Get-Fit Week #4 Recap: Another Vlog!

Hey everybody!

So I have really been enjoying doing a vlog for my weekly fitness updates; hope you all don't mind! :) It's nice to mix it up, yes?

So here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNISXTIDvrg

Hope you all had a great fitness-y week! Can you believe we're already headed into week #5?!

PS I'm going to warn you now that this blog is kinda rambly, kinda personal and kinda all over the map.. did I mention is was rambly?! hahah.. anyway, enjoy! Or whatever.

xo ~ Jess

FASHION-Y FRIDAYS: Tree

YAY! I finally got my photos done in our front yard tree! Whoot! :)

I wanted to do this for Day 30 of my challenge, but I had way more fun doing a photo shoot in the park instead.. haha

And yes, I made it down. Just barely though! ;)

Fashion-y Friday Tree Outfit:

- black skinny dress pants

- white v-neck tee

- grey knit vest

- hot pink scarf

- black pointy-toe heels

Just cleaning up some lawn debris... you know, doing what girls do best: multi-tasking!

Thanks babe, for making my tree-photos dream come true. :)

*that's so LAME, Jessica*

Well, he did! :)

xo ~ Jessica

30x30 Spring/Summer Remix Faves!

Hey Guys! Just wanted to do a quick post on my favourites from this past remix...

I really really enjoyed this challenge far more than my first one.. mostly I think because I knew what I was getting myself into! The actually creating of the outfits is really the easy bit; documenting is the harder part! But I loved doing it and I can't wait for my fall remix!

And *ahem* as always, I love to ask this completely self-absorbed question: which ones were your faves? hahah... You don't have to pick from the ones below, but I'm always curious to see what you guys think..

Oh ya, and one more thing... I just wanted to bounce an idea off you... ok, when other style bloggers are doing their remix challenge, I always go to their post where they show clothes they chose and make up outfits in my head.. yes, I'm weird like that. :) Anyway, do you guys do that, too? Because I was thinking I might have you guys style an outfit for one day of my challenge in the fall! I was going to do it this time, but I was too scared to ask.. hahah. But seriously, I think it would be fun. Everybody's mind goes a different direction when it comes to fashion and it would be interesting to see some of the creations you guys would come up with!! :) Anyway, let me know what you think!!

Yay 30x30 Remix!! I heart you so much!

xo ~ Jess

Get-Fit Week #3 Recap: A Vlog

Hey everybody! So another week down in our Get-Fit Challenge and this week I decided to do a vlog instead of a blog post.. just to mix it up and keep things interesting!

However! Blogger is still being all kinds of silly when it comes to me posting a video, so I've uploaded it to my YouTube channel and you can check that out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agqFHq8rGEI

Thanks for coming by & we'll see you next week! Keep going strong and keep at it! We're right in the middle of the challenge, so it can seem tough and tedious right now, but keep at it!

Hope your Monday was great (as good as a Monday can be, I guess! ha!) and we'll see you later!

xo ~ Jess

30x30: Draped

DAY 30!!

You guys, there are so many photos in this post. Beyond what is even necessary. What can I say? We went a little crazy on my last day... :) And it was totally fun. But necessary? Absolutely not. :)

Jesse (my cousin-in-law) and I had the best afternoon in the part taking these photos... it was a perfect picture day.. cloudy, but warm and no rain... It may just happen again because we had so much fun... :)

We climbed on benches, sat on rocks, posed it up in doorways and called it a day!

GEEK!

Oh yes, and I thought chasing piegons would be awesome. Why do they fly away
when you run towards them? Shhheeesh, piegons. Honestly. I'm just trying to have a little fun here!

This red brick wall we found was the best. Ever.

You pop that collar, girl.

Outfit-du-Jour #30:

- taupe straight leg cargos

- chambray button down

- cream scarf with grey butterflies, draped

- cognac skinny belt

- cognac heels

Jesse has the coolest app on her iPhone.. it takes them awesome photos with a vintage effect... :) I really like how this one turned out...

