MIMM #27 {Calm, Cool & Collected}

This weekend for me was all about some much needed rest as well as catch-up! I was a little slack on the pictures to recap, but hey, sometimes less is more right? Linking up with Katie over at Healthy Diva Life!

Friday:

Okay, so Friday was a weird day! When I left for work it was snowing and when I left work to head home the snow was gone and there was sunshine. Michigan weather is something else! When I got home from work I decided to just sit and unwind. Coco agreed that that was a good choice!

Around 6:30 my dad and I headed to meet Billy to grab dinner before going to see Get Hard. While waiting for the movie to start, we were talking about how we hoped this wasn't one of those movies where they already showed all the funny parts in the commercials. That it was not! I do suggest watching a trailer before just jumping in the car per my recommendation, however, as it is rated R so you'll want to make sure it's a movie you'd find funny and would like to see.

Source

Saturday:

Was a day full of errands aka a day of catching up on all those tasks that have been put off for a while. My dad and I headed out about 11 to a consignment store to drop off some of the items from my spring clean last week. Billy met us there so that we could take as many items as possible. The 3 of us then headed to grab some lunch. After lunch Billy and I separated so my dad could head home to get things prepared for a business trip and he and I continued on with errands until about 4.

When we got to the point we felt we were done, we headed back to his grandpa's house to hang out for a little while. It hit me that I hadn't taken many pictures of Daisy since she's grown so big - also I haven't introduced Daisy on here yet! Daisy is Billy's puppy that he got back in October. She doesn't look like much of a pup anymore, but she won't even be 1 until September! 

His grandpa went and picked up salads from Wendy's for dinner. He brought back 3 different ones and I ended up choosing the Apple Pecan Chicken. I had forgotten how good their salads were!

Sunday:

With next week being Easter and our last game the following Sunday today was this season's last Sunday practice. We still have lots ahead of us though. There are 5 games between Tuesday and April 12th (last game). Our practice today was with D-Town and Mob Squad for a combined routine.

I headed home once practice finished up and Billy headed over once he was done at the gym. When he left I did some things around the house; finished up the last couple of loads of laundry and vacuumed. 

 

My weekend was the perfect amount of relaxation and productivity. 

What did yours consist of??

❤ Nichole ❤

Friday Favorites #23: Week of 3/27/15

Happy Friday-yay! I hope you all have had a wonderful week and are excited for the weekend ahead! Just a little while longer and you're there. But I have an idea of how we can make that time go by faster. What is it you ask? Sharing our favorites from the week to take our minds off the hours that separate us from the weekend! Alright, I know...that was cheesy, but it's Friday, so I'm gonna say it's acceptable. :)

DIY Plate:

My work has this program called "Pay It Forward" where we recognize those in our community who give selflessly of themselves by honoring them with an award and a free hour massage to take some time for themselves. I was trying to brainstorm some fun and unique ways to create an award to go with the massage certificate when I came across the giving plate on Pinterest. I have seen different "sharpie" creations for quite some time, but I had never given one a try. I couldn't believe how easy it was! 

Dresses & Tights:

Have been my go to this week. The temperatures have dipped back down some here, but not enough to have to break out the winter gear again. Although to tell you the truth experiencing lower temperatures or not I have always enjoyed pairing dresses with tights! 

Thinking Out Loud, By: Ed Sheeran:

This song should of shown up on a Friday favorites post a longggg time ago and probably multiple times at that. I love the song in generally and the dancer in me is completely obsessed with the music video.

A&W Root Beet:

I decided to drive thru A&W earlier this week because it is one of those food places that I rarely have and it sounded good to switch things up. I also ordered their signature root beer for my beverage and it made me wish I had it more often - it has such great flavor!

Source

Lush Bath Bomb:

Over the weekend my friend Kayla gave me a surprise that she had had for me. My first lush bath bomb! We had been talking a couple weeks prior and it had come up in conversation that I had never used one before, but was always intrigued by them. She got me the cutest little caterpillar! I used half of the little guy last night and just wow. It smelled absolutely incredible and left my skin feeling so soft!

This Quote:

Came up on my quote app this week and it was just a perfect reminder that life is all about perspective. Our lives get busy and it can become easy to lose sight one what really matters. We get caught up in the things happening around us and forget to realize that we hold the power of how things affect us. Or at least I know I do at times and I'm always thankful for a nice reality check reminder. 

