper changes and SAHM life in general... "I get five minutes to think each day, and now it is to exercise! I hate exercising!" Funny how the course of training has changed my attitude and having completed my goal has me thinking of life in race form. Sometimes it is just plain hard and we wonder what the heck we are doing! We start out slow carefully approaching the task at hand, then we pick up momentum and gain confidence, finally with the end in sight we know we have survived!

    I have enjoyed the feeling of well being immensely. My body now looks forward to training. I am encouraged to set my goals even higher! This morning my daughters and I wandered out to the road to watch the TOU runners pass by.... I felt it in my heart that I wanted to be a part of what they were doing! Perhaps if I stick to my guns next year will find me in marathon shape?

     Now if I can just get my feet recovered! Rigorous weeks of training have left my feet hammered! I had two pairs of the wrong shoes to train in! I went through the usual breaking in of blisters and debilitating shin splints! The use of potassium daily seemed to help. I am also now in the market for a new running shoe! I found this awesome tutorial on how to determine your arch type:

The Wet Test

Perhaps Santa will come bearing Saucony this year!

Wordless Wednesday...

 A week of triumphs in four photos!

Prelude To The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

    Whilst wandering the aisle of my local department store I stared in utter disbelief at the maze of Christmas decorations beginning to dawn the shelves. Stopping for a mental calculation...three months... Less than Four months until Christmas! As a devoted and beloved member of the late season lovers I can't help but feel the excitement begin to rise! The possibilities! The chance for sharing and the time for caring. With my new found "free time" I can truly indulge my crafting bone. Crafting and cooking:) After all first things first! One cannot implore the crafting world on an empty stomach!
 
     I'm craving orange today! Anything pumpkin and spice! Chocolate chip zucchini bread was a hit, and there is plenty in the freezer to hit the spot during nose nipping winter months!

   However...it can never be too soon to bust out a fresh pan of pumpkin bars! Here is my coveted recipe, use it wisely and be careful not to hoard the entire pan to oneself!

 Pumpkin Bars:

2c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. each, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 tsp. each, salt and cloves
1 c. oil
2 c. pumpkin
4 eggs

Frosting

2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. softened butter
1 3oz package softened cream cheese
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sheet pan. Bars are made by combining all ingredients and beat on low until moistened. Pour onto greased pan and bake for 45-50 minutes revelling in that warm pumpkin smell! Let cool completely before frosting. Frosting is made by combining all ingredients and whipping until smooth. Frost and cut into bars. Add chopped nuts if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Enjoy! 

    While your bars are cooling head into the back yard with some orange spray paint, assorted size logs, sagebrush branches cut into various lengths, jute, ribbon and your imagination to create your own decorative pumpkins:) Two weeks until the first day of FALL!

Loressa