Well, that wraps the Spring/Summer 30x30 Remix Challenge! I found this challenge to be a lot more lighthearted and fun than my first one... I think it's just because I had already done it once before.. you know that old saying: Practice makes.... it easier the next time around... or something like that... hahah.. :)

Anyway, thanks again for following along.. I always love reading your comments and little messages... :) You guys are the best!

Hope you are all having a happy (albeit, wet) weekend.. I braved the farmer's market this morning! It was awesome! Besides the howling wind and rain/sleet, it was great.. not very crowded and so easy to find a parking spot! Silver linings, right? :)

See you all very soon! I'm not sure what my next project will be, but I promise whatever it is, you'll be the first to know!

xoxo ~ Jess

Fun Fashion During Pregnancy: Photos

We had so much fun on our little photo shoot today!! :) I love how Jesse's quirky, bright and always chic style comes across in all these photos! I know she has truly been enjoying her pregnancy and it shows on her face every time I see her... :) I hope you have a happy and healthy next few months, Jesse! Love you so much! Let's do this again!!

xo ~ Jess

{Just reading up on some our city's awesome history!! I love this shot!}

{Who says you can't be pregnant and have fun!? This shot was way too fun to not put it!! Love it!}

{Mommy love to her girlies!!}

{One of my favourites!! I can just hear you laughing!}

{Fringed suede boots. What's not to love?!}

{Comfty Birk's... a must for any pregnant gal!}

{I saved my last two favourites for the end! Sooooo cute!!}

Thanks for SUCH a fun afternoon, Jesse! I hope you all enjoyed the photos and her insightful post on pregnancy fashion!

See you soon!

xo ~ Jess

FASHION-Y FRIDAYS: Guest Blogger, Jesse

Heeyyy Everyone!! Welcome back to Fashion-y Fridays!! I am so excited to have my cousin-in-law do a very special pregnancy fashion guest blog! She is expecting twins and is due in August! I have always admired and loved her sense of style; I think just because it's so different from mine... she has helped me open up to the world of not matching, bold patterns & SCARVES!! So, thanks for that, Jesse! I will link her blog at the bottom of her post.

Oh yes, and how could I forget: PHOTOS TO COME!! We had so much doing a photo shoot at a really cute little park here in town!! ENJOY!

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Fashionable and Pregnant... is this EVEN Possible?

First off I have to thank Jessica for featuring me on her blog. Jessica and I often find ourselves speaking about fashion and trying to define our own individual style with words. I have thought about this for a couple of days since I knew I would be a feature and I have come to the conclusion that everyday we have to define our style. Maybe one day we will have a vintage look with a hint of boho and the next we feel classic yet effortless.

Style is something that evolves over a period of time with influences from everything from nature to classic 1960's style icons. I always try to not judge people's fashion sense (well unless it is horrendous) because it is such an individual thing and really anything goes these days!

So that being said, here I am 7 months pregnant with twins and still trying to maintain my own sense of style. I have grown so rapidly the last month so it feels like I have kind of rotated a few outfits with some variations each time I wear them. I guess that if I was to try and define my style from day to day it would be what Jessica refers to as effortless with a hint of boho (and a lot of the time I don't match), but that is me. I suppose I try to keep a modest neck line but I like to show a bit of leg when it permits.

So my advice to pregnant women about maintaining their sense of style during this time in life is just that, stay true to yourself! Do everything to feel beautiful and celebrate the changes that your body is going through. Don't hide under frumpy layers and hide your growing tummy instead embrace the changes and enjoy the journey. There is something very special about being pregnant (obviously), but I mean about the way you feel about yourself (maybe this is just me). I have never felt so healthy and beautiful and its all because I am sustaining lives inside of me.

I once heard someone say that instead of wishing nine months away and complaining about pregnancy she would embrace this time and enjoy every moment that it brought. Now I understand that some women have a tough time during the 8-10 months of carrying babies, but you have to have the rain to enjoy the rainbow at the end of it right?

