Bridesmaid Dresses - CHECK

Well, we finally got the Bridesmaid's dresses picked out & ordered for Katy's wedding! Woohoo!

Here are some pics of me trying them on. The actual color of the dress is the same as the one pictured on the far left. It's really pretty and shimmery - it's called "Copper", but it's like a pale greenish / gold. Hard to explain, but really lovely!

I liked the style I have on in the middle photo a lot, but it turns out that dress doesn't come in the right color. Oh, well!


Sasha ordered the dress she's in (on the far left), and I really loved Molly in the same dress (far right). The middle pic isn't available in the copper color either, but I think all of us were okay with that. It wasn't one of our favorites!

Sasha's little boy, Cayden, came along for the try-on session. He's the cutest little bugger EVER! He was so happy the whole time - kicking around, making cutesy baby noises, and giggling. Katy couldn't resist taking a video of him too....




After we realized how many dresses we tried on that we could NOT order in the right color (yeah, the salesgirl kind of sucked.... why would you not double check on that first?) we found some options online that we kind of liked even better!

I have learned something new about bridesmaid dresses though.... they purposefully make them so that they do not fit you properly! The bust hung out, leaving a gaping space, they were all ridiculously long - it was as if they sabotaged them on purpose so that you'd have to get it tailored to fit you! BALONEY! And I wear a size 14 in bridesmaid dresses. 14!!! I wear a size 10, tops! I just hate that the second you tack "Bridal" onto anything, the price goes skyrocketing, as does the size.

Whew! Done with that rant. ;)

So here is the one that Geneva, Jess, and Molly ordered. I think it's really lovely, and will look great on all of them.


This is the one that Sasha ordered. She looked great in it, so I would've done the same! :)



And this is the one I ordered. I like the twist in the front, the strapless top, and the sweetheart neckline. I think it'll show off my hourglass shape well.... even though I'll be in a friggin' size 14. ;)


Dress photos from Mori Lee - at this website.

Ohhhh golly gee whiz - I want a scooter so bad!

After I had my first taste of scooter-riding during my New Orleans trip, I have not been able to get the thought of owning my very own scooter out of my head.

I thought I'd be able to get one with my tax return money, but after a LOT of frivolous spending during the holidays & on my vacation, I had to be responsible and use it toward paying off my debt....

But ohhhhh good heavens! I want one so bad!! In the words of Wayne (from Wayne's World) - "It WILL be mine! Oh yes, it WILL be mine!"

Sigh! SOMEDAY!! ;)

Messenger Bag & Salsa

You guys must be thinking "Gosh, Beth has gone bonkers! What's with these posts lately?" - but that's okay. I'm all about the random posts the last few days, and here's yet another! :)

The other day I was on the Clymb website (kind of a deal-of-the-day site for people who like to bike, rock climb, camp, snowboard/ski, etc), because I saw that they had messenger bags up there. My current bag is on it's last leg, but I guess that's what you get when you buy a bag made out of old billboards. Sure, its green - but not built to last! Then I came across this beauty of a bag! This isn't the color that I got (I couldn't find mine on their site), but this is the style. The TimBuk2 Classic Messenger Bag (in size large). It's so magical, and I LOVE it! I rode my bike into work today for the first time since last fall, and it hugged my back just the way a bag should. Mine is silver grey and turquoise, and it holds all of my belongings perfectly, is waterproof, and very heavy-duty. They normally go for around $120-ish, but I got this puppy for $45 off the Clymb site! AWESOME!


Then last night after tap class, my derby buddy Cat A Combs and I went to the grocery store to pick up some grub. I was looking for some good salsa, and came across this gem. Raspberry Chipotle Salsa.....whaaaa??? I quickly plopped it in my cart so that I couldn't change my mind. It sweet and smoky and OH so good!! You can check out more of Mrs. Renfero's awesome salsas here!

Body Combat, Boy Dinner, Trivia

Weird title, huh? ;)
Well, that's pretty much what my Tuesday night was all about!

First I went to Balanced Life Systems, where trainer Josh Franks kicked my ass!! OK, not literally, but with an awesome workout. It was their Body Combat class - kinda like kickboxing. Lots of kicking, lots of punching, lunges, bouncing on the balls of your feet.... holy workout batman! I worked up one hell of a sweat - it was AWESOME!

Apparently I have a lot of aggression to get out too. Gosh, I thought derby did that for me already! I was wailing on my imaginary partner - I think I would've beat the shit outta somebody if they had actually been real. What made me feel really good about myself was that the girl next to me (who was much thinner than me, that looked like she had more muscle than me too) had to stop near the end and take a break! I just kept on pushing through - it felt soooo good!

After that I headed to my fella's place where he cooked up a ridiculously yummy (VEGAN) dinner! He totally made it up too, which is even more awesome. This dude is a keeper, I'm tellin' ya.

First he fried up some "sausage" meatballs...

... then he simmered them in Madras sauce with veggies & lentils and served everything up over some brown rice. It was really delicious, and a wonderful post-workout meal! Filled me right up.

But the night was not over yet!
We then headed to Freshcraft for Geeks Who Drink Trivia night. Our team name was "Hey! There are SKITTLES in there!" - of my suggestion. It's from The Hangover, and that line cracks me up every time. The night was ridiculously fun, and we got 2nd place!! Well, we had to fight for it....