Have you ever made a DIY with sharpies? 

Do you use lush bath bombs? If so, which are your favorites?

What favorites do you have this week?

❤ Nichole ❤

Linking up with Heather!

#XOVoxBox :: Influenster Review

I always get excited when I see an email come through from Influenster with a survey attached with the opportunity of a Vox Box! The latest survey I filled out was for the XO Vox Box, which I was lucky enough to receive. I had never tried any of the products that were inside the box and I couldn't wait to dive in!

What Was Inside!

John Frieda Beach Blonde Collection ($9.99) :: When I saw I had received the beach blonde set from John Frieda I couldn't of been happier, especially about the sea salt spray. I've quickly fallen in love with Garnier Fructis' Beach Spray so I'm intrigued to try the John Frieda and compare the two. 

John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7 Day Volume In-Shower Treatment ($9.99) :: I will always accept a chance to add a little volume to my hair! My hair seems relatively thick, but it is mostly just a lot of little strands which do lack volume. I'm waiting to give this one for a couple weeks when life slows a little that way I can really see how much volume is added.

Skinfix Hand Repair Cream ($10.00) :: After the winter we have had you can assume that this went directly into my purse, because it did! I have a difficult time with the skin around my nail beds and I personally have noticed the skin becoming softer. The one thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the residue left after rubbing the cream in, but for better feeling hands I'll take it!

Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Built-In Whitening Pen ($14.99) :: I'm not able to use at home white strips because my teeth are too sensitive and for days after with every breath I take they hurt. I've used the whitening pen a couple times already and haven't noticed any sensitivity...score! 

Colgate Optic White Express White 3 oz. Toothpaste ($3.99-$4.99) :: I've never noticed too much of a difference from whitening toothpastes over the years, but I plan to use this as directed for 4 weeks at minimum and hope to notice a whiter smile. If it does you'll definitely see this show up in a Friday Favorites post because I've been in search of a good whitening toothpaste for some time now. 

Tide Pods Plus Febreze ($4.99-$14.99) :: I have noticed these in the store since the summer time and always wondered how well they would work, but never took the step into purchasing them. I wasn't sure if it made sense price + value wise to make the switch. Now I have the chance to find out!

Thanks Influenster for an awesome box!

Questions of the Day:

1) Which of these products have you used before?

2) Are there any that you haven't, but would like to?

❤ Nichole ❤

I received these products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster. 

I am not being paid by Influenster to write this post, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

MIMM #26 {I Will Survive}

Happy Monday!! Whose ready to conquer another week?? It's ours for the taking so lets make the most of it! Now, the majority of you are probably wondering where in the world did that title come from for today's post. Well, if you happened to see Instagram on Saturday afternoon, then you may understand its meaning, if not we will get there! But before we get there we must first highlight Friday!

Friday:

So I'm not sure how I totally missed mentioning the official first day of spring in my Friday post, however I made sure to rock out some spring colors at work. Friday's are casual day. 

Our front desk girl brought in a box of assorted donuts after lunch, which definitely made for a perfect afternoon pick me. The one I grabbed was cinnamon apple. Mhmm!

After work I headed home and while I was waiting for Billy to come over I did a few loads of laundry and watched Scandal (thanks Heather for the show suggestion!). Instead going out for dinner like we had originally talked Billy suggested he stop by the store and we make something. It was delicious! 

We planned to watch a movie, but rather decided to go downtown and meet our friends Alex and Kayla. We ended up running into some other friends too and the spontaneous night turned to be full of laughs!

Saturday:

Was a lazy morning, accompanied by doing a few things around the house, taking a nap. Before long it was time to get ready because it was game day! Before heading down to the Palace Billy came and picked me up so we could head out to say hi to his Grandpa. Oh hey there mules! 

I had been looking forward to Saturday's game for quite some time because we were performing halftime with Gloria Gaynor. Back in 2005 I performed at halftime with Ms. Gaynor during the Hula Bowl and it was unbelievably surreal to be performing with her again 10 years later. The song she sang was "I Will Survive" which now is the moment today's title makes sense! Lol.

The whole night was 70s themed! 