Ok back to fashion... I have a couple pieces of advice that I have found work for me and I hope they will work for you!

First off... don't kid yourself. There are clothes in your closet and drawers that likely won't fit you for close to a year to a year and half after you enter your 2nd trimester (for me it was the middle of the 1st), so take the time and get them out of sight! Pack them up and put them aside for a year and when you feel that the time is right unpack them and its like Christmas! My whole thing was that I didn't want to feel depressed that I couldn't fit into certain favorite items so I just took them out of the whole picture, I mean its not like we were saying goodbye forever, it is just a temporary break from each other. Absence makes the heart grows fonder right!?!

Secondly, if you are going to invest in maternity clothes you don't have to buy them from a maternity store! I know this is hard to grasp for some people, but it is true. I did have to buy a pair of jeans, but that is pretty much the only major purchase I made from a maternity store! I am not trying to say that maternity stores aren't valuable, but there ARE other options. Just be creative! I tried to buy clothes that I know I will wear after the babies arrive and that aren't super expensive. That was the thing about maternity stores, I found that for the prices vs. the amount of time you would actually wear the clothes it wasn't worth it. So my favorite places to find affordable "cross over" maternity clothes have been H&M and Joe Fresh from Superstore. I am a total dress girl, so I purchased dresses that I could wear now and after. H&M has a very small maternity section and I did buy a couple pieces from them, but again I can wear them afterwards. I am vertically challenged and have always been super intimidated by maxi dresses, but I broke down and tried one and I fell in love with it! So I bought another! Who can honestly argue with a floral, Little House on the Prairie maxi dress for $14.95? Honestly.

I had to be honest with myself and realize that I am not going to be a size 8 for a LONG time, so I am going to try and embrace the changes now and not freak out afterwards when I haven't "slimmed" down. I guess I should inject here that I am frugal, cheap, thrifty what ever you want to call it... the only thing I don't mind putting money out for are of course shoes! And if I can find them for a deal I will! Believe me! I wouldn't say that I have a shoe fetish of any sorts (like some people I know... ahem... Jessica), I would say my heart belongs to scarfs. They are the BEST accessory and the best way to inject a bit of color and a funky pattern to an outfit that would otherwise blah.

So my last piece of advice while to trying to maintain your sense of style during pregnancy is just to enjoy the changes happening as they happen. Don't "hate" your body during this time, embrace it. Enjoy this time when it is socially acceptable to have, for lack of a better term, a fat belly. I don't necessarily mean wear spandex dresses that are so tight you can't breathe, but wear pieces that are flattering in any occasion.

Be true to yourself and stay positive about your ever changing body. I have heard so many mommies tell me they miss their tummy after the little babies enter the world... so take that and run with it.

Enjoy the journey!

xoxo Jesse and Babies

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Thanks again Jesse! I'm editing the photos now, so they will be up soon! Keep a look out for them and for Day 30 (last day!!) of my challenge, too!

http://growingcampbells.blogspot.com/

29x30: Scarf

Yup. I wore a scarf today. Well, not all day. Just in the evening. Because I literally froze all day at my desk, so I said to myself, self, enough of this freezing matter: PUT A SCARF ON. And I did. And I was toasty warm for the rest of the day. The End! :)

Outfit-du-Jour #29:

- grey and off-white chevron striped dress

- colbalt blue tunic, over top

- black woven belt

- grey buckle heels

- black pashmina

You guys, tomorrow is my last day. Wooowwweeee, is all I can say to that! :)

Oh, and because I know you all were panicking, don't worry: I got my outfit all figured out for tomorrow. So have a good sleep tonight and rest knowing that all is well with Day 30's outfit... ;)

Gag. As if. :)

See you all tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DAY 30!!!!!!!!!!

xo ~ Jess

Get-Fit Week #2 Recap: Food

Food. Probably the biggest thing I struggle with while trying to get healthy.

