Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Wedding: Calligraphy

Aaron and I are in the process of picking out invitations. This process is much more challenging than I anticipated. The current project: selecting a calligrapher!

Because our wedding is in August 2015, I need to select someone asap, because summer is busy wedding season.

Here are some pictures of envelop calligraphy I love!

1.
source: etsy

2.
source: etsy

3.
source: Style Me Pretty

4.
source: etsy

5.
source: Post Man's Knock



Did you have the calligraphy done for your invitations and/or envelopes?

x0x0, 
Hannah Wahlen 

Monday, March 30, 2015

Weekending {3/30}

Pause.

Where did March go?? How is it already APRIL this week?

Its just about 4 weeks until finals, 4.5 months until our wedding.... craziness!

This weekend did not feel like April weather; it was pretty cold for much of the weekend.

Aaron and I had a lunch date on Friday afternoon. I picked him up from work for a quick bite at Bell Street Burritos. We drive by this place all the time, but I had never been in. The food was great: I had a burrito bowl with pinto beans, broccoli, salsa, potatoes, and cheese. Yummm.



That night, my friend Neha and I went to a fashion show supporting Youth Spark in Atlanta. This organization helps victims of human trafficking in our city.



The event was fantastic, but I wasn't feeling the food, so I came home and at a pb&j. On Friday night.  In my heels and dress. Classic.

Aaron and I reached a pathetic moment in life on Saturday morning. We woke up and decided to get grocery shopping done first thing. We went to our favorite coffee shop for coffee and mini sweet potato biscuits, then headed over to Whole Foods. Yes, we now rush to the grocery store first thing on the weekend. Does this mean we are devoted foodies? Or sad?

When we got home, I made whole wheat biscuits for a late breakfast, and then headed to the gym. We ran errands and studied for the rest of the day. And one of us watched basketball, obviously :)



Sunday morning started with a live donkey at church (!!!), complete with a petting zoo out front. A nearly died over the baby pigs and goats. So adorable.



In the afternoon, Aaron went with me for the Tour of Kitchens with the Junior League of Atlanta. We watched some awesome chef demos in several amazing kitchens. We even learned how to make cheese! I will let you know how this goes for me when I try it at home.



We had to work off all the cheese, so we went for a 6 mile run around the neighborhood before heading home to make dinner. On the menu: my favorite roasted chicken and vegetables.



What is your favorite Sunday dinner?

x0x0, 
Hannah 

Thanks for hosting, BLovedBoston and Champagne&Suburbs!



Friday, March 27, 2015

5 on Friday {2/27}

1. Bachelorette Party Planning
I am working with my girls on planning my bachelorette party. We are between Miami and Savannah. I was originally leaning towards Miami, but now I am thinking Savannah. I really like the idea of renting a house, going to the beach, doing some casual exploring and relaxing. This could just be my finals brain speaking though.

Regardless, we will probably need these shirts:
Source: Etsy 



2. This breakfast has been on major repeat this week: 

Wheat toast, scrambled egg, avocado, and parmesan cheese. I am eating it as I type this, along with a sautéed plantain.

3. Last night. 
Last night, Aaron and I went to dinner at our Pastor's house. It was a casual dinner for all the new members and we had such a fund time! They had fantastic food and we chatted with lots of people we had met at our membership class. We had such  great time chatting with the Pastor who will marry us, which we really enjoyed.

4. This weekend.
I am attending a charity fashion show tonight with a friend and tomorrow is the Junior League of Atlanta's Tour of Kitchens! Aaron has volunteered to go with me.... we will see how long this lasts. I was going to see my ticket so I could stay home and study, but Aaron pushed me to go. He may regret that :P

The tour of kitchens is a 2-day even across Atlanta. 14 homes with designer kitchens are opened and well-known chefs and event planners in the city do demonstrations at the kitchens. They send out a schedule of which chef will be in which location, so that you can plan your day. So much fun!

5. Wedding Plans
I am finally starting to feel like I am checking things off! We have a coordinator, venue, caterer, officiant, dress, bridesmaid dresses, and florist. And I think we have our photographer (not saying anything until I send the contract in!).


Next projects are: ordering invitations, picking a calligrapher, and cake tasting. My favorite part :)

x0x0, 
Hannah

Thank you for hosting 5 on Friday, Miss Natasha

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Quinoa Pesto Bowl {recipe}

So AR goes out for lunch at work pretty frequently. We often have the conversation "what did you have for dinner" in the evening, and he tells me about some of the places he tries.

When he told me he was eating a quinoa pesto bowl with veggies, I was a little surprised and proud of myself. I like to take credit for his health choices ;) But honestly, this is the guy who ate out every meal when I met him, and quinoa was not in sight. And now he self-selects a quinoa veggie bowl on a menu.



He has continued to order this from time to time, and recently suggested that we try to make it. We made this realllllyyyyy simple version for dinner on Tuesday night and loved it! I enjoyed it warm for dinner and cold the next day over mixed greens. Enjoy!

Quinoa Pesto Bowl
Ingredients
1 cup of quinoa, uncooked
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 large or 2 small zucchinis, thinly sliced
8 ounces of tomatoes, sliced
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of pesto

Directions
Preheat oven to 350*
Bring quinoa and 1 and 1/3 cup of water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Let cook for 15-20 minutes, covered. At 15 minutes, check to see if all of the water is absorbed and each grain appears to have "sprouted" open. If not, continue cooking for 5 additional minutes.**
Meanwhile, arrange veggies on a large baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and mix to coat evenly. Roast veggies for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, gently stir, increase heat to 400* and roast an additional 5 (or to desired softness!).
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, roasted veggies, and pesto. Gently fold together. Can be served warm or cold!



**I like to cooky quinoa with less water for a little bit longer time than you may be used to. I find that it prevents mushy grains and creates a fluffier, softer result. But cook it whatever way you like!!

Enjoy!

Who is the healthy eater in your family?

Hannah 




Wednesday, March 25, 2015

WIAW {3/25} pizza

Monday was an interesting day. I ate pizza twice (and not home-made, healthified pizza. takeout). And yet, I still got tons of fruits and veggies and felt good about my eating!

Simple toast with peanut butter, sliced fruit, and coffee with almond milk x 2. I had tons of fruit in the refrigerator, so all I wanted to do was eat that. I snacked on this while I blogged about my weekend and prepared for class. 



I was in class all morning and didn't have any snacks. At 12:30, I pulled out my lunch. A large salad with olives, bell pepper, and cucumber on a bed of mixed greens, a slice of leftover pizza from the weekend (super-thin with fresh mozzarella and artichokes), and a Siggi's yogurt. 



Snack from a professor: peanut butter crackers. Love these. 



In class we had a treat from my prof... but it was pizza again. Apparently they just wanted to feed me all day at school. I was so so hungry, but I wasn't feeling the pizza. I had a few bites, remembered I don't like this, and threw the rest away. 



I feel like I need to take a bite of something sometimes to remember I actually don't like it. I get so hungry and everyone grabs it, so I assume I want some too. In reality, nope. I like my Antico leftovers or homemade pizza, but otherwise, I am not impressed. 

AR made dinner for me: blended broccoli soup and roasted carrots. I had the apple after dinner as something sweet along with some unpictured tea. 



Side note: This soup is not pretty, but so so good: it is sautéed garlic, carrots, and onion, cooked with broth and broccoli. After everything is cooked, AR blended part of it, added a little whole milk, and a sprinkle of sharp cheddar. Yum. 

How do you feel about pizza? Do you have a favorite place or topping?

x0x0, 
Hannah

Thanks for hosting What I Ate Wednesday, Jenn and Laura


Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Summer Loving

Last night after dinner, I decided to paint my nails and pulled out my spring/summer colors. I think it is time!! So in honor of that happy occasions, I am sharing some of my summer inspiration that has fond a home on my Pinterest boards of late :)







What do you plan to purchase for summer?

x0x0, 
Hannah 

Monday, March 23, 2015

Weekend & This Week {3/23}

Hello all and happy Monday!

If you are in the midwest and received snow this morning, you have my sympathies. I really think that is awful. #thisiswhyIleft

Sharing my weekend and upcoming plans today by linking up with BLoved Boston!

Friday: Awful day. Two interviews, 2 meetings, a million phone calls and a failed trip to the bridesmaid dress store. By the time I got home, all I wanted to do was go to bed. But Aaron and I had already agreed to go to dinner with friends at the new American Food & Beverage restaurant in buckhead. So off we went!

source
The food was actually really good. I had a creamed broccoli soup, some salad, and a eggplant sandwich.  By the time my sandwich came, I was way too full, so I just had them wrap it and I took it home.