My parents, Billy, our friend Kyle and I headed to Applebee's after the game for a quick bite to eat. I've been to Applebee's a million billion times it feels, but Saturday night was the first time I really paid attention to the front of the menu I guess. I didn't ever realize they said "celebrate every day."  

Meet goofball Kyle on the left and goofball Billy on the right.

Sunday:

Had me headed back down to the Palace for practice, followed by rehearsal for fashion show where members of the entertainment teams are repping Piston's merchandise prior to Tuesday's game. 

Around 3:30 I was headed home. I took some time to relax an unwind from the day, then decided to dive into cleaning out my 'bottoms' - pants & skirts - closet. And of course Coco wanted to help!

What was the best part of your weekend?

What are you looking forward to this week?

❤ Nichole ❤

Linking up for MIMM with Katie!

Friday Favorites #22: Week of 3/20/15

It feels as if I was just writing last week's post and yet here we are with another Friday upon us! I tell ya, week's either fly by or they crawl by...I don't think there is such a thing as a happy medium nowadays. Honestly, I don't know if I like one over the other, it more so just depends on the week and if I'm glad it went by quickly or slowly and vice versa. But you didn't stop by here to hear my ramble about the length of weeks, so before I digress further, let me get on to the reason you did stop by, Friday favorites! 

Home Manicures:

If you've been a reader of the blog for a little while, then you know that I certainly go through phases with my nails - natural, acrylic, acrylic, shellac, natural, shellac, natural...alright you get the point. Lol. Welp, this week I have returned to the natural phase. The left was my somewhat subtle "greenish" choice for St. Patrick's day and the right is my current manicure that I thought screamed welcome spring!

St. Patty's Game:

Tuesday night was a home game for the Pistons which meant I was celebrating St. Patrick's Day dancing at the Palace with my beautiful teammates. We didn't let the holiday go unnoticed, however, we wore the green outfits you see pictured below all throughout the game!

Breaking Out the Flats:

Another thing I love about welcoming spring is saying goodbye to the heavy socks and boots combination. This week I started wearing flats and I have to say it was weird to look and see bare feet! 

This Meme: 

My brother posted this to my Facebook the other day knowing far too well that most days I can relate!

"Deskercise" Article:

At the beginning of the year my work began a Get Fit Challenge trying to help make a sense of community to encourage people to make and stick to their fitness New Year's resolutions. We post weekly updates (#'s as a group whole, not individual) onto the Facebook page along with some sort of motivation/tip. I wanted to share this week's tip over here because I think it is really interesting!

>> 33 Ways to Exercise While At Work <<

Twinning Dinners:

My good friend and teammate Erica and I brought the same (and unplanned) concept of things for dinner to eat before practice on Wednesday night. We both had packed some type of wrap and strawberry Greek yogurt, just different brands. The smoothies however, were planned as she had stopped on her way to the facility and picked them up for us, but nonetheless had to be included in the picture. 

Car Washes:

One of the car wash companies in our area does this awesome program where you pay a flat rate for either 6 months or a year and then you can go once a day for the duration. It works out to be a really great deal if you make the time and go enough. I was proud of myself this week because I made it over that way 3 times! If the sun is shining, then my car should be too!

House of Cards:

I finished season 3 on Wednesday night and wow. I am not going to say any details because I don't want to be that person that spoils for you. But wow, I'll take a season 4 announcement at any time.

Source

And with that I'm throwing it over to you! 

What have you been loving recently?

❤ Nichole ❤

Friday Favorites with Heather at Life in Leggings!

Headaches :: Tips for Relief

Barometric Pressure Headaches... Man oh man, these things are the bane of my existence during season changes. Since I've been battling them this week I figured why not do a little thinking out loud style post with some of the actions that I've learned to help relieve mine over time. Per usual Thursday fashion I'm linking up with Amanda over at Running with Spoons - hope you're having a good time in Hawaii girl!!

• Cold Compress (on back of the neck)

This is one that I feel a lot of relief from. It can be difficult to find the perfect neck/head position, but what I have found that works well is lay flat and place the ice pack on the edge of a pillow so the neck is still supported. I suggest having 2 or 3 ice packs in the freezer ready to switch out as needed. 

• Cold Compress (on the eyes)

Not one of my favorites because my eyes tend to be sensitive with headaches and I don't like the cold on them, nonetheless it works. I suggest to lay or sit, whichever is comfortable with your head supported. 