So, these past few weeks, I have tried to get back to the basics. Fresh, whole foods. :)

I think I discovered why I struggle so bad with food and not with working out.

Working out = exerting myself. And that's totally cool. I love taking on a challenge and being active and pushing myself, athletically.

Food = restraint (for me). Which I am terrible at. I let food control me; I make myself think I want that Joe Luis or that Passion Flakie or that slushie or anything else of that over-processed nature. And yes, it does taste good. For a moment.

But these past 2 weeks I have tried to make more healthy meals (and desserts!) and the result is a way more satisfied palate. I just have to get over the whole "I'm too lazy to cook a decent meal" thing and put some EFFORT into it.

So, Jessica, step away from the Swedish Berries... it might be hard right now, but over time, I think you'll come to not even miss them. That's my message to myself. :)

Below are some goodies I collected or made during these last 14 days... yum.

Farmer's Market veggies... nothing like it!

Pork and Pepper Skewers... sooo good!!

6-Bean Salad on the plate and snap peas, cucumbers and old white cheddar cheese chunks mixed together with balsamic vinaigrette in the bowl.. Delish.

Vanilla Yogurt Parfaits!

Vanilla yogurt with probiotics, a few dark chocolate chips and sliced strawberries! Way good, my friend, way good!

It's been awesome to challenge myself both in being creative with my meals and getting over my mental road-blocks when it comes to food. Just basic, clean, whole foods.

And yes, every now and then, that includes a delicious homemade cherry-and-white-chocolate-chip cookie. :)

(Just no yucky processed stuff!)

Week #2 was what I call a Steady-Eddie Week.. I lost one pound (down to 143.8 lbs), but I feel myself getting stronger and still accomplishing things I thought I would never be able to do!

My goal this week? Graduate from push-ups on the knees to full-blown push-ups!! I may not be able to do as many, but I want to keep pushing myself to accomplish those little baby goals, too!! :)

What are your thoughts on food? Does anyone else struggle with saying no to bad stuff, like I do? It's a work in progress, but I'm getting there...

Right now, it's just all about consistency... :)

See you all next week!

Week #3, watch out, because I am going to destroy you! (In a good way!!)

xo ~ Jess

28x30: Whoops

I probably shouldn't be smiling whilst broadcasting a statement like that.

Whoops.

Ok, but here's the deal!! I got a phone call from my most lovely amazing wonderful cousin, Dayle, and we talked for close to 45-ish (maybe more!) minutes... she's lives in Texas now and this is so shameful to say, but it has been EIGHT MONTHS since we last had any contact! So, needless, to say we had a lot to catch up on!

My point is, I tried to take photos outside while talking to Dayle on the phone... you know, get some candid shots of our conversation... Well, I tried. And failed. They turned out SO bad!

I thought I would get fun, animated shots of me laughing and chit-chatting away.. no, no... I got shots of me with my eyes half closed and my mouth all sideways... it was awful! So I resorted to my never-let-me-down-living-room-as-a-background canvas.

I'm sorry. I know I said I would keep it interesting these last few days. I guess life just gets in the way sometimes. And that's ok. :) :) :) *right?? right, guys?? kay, thanks!*

Outfit-du-Jour #28:

- tan pencil skirt

- maroon and black plaid top

- black undershirt

- wood-and-beige wedges

So that's all she wrote for Day #28! :) I can't believe it's almost over... well, in some ways I can (the last week of the challenge is, well, quite frankly, the most challenging) but in other ways, it has flown by.

Guys, this is kind of embarrassing, but I am drawing a blank on what to wear for my last day. Totally blank. I have an outfit tomorrow, but nothing for Thursday.

Sigh. Come on, inspiration, come on!!!! (I'm willing it to happen, people, I am... *squeezes eyes shut and makes a fist*)

Ok, I'm out! Off to write my Get-Fit post!

See you all tomorrow!

x0 ~ Jess