....OK, I did! They had a dance-off for the 2 teams that were in 2nd place. And I went nuts. This picture doesn't do it justice (why do I look like I'm demonstrating a very suggestive act?) - but there are videos that were taken. Those may be posted soon, as I have no shame.

And I managed to accomplish all of that with only drinking 1 glass of red wine. I was pretty darn proud of myself!

Hope you all had a great Tuesday night too! See, you don't need to wait for the weekend to have fun. :)

30 things I've learned in 30 years

Today is my 30th birthday - CRAZY!!
I've learned a lot so far in this crazy life o' mine, but here's a short list. 30 things I've learned in 30 years...

1. Significant others are great, but your friends are significant too! Don't forget them when you fall in love.

2. Before you go to bed, wash off the reminder you wrote on your hand earlier that day. Otherwise you'll wake up with it all over your face.

3. I can’t ever pull off being a blonde. But I can rock the shit out of any other hair color!

4. Sunscreen is a very good thing.

5. Texting is not communicating. And I suck at it.

6. Roller Derby is the best sport on the planet.

7. Never say the words "I'm sorry" or “I love you” unless you truly mean it.

8. Forgiveness is a good thing. Grudges don’t hurt anybody but you.


9. When you try on clothes at a store, hang them back up when you're done. It only takes a second, and the sales people will love you for it.

10. Never be afraid to try something new! It could change your life.
(me trying my first oyster in New Orleans!)

11. Verify with your friends if there's a hike to the campsite from where you park, and pack accordingly.

12. Always say "please" and "thank you".

13. Treat anyone in the service industry with respect.

14. If you think "I'm going to barf if I do that next shot", you probably will.

15. On that same note, the hangover cure: Saltine Crackers + Sprite.

16. Be good to your family.


17. Smile a bunch. People seem to like people who smile.

18. Look up at the sky every now and then. The general population seems to only look at what is right in front of them. Check out what you're missing.

19. If you put love into your cooking, it will spread to those you share it with.

20. Send somebody flowers. It'll make their day - I guarantee it.

21. Wear whatever the heck you want. If you think it looks great, that's all that matters.


22. Remember this: Even though Taco Bell sounds like a good idea at the time, it won't feel like a good idea in the morning.


23. Be honest.

24. Money isn't everything, but it's good to have a plan with it. On the same subject, don't use credit cards. They are the fruits of the devil. And I need to learn how to take my own advice.

25. Someone is up there. And they listen.

26. Eat healthy and happily. We all know fruits and vegetables are good for you, but what would life be without pizza every now & then?


27. Give good hugs.


28. Follow through on your commitments. Nobody likes a flake.


29. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes before you make a decision. It may change you for the better.

30. Sometimes you just gotta do what your heart tells you to do. Even if that means wearing rainbow booty shorts, knee-high socks, and a fanny pack.

Here's to another year!! :)

Most photos from weheartit.com.... the rest are my own.

Vegan Gravy Recipe (the BEST one!)

Since I totally screwed up yesterday on my vegan recipe post yesterday (whoopsie! Haha!) I'm going to make it up to y'all with the best vegan gravy recipe EVER. No seriously, it's delicious. I've made it every year for the past 3 years for Thanksgiving AND Christmas, and most of the meat-eaters reach for my vegan gravy more often than the meat kind! Woohoo!

You guys will love this one, I promise! I make it during the rest of the year too - it's great on eggs for breakfast (YUM), and on mashed taters, or as a part of a Friendly Shepherd's Pie. ;) Hehe!

BEST VEGAN GRAVY RECIPE ON THE PLANET
Yes, it's a long title, but it's really that good!

Original Recipe Yield 2 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1/3 cup chopped onion
* 5 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 4 teaspoons nutritional yeast
* 4 tablespoons light soy sauce (or Braggs Liquid Amino Acids - I like to use this!)
* 2 cups vegetable broth
* 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1.) Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2.) Stir in flour, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce to form a smooth paste.

3.) Gradually whisk in the broth.

4.) Season with sage, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

"Friendly" Shepherd's Pie & Roasted Red Pepper Dip

This one is called "Friendly" Shepherd's Pie because it's the friendliest to animals that you can possibly be! Because it's vegan! And still delicious! :)

Friendly Shepherd's Pie
My version - adapted from a recipe that I found online....somewhere! This is great for a chilly winter night, or if you're just in need for a hearty dinner. It makes for some awesome leftovers, and you should serve it with a big green salad!

makes 6-9 servings

INGREDIENTS
4 medium potatoes, diced
2 tbsp vegan margarine (such as Smart Balance)
1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
12 oz (1 package) faux ground beef-style crumbles (vegan)
1 can of Amy's Organic Cream of Mushroom Soup*
*WHOOOOPS!!! This isn't vegan. Haha! My much-more-astute-vegan-friend Tara pointed this out to me, so sorry for the mistake! If you can find any other kind of vegan creamy soup (they are out there), you should definitely use that. Otherwise use a vegan gravy - I will have to post a great recipe I have for that! I believe there is a pre-packaged kind available in stores too. My bad! I'm still getting the hang of being vegan again. ;)
10 mushrooms (approx), chopped
1/