August Cara Box Reveal

This month I've had the great pleasure of being paired with two amazing women who are heading into their senior years of college and making leaps and bounds into the real world. It was a fantastic experience getting to chat with these girls who are in the same wave of life as me and that was the theme of the month, Seasons of Life!

Shane at Whispering Sweet Nothings is just about the sweetest girl I've ever had the pleasure of chatting with. She shared with me that she will be moving to Australia after graduation for her next big adventure in life! I sent her a box to help her move through the next phase of her life. Check out her blog for what I sent her!

Nicole at Sparkle, Baby, Sparkle is bubbly and full of so much life. I had such a good time getting to know her and look forward to keeping in touch. We sent very lengthy emails back and forth once she returned from Guam! (Check out her blog if you want to see some beautiful pictures that will make you want to travel there right away). We share many of the same interests and got along very well which leads to this amazing box! First of all, we chatted about the Paleo diet that I've been on and eating healthy so she included two Good Greens all natural bars. I tried the Wild Berry flavor last night and it was delectable. I'm going to have to find those at my grocery store! She also sent me a giant chocolate bar because who doesn't love chocolate. And I don't know how she knew, but Dark Chocolate Sea Salt is my favorite flavor ever. I got two adorable hair bows, again, she must be reading my mind because I've been wanting to buy bows for months now! I got my favorite ribbon hair ties that I've been out of, Pink Grapefruit Burt's Bees Chapstick (smells ahhhhmazing), and a notebook that I'll be using as my new fitness journal because I just finished the last page in my current book.

Thanks again, Nicole! I'll be looking forward to future Cara Box swaps, but I'll be checking up on these girls throughout the year because I've so enjoyed getting to know them. Good luck with your senior years Nicole and Shane!

I also linked up on the Coast to Coast comprehensive directory that Shane created on her blog! I hope to meet some more new bloggers out there!

Healthy Meal - Nutri-Bullet and Fitness Updates

So it's been awhile since I've blogged about my healthy snacks, running updates, or fitness in general (which is weird because fitness is such a big part of my life) so without further ado here are some long overdo fitness updates!                                                     We recently purchased a Nutri-Bullet and it has been a staple in my daily routine. I was skeptical at first that a "juice" could fill me up as if it was a meal, but I'm not kidding I was actually full! This photo to the left was of my first concoction: blueberries, half of a banana, half of a peach, three stalks of kale, an apple, a tablespoon of chia seeds, and a splash of water for good measure. It didn't taste at all like kale and it was absolutely delicious and I'll be making a drink for one meal each day. I can't wait to see what other mixtures are yummy. Have any of you tried the Nutri-Bullet?

I've backed off a lot of my running since I last checked in. I believe I had just completed my first half-marathon when I last posted so my mileage was up to at least 25 or 30 miles a week. After finishing the race the plantar fasciitis flared up a lot more, and I injured my foot from wearing shoes that I'd destroyed during training. I run about an average of 5 miles per week now, and recently ran a 5K at Irish Fest! Below is the Milwaukee Hurling Club (MHC) team for the run.

Speaking of hurling, that brings me to my main fitness obsession. I've been playing hurling all summer and I'm sad to say the season is almost over. I don't want to get back to normal life with no long summer Sundays at the pitch. I love hurling and I love the MHC. Hurling is a great outlet for me because the game includes a lot of running, but it's also very physical. Hurlers in my position (halfback/midfield) in Ireland will run up to 7 miles per game and will take open field shoulder to shoulder body contact. If you've never heard of or seen hurling I definitely recommend checking it out on YouTube, or finding a local club. Below is a photo of me in a scrum near the beginning of the season.

I've also been quite serious about Pilates. I finished up my Pilates class at school in the spring and it was the best class I've ever taken. I always felt energized and ready for the day after I'd attended. I've decided I want to become a Pilates instructor and work to get certified over this next year. It should be challenging and fun, but in the end it will be mentally and physically rewarding.

I've been sticking to the gluten-free/dairy-free diet, and occasionally eating Paleo. It's hard to stick to Paleo for a long period of time because sometimes a girl just needs to eat popcorn or corn tortillas. The Nutri-Bullet will help me stay on track because there are so many meal options with smoothie/juice drinks and other recipes in the Nutri-Bullet recipe guidebook.

I think I'll start being more regular with my fitness posts because I like to keep track of exercising and eating habits myself anyway. It might be helpful for some of you to see it too.

What are your recent fitness faves/updates?

Outfit Inspiration: Milwaukee Calatrava

To continue with my posts about my city of Milwaukee, here's an outfit inspired by the Quadracci Pavilion at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

I love the Milwaukee Art Museum and it has become an icon of the city. 

If you're ever here visiting it is a must-see!

Dress- Pac Sun, Rings- Nordstrom,  Shoes- Zara, Hair- Source, Clutch- Anthropologie

As an outfit inspired by an art museum, I chose pieces that were a big more edgy or glam than I would normally wear, but it is still wearable enough that anyone could pull it off! I found a dress that had cutouts because they are reminiscent of the slats in the wings of the building. If you've ever been inside the building when the wings are down, you can see the sun streaming through the slats in the most beautiful way. The chevron cut rings also remind me of the slats in the wings and add a bit of sparkle to the ensemble. I would normally never wear shoes like this, but with the geometric color blocking I couldn't pass up the opportunity to style them in this art museum inspired outfit. I believe the fishtail hairstyle would look great with this outfit because it would be off of your face and out of the way of the cutouts in the dress. It's also a style that is quite effortlessly beautiful. The clutch is something I'd never wear, but it works with this outfit so perfectly. I know you're not supposed to mix patterns and styles with shoes and bags, but this is edgy and fun, so go for it!  

 From what other architectural structures should I find inspiration? 

Let me know in the comments below!