Saturday: I helped with an awesome session on the confidence gap between men and women. There were some fantastic panelists who shared their experiences with finding a mentor, creating work-life balance, and achieving success in the workplace. I was so inspired.

Aaron and I went on a long walk in the afternoon. We went through piedmont park, all through midtown, and then home. I clocked in over 5 miles!

flowers at the park
Saturday dinner was simple: pizza from Antico with a side of steamed broccoli. We rented the movie "The Theory of Everything," which was so so sad, but wonderful. Have you seen this? What were your thoughts? I loved the film, but it made me cry more than once. Such a heartbreaking story.

Sunday: Church, where we picked up our trophies from the 5k we did two weekends ago. I told Aaron I was going to put this in our living room on display - haha.



This week:
Workout goals
*wake up ten minutes early so I get ten extra minutes at the gym!
M- rest
T- run 3 miles and do 30 minutes of strength training, plus stretching.
W- run 5 miles, plus stretching.
Th- run 4 miles and do 20 minutes of strength training, plus stretching.
F- yoga
S- strength training and walking
S- run 7 miles

Meals
M- broccoli cheese soup with rolls and fruit
T- chicken marsala with wild rice pilaf and salad
W- quinoa pesto bowls with mushrooms, asparagus, and roasted tomatoes
Th- dinner at friend's house
F-out

What are your workout goals for the week?

x0x0, 
Hannah

Friday, March 20, 2015

5 on Friday {3/20}

So I thought I wrote this post last night, but I guess blogger ate it.... Anyways, linking up with Natasha and friends for some Friday fun!

1. This video 
So everyone is obsessed with contouring right now. Has anyone mastered it? I don't do any mega contouring, but I like to highlight my cheekbones and such. If you read my blog frequently, you know I love Jaclyn Hill's tutorials for all things make-up. For contouring, I actually found something different though.

Sephora has an entire page devoted to finding your face shape, contouring to that face shape, and all the best contour make-up for sale. It is awesome!

2. This dinner
Last night I had a repeat dinner. I sautéed jalapeños, peppers, and onions in a little olive oil, and then mixed in a two cans of ranchero beans and some crushed tomatoes. The result was super spicy and filling. I topped mine with roasted zucchini and AR ate some inside a tortilla. I love anything spicy for dinner :)



3. Not this dinner
Earlier in the week I blogged about my reasons for trying a juice detox. This ended in hungry exhaustion and a major allergic reaction. Not my best days, of sure. While I may revisit the juice detox at a later date, I've decided that it is not the best idea for a busy week. Maybe as a weekend relaxation instead when I don't have to be running around.

4. Easy healthy snacks
Yesterday I blogged about some of my favorite snacks - and what I look for in a snack. I also shared my new obsession: Nuts.com. This site have all sorts of organic nuts, dried fruit, baking goods, etc. at really awesome prices. They even have sweets by color for a candy bar (mmm... wedding, anyone?). Check it out.



5. Bridesmaid dresses
Speaking of weddings.... I am hoping to finalize bridesmaid dresses today! Ahh!! After an awesome time trying on dresses with some of my ladies in Chicago, we narrowed it down and I think we have made a choice. Today I am taking my two ATL bridesmaids to Bella's in Buckhead to try on the gowns and get measured. So excited!

What are you doing this weekend?

Hannah

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Let's Talk Snacks

Let’s talk snacks

I love me some snacks. If you ever read one of my What I Ate Wednesday posts, you know I eat snacks all day long.



Some people swear by the no-snacks-between-meals theory. They argue that snacking between meals means that you take in extra calories. As a result, some claim that snacking can lead to weight gain.

I disagree.

Snacking must be done mindfully and picking snacks must be a calculated decision, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be done. I can’t make it in between meals without a snack. I get full very fast at meals, and burn through my calories rather quickly. For me, healthy, frequent snacks are essential.

So what do I look for in a snack?

Nutrition, Size, and Convenience.
Nutrition: I want a snack that will help me move closer to a healthy life, not farther away. I like snacks that provide vitamins, protein, healthy fats, or complex carbs. I do NOT like snacks that provide sugar, processed carbs, and wasted calories.  I seriously love Oreos, but they are a treat, not a snack.

Size: A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is not a snack, it is a meal. Peanut butter and crackers is a snack. When I think size, I think about how much the snack will fill me up and how many calories it contains. For example, crackers with 2 TB of nut butter is very filling, but a few carrot sticks is not that filling. Depending on my hunger level and time before my next meal, I choose a snack that fills me up appropriately.

Convenience: Let’s be honest, this is hugely important for me, and probably you. I would love to snack on yogurt and green juice all day, but I am on the go and cannot always haul around a cooler with me. And while I try to prep fruits and veggies each week, sometimes life gets in the way and I don’t have time to wash, peel, and chop veggies for a quick snack. We have all had that hunger moment that ended in a cookie or muffin the size of our head. Not so good. Keeping convenient, but healthy, snacks on hand keeps me from running into Starbucks and eating something I will regret later.

So what are some of my favorite snack options?

Fruit, veggies, raw almonds, crackers and nut butter, homemade granola bars.

On my trip last week, I kept a bag of almonds with me at all times. I frequently pulled them out to munch on and they were a life saver. Before I left, Nuts.com shared this awesome infograph with me, which made me feel even better about snacking on them.



If you don’t like raw almonds, or you are trying to change them up a bit, here are my go-to almond snacks:
  • Homemade almond butter. I serve this on crackers, with veggies or apples, or on toast. I also put it in my oatmeal in the morning. 
  • Homemade granola bars. I love this recipe for cherry, almond, and quinoa bars. So so easy and fantastic. 
  • Homemade granola: This recipe for chocolate-almond granola is the BEST and I serve it with almond milk or yogurt. AR likes to walk by and pick out all the almonds to eat by himself. He some how doesn't believe that he could open the pantry and get out the container of plain almonds instead :) 
  • Smoothie made with almond milk, fruit, and leafy greens. If I want to bulk it up, I add in a scoop of protein powder or a spoonful of nut butter. 


Nuts can be expensive, so I like to buy in bulk. You can order them from Nuts.com for an awesome price, as well as purchasing a variety of other snacks. They have organic baking goods, dried fruits, tea, coffee, and tons of snacks. I've been eyeing some of their candy for a candy bar for my wedding (not a healthy snack, but it is my wedding :) ) Keeping healthy snacks on hand prevents mindless eating and makes a healthy life-style so much easier! 


What are your go-to snacks?
How do you like to use almonds?

Hannah

Nuts.com provided the info graph for this blog post, but I was not compensated in any way. All opinions given are my own!


So that cleanse... Allergy attack

I started my detox going strong yesterday. You can read about my reasons here. I ran 4 miles in the morning, came home and drank some of the sour juice and a bottle of water, and headed to school.

Around noon I ate a banana with my juice. I had an afternoon interview and didn't want to be completely zoned out in hunger. I continued to chug the juice, but I was getting so SO sleepy. By 5pm, I had a couple almonds and a few bites of wheat bran. This could have been my downfall.

At that point, I determined that a full juice cleanse may not be for me. I reflected on the fact that I was probably absorbing toxins in the air through pollution, even when not eating, so the detox was probably failing. And I was certainly not absorbing my 4:15 evidence class. Not good. Then, Fitbie tweeted this article saying that juice cleanses may do more harm than good.

So by 7pm when I got home, I told AR we needed to get something for dinner. We went to Metro Fresh, a favorite local spot, for some salads. I figured I had already eaten a banana, what was the harm in a few fresh, raw veggies.

Two bites into my salad, I dropped my fork and said "AR, there are nuts in this." Turns out, my salad had pistachios in it, and I have a very serious pistachio allergy. I had not had a reaction in years, but I immediately felt that itchy, swelling feeling in my throat. I chugged water and tried to take calming deep breaths.

We ran to the CVS nearby and I downed several allergy pills. Since I had not eaten any actual nuts and had so much time between reactions, by allergy was rather mild. I was sick, itchy, swollen, and breathy painfully, but not dying.

So we went back home with no salad in me. So much for my yummy dinner.

After all of the allergy medication, I fell asleep on the sofa almost immediately and slept for over 10 hours. Ouch.

This may be a bad omen about the whole juice cleanse thing. I am down about 4 pounds (all water weight) and ready to vomit over this juice. I am going to do veggies and fruits today with the juice and call it good. #notGwenstatus

There you have it ladies, the truth about juice cleansing. 

Hannah 

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

WIAW 3/18 - Juice Detox

Okay, hear me out.

I had to drag this whole thing to school. So embarrassing. 

I spent part of spring break in Madison, Wisconsin. I have so much to fill you in on the early part of my trip, but this second half in Madison was for a school competition.

I had a blast exploring the city with my two coaches and teammate. But we ate a lot of junk. I brought healthy snacks (almonds, clementines, applesauce, carrots, Lara bars, etc). Somehow, every dinner still seemed to include fried cheese curds, wine, and desserts. While I practice balance the best I could, I was feeling sluggish by the third day of our trip.

cheese curd remnants in the background

So I am doing a two-day juice cleanse. I picked this one from Arden's Garden and was able to pick it up at my local Whole Foods. To be honest, the juice is not good. It is not bad, just really sour and watery.

I am supposed to drink only the juice and water for two whole days, drinking 1 gallon a day. I am modifying and adding in a few raw fruits and vegetables in the morning after my workout. I am approximately 4 hours in and already hungry.

The goal isn't to lose weight - any weight lost would be water weight. I just want to detox my body and clear it out for good food. I will report back tomorrow on the first day!

Has anyone ever done a juice cleanse? What were your thoughts on it?

x0x0, 
Hannah

Linking up with Peas & Crayons for WIAW fun!

Monday, March 9, 2015

Weekending {3/9}

Popping in really quick to share my weekend in photos:

Wine tasting at the High Art Museum. AR planned this all by himself and we had a fantastic time sipping wine and enjoying the art. I love when AR comes home from work with a plan for the night and it is always fun to have an excuse to get dressed up.




Race Packet pick-up at our favorite running store.



Shamrock n' Roll 10k! Loved this race - it was only my second 10k, but the weather was perfect and we had a blast. This distance is so perfect.  I felt much better about my pace than last weekend. I wasn't fast (right at 8 min/mile for the whole thing), but I enjoyed it.



Post race brunch: eggs, fruit, biscuit :) Not pictures - a huge almond milk latte.



I flew up north to see friends and family on Sunday night, so I am saying hi from the sunny, but cold, midwest. Wish me luck: my MOH and I are off to find the perfect bridesmaid dresses!

What is your favorite race distance?
Eggs - scrambled or fried?

x0x0, 
Hannah

linking up with BLovedBoston and Champagne&Suburbs 


Friday, March 6, 2015

5 on Friday {3/5}

Happy Friday!!! And Happy Spring Break to me!

Linking up with Natasha and friends for some Five on Friday fun. Thanks for hosting, ladies!

1. Spring Break Plans
Spring break is here! This weekend I am staying in Atlanta with AR. We have a race on Sunday morning and then I am flying out that night to Chicago. My MOH/friend from college (kind of. we didn't actually go to the same college) is meeting me there and another friend lives in the area. At the end of the week, I have a school competition and then I will fly back to ATL. Whew.

2. Chicago Visit
I cannot describe how excited I am to see friends from home. We are going to go bridesmaid dress shopping, watch the Bachelor together (aahhhh!), and indulge in lots of yoga classes. We are so lucky that this trip worked out. Two of my friends have conferences later in the week and I have the competition that weekend. We are all coming in early and I cannot wait.

My dear Kathryn and I in Nashville last year!!!
3. My First NBA Game
I surprised AR with tickets to the Hawks game on Tuesday night. We had SO much fun. I honestly didn't know what to expect, but it was a blast. AR loved it and wants to get season tickets now... I hope I love it 42 games worth :P




4. Wedding plans
Now that the dress is found, I am on to other vendors. Up next - photographer. Fear not, the planner has already told me that this should have been booked ages ago. What can I say, I am in law school. We have the caterer, venue, florist, planner, and dress. We are getting there.
How did you pick your photographer? How do you determine what photographer matches your style? What is a good price to pay? Do I even want the album they sell? Or should I make my own? These are my many unanswered questions.

5. Race this weekend
This weekend is the Junior League of Atlanta Shamrock n' Roll 10k! I am really excited, but praying for some warmer weather. Last weekend's 5k was brutal and I don't want to do that for 6 miles. Seriously, so so cold. Also, I have only done one other 10k and I find them hard to pace. You want to give it your all, but then no... because its 6 miles. I only want to run marathons where people don't judge my pace.


Do you do winter races or wait for the warmer weather? 
What is your favorite sport to watch live?

x0x0, 
Hannah 

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Lately

It is Thursday! Today is my last day of classes before spring break and I couldn't be more happy :) Of course, I am heading to the cold for the week, which is sad.

I've incorporated a few new foods into my meals lately and wanted to share what I am eating right now. 

1. Juices
I am on the juice craze - kind of. I started drinking Arden's Garden juices a few months ago (they sell them at my Whole Foods) and am officially obsessed. I now drink about 4 a week and I love the burst of energy I get from them. So much better than coffee as an afternoon pick-me-up!
I am so-so on the pure vegetable juices. I would love to say that I gobble up kale juice, but not so much. I have found that vegetable/fruit combos are my favorite. Pineapple, lemon, and ginger are all strong flavors, which combats the bitter taste of greens.
Note: Fruit juice is high a sugar. Watch out for potential sugar crashes if you start drinking a ton of them!



2. Blood Oranges
I love all things winter citrus, but blood oranges are my new fav. So juicy and colorful. 
This meal was a turkey bacon and egg breakfast sandwich with blood orange and tangerine on the side. Simple breakfast. 



3. Salads
I fell off the salad wagon for a few months - anyone else ever have this happen? I was just not hungry for salads. I had a few days where I packed salads and was totally uninterested in them, so I took a break. I brought chopped veggies with hummus or vegetable soups for lunch instead. I am happy to say that I have felt a resurgence in my love of salads in the last week. I have had them several times and actually enjoyed them! 
Today's salad: spinach, turkey, cucumber, carrots, and avocado. 

4. Roasted Chicken and Veggies
When I don't love salads, roasted veggies are my favorite. Specifically root vegetables, but also spring asparagus. So so so good!
I am also loving whole roast chicken. After attempting a whole roasted chicken one week, I realized it was EASY and yummy. I love having roasted chicken once a week and then lots of leftovers to enjoy in soups and salads. 

So that is what I have been eating! Do you get in food ruts? Do your cravings change in the colder months?

x0x0, 
Hannah  

Monday, March 2, 2015

Weekending {3/1}

Pause for a minute. How is it MARCH already? I am in totally shock. One minute, the year is crawling by and the next, finals are 6 weeks away.

So lets dive in to the last weekend of February (and *hopefully* winter). Here is what I ate, who I saw, and what I did (ahem, wedding dress!):


Friday: Errands, meetings, and study time.

I had several meetings, all school related, on Friday. One was at Panera, so I sampled one of their new broth bowls for lunch. Have you tried this? Thoughts?


I liked it, though I am afraid to check the sodium/sugar content in it. But it was full of edamame, which I LOVE. Salad and wheat roll on the side :)

On Friday night, AR and I grabbed our main dishes from Whole Foods and baked sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli at home. I had salmon, AR had barbecue chicken. For dessert? Whole Foods vegan peanut butter chocolate chip cookie and a ginger cookie.

We shared our cookies while catching up on Nashville (love this show. We watch it every weekend).

Saturday: Race, practice, errands, and friends.

I had SO many layers on!

We started Saturday bright and early with a 5k at our church. It was so cold (like 20*), I really thought I would die. Honestly, I don't run outside in the cold much, so this was brutal for me. My lungs will probably never be the same.

I finished in 24:12, so not a PR, but okay :)

We barely had time to run home, shower, and then I had to head to practice for my moot court team. Giving 45 minutes worth of speeches after running a freezing 5k is not my idea of a good time, but I pulled through.

In the afternoon, AR and I went to Target, Ulta, and Whole Foods. I recently tried the bareMinerals complexion rescue (LOVE), so I wanted to try the mineral veil as well. Ulta had a special on it -- 40% off -- so this was a great time. So far, I like it a lot.

We met friends for dinner at Alma Cocina downtown. AR always has his car cleaned and his shoes shined before our dates, which I love that he does. That man goes all out for every date <3



At dinner, we split lots of guacamole, salsa, chips, and tacos. I had bites of a fried avocado taco and a friend cod taco, with a side of greens. Oh, and there was lots of sangria :)

Sunday: School, THE DRESS, and dinner

I didn't run on Sunday, but instead let my legs rest. I did lots of studying and then back to the bridal store I loved the best for a third appointment.

And I FOUND MY DRESS!! All by myself! The manager (who happens to be from my home town several states away - random) had already pulled it before I got there. When I walked in, she said "I think I found your dress" and she was so right. Of course, no pictures until the big day, but I am so excited :) 

Thank you for the many comments and emails about my last dress shopping experience. Y'all made me feel so much better and convinced me that going by myself wasn't weird at all. Y'all are the best.

x0x0, 
Hannah

linking up with BLovedBoston and Champagne&Suburbs today!