• Turn Off the Lights

Whenever a headache is flaring up for me I prefer to be in a room with dim to no lighting. I have to walk into a room where there is light I try to do it slowly giving my eyes a little more time to adjust. 

• Put Down the Electronics

Our lives are surrounded by phones, tablets, laptops, TVs and so on, yet squinting at the screens will only make a headache worse. I used to think that no matter what I was feeling if my phone went off I needed to respond and was I wrong...the only thing needed is to let it sit and keep resting. 

• Close Your Eyes

For me when I lay (or sit) with my eyes closed I am forcing myself to stray away from paying attention to any distractions around me. I am making myself take the time necessary to feel better. I also like to let me body sleep as much as it needs to fight off the pain. Also goes hand in hand with the 2 above. 

• Take a Hot Bath (with epsom salts)

Epsom salts are an amazing addition to a bath whenever your body is in need of relaxation. When I have a headache my body becomes tense and so I like to take warm baths with epsom salts for my muscles. 

• Ask/Go for a Massage

Massages are a miracle worker to relieve my headaches, however they aren't always convenient with a busy schedule. If I am not home alone I will ask for someone to give me a quick neck/shoulder rub to try to work out some of tightness. If I am home alone I will try to rub my shoulders while laying on my stomach, or rolling with a foam roller. My gym also has a couple massage chairs so if I feel good enough to drive - or have someone available to drive me - I will head there. 

• Drink LOTS of Water

Headaches can be caused by or worsen because of dehydration. I don't see an instant difference if I chug a bottle of water...it's not like poof and my headache is gone, nevertheless I make a conscious effort to up my intake and consistently drink water because I know it can help. 

• Play Quiet Relaxation Music

This one is on the list of rarities for me, although at times I will turn on some soft piano music, very quietly in the background while I am resting and I have found it to be soothing.

*Disclaimer:: I am not a trained professional, I am just sharing what has helped me personally.*

Questions of the Day:

1) Do you experience barometric pressure headaches?

2) What types of things help you with your headaches?

❤ Nichole ❤

MIMM #25 {Randomness}

Fun weekends make it so hard to welcome Monday mornings with open arms. Anyone else with me? What they don't make hard, however, is putting together a recap of events to share for MIMM! 

Friday:

When 3 o'clock hit on Friday afternoon I decided a little NSync Pandora radio was exactly what I needed to get through the last few hours of the work day. You can be assured I was jammin' right along.

After I got out of work I headed to meet up with Billy at the gym. I wasn't really in the mood for a workout, but I did decide since I was there to tan and sit in the massage chair while he finished up. We then headed out to grab some food - which I was most excited about as I was hungryyyy!

For the remainder of the night we headed back to my house to just relax. We ended up scrolling through Netflix and stumbled upon a movie called Shooter that we decided to watch with my dad. It was really good, even though didn't finish the last 20 minutes - my dad had to get my mom from the airport. Prior to starting the movie my dad and I found out that Billy supposedly has some yoga tricks up his sleeve! 

Once Billy left I sat down to tackle something that I've been wanting to do for quite some time now, label my blog posts, and finally my browse posts by topics page is up and running!

Saturday:

Started out slow by taking my time to get up and going. After I did a few things around my room, my mom and I made St. Patties Day themed chocolate covered strawberries.

Around 3 we headed down to our family friends house for an Irish inspired meal. The food was delicious!

After dinner we headed out to the Farmington Players Barn Theater. The theater was absolutely adorable although I failed to take a picture of the outside. :( We were waiting to see Blackthorn, a Celtic Band. I had never heard much Celtic music prior to this, but it was really interesting! This all has been a tradition of the Milliman's for a little while and we were thankful to be included and a part of it this year!

I drove my car down separate so that when we were finished I could head over to my friend Heather's to hang out and spend the night. I got there later than expected, yet we still had an awesome time together! It had been far too long since she and I had had a girls night and it was longgg overdue. 

We talked to catch up for quite a while and then popped a bag of popcorn to watched an episode of House of Cards. A girls night with Heather is never complete without some wine!

Sunday:

Because Heather lives less then 10 minutes from my practice facility for dance I was fortunate enough to sleep in! She made me a quick (and super yummy) breakfast before I headed out the door. 

I headed home after practice and ended up taking an unexpected nap. It was one of those where I was like I'll just lay and regroup for a couple minutes, but nope I was out for a good 30 minutes. When I woke up Billy was already over and waiting to head out. He was taking me to a local town to go fishing.

I had been fishing a few times when I was younger and deep sea fishing once in high school, however, it certainly has not been something I do on a regular basis or in years for that matter. Billy, is the exact opposite - he has fished his whole life whenever he has the chance. We didn't end up catching anything and it took me a few tries to get the hang out it, but we had a lot of fun! 

As you can see there was lots and lots of (great) randomness that took place this weekend!

Now I want to hear from you! 

What are you reminiscing about from your weekend on this Monday morning?

❤ Nichole ❤

Linking it up with Katie!

Friday Favorites #21: Week of 3/13/15

Hey there cool people and happy Friday! How have your weeks been? Is there anything you are looking forward to this weekend? My week has been pretty go with the flow and I think the weekend is going to follow suit. I have some stuff I want to get done that has been forever on my to-do list, but besides that I honestly have no set plans. The only thing on my calendar is practice Sunday morning. I'm interested to see how this (almost) schedule free weekend turns out because it has been a while!

Alright, alright...time to get down to business, Friday favorites coming your way!

This Picture:

Billy tagged me in this picture on Instagram over the weekend and I literally laughed out loud when I opened it up. It is so accurately me. I have the hardest time waking up in the morning. Once I get up and going I'm set, but the snooze button is definitely a close companion of mine for at least 3 presses. Why is it that the bed always seems/feels the most comfortable and the warmest right when the alarm rings.

Ending A Search:

For the longest time I have been in search for a 32 oz water bottle that would also fit into my cup holder. I've had plenty to 32 oz bottles, but when I put them in the seat next to me I almost end up with some sort of a least 5 times out of 10. Plus when they are so large and bulky they are just a pain to carry around. I prefer 32 oz because it helps me stay on track to drink enough water throughout the day without having to think about it or count. Earlier this week my mom came across this Contigo 30 oz water bottle and picked it up for me. Finally, thanks to her, my search has come to an end!

Source

Warmth & Sunshine:

I'm usually not one to join in on the weather post bandwagons, however after the frigid temperatures we've been experiencing when I walked out of work on Monday to sunshine and almost 50 degrees I couldn't help it. I came up with a cleaver - or so I thought - hashtag calling myself out for doing so.

#NotSoUniqueExcitedForWarmWeatherPost

Tropical Smoothie:

While I was out and about yesterday I passed by Tropical Smoothie and decided to make a quick stop in. I don't spend money on smoothies like this that often with being able to make them at home for much cheaper, but every now and again it's a nice treat! I got the Acai Berry Blast + Energizer. 

Tomato Soup:

If you happened to stop by to read my post yesterday you would of noticed I mentioned that Wednesday was the 5 year anniversary of my grandma's passing. Well, tomato soup was one of her favorite quick dishes to put together and my family and I never let this week go by without making it special in her memory. Knowing I wasn't going to be home until around 11pm on Wednesday night, my dad made a batch of it for dinner on Tuesday and a container came with me for lunch on Wednesday. 

Alumni Dinner:

Last night my sorority held a dinner for us alumni to get together with some of the active sisters. I was really excited when they announced that date and time about a month back because I saw I was going to be able to attend. So far all of the events that they have held for alumni I haven't been able to go to. We went to a local Applebee's and I was surprised when I looked at the menu to see a ton of changes. I decided to try a new option they have available for appetizers - mix and match any 2 or 3. Since I was having a hard time deciding I went for the option of 3; sriracha shrimp, salsa verde shredded brisket nachos, and the chicken quesadilla. All was delicious! I would have to say the sriracha shrimp was my favorite. It was great to hang out with my sisters, some I already knew and some I had just met. 

New Kicks:

I'm actually wearing these for the first time today! My mom picked these up for me on clearance for a steal deal. I can't remember how much, but I'm pretty positive they were less than $15. They can be worn up to look like a regular high top or be rolled down to show the inside fur. Just too cute!

Oh hey there Coco, would you like to be in the picture too?

What is on your Friday Favorites list this week?!

❤ Nichole ❤

Linking up with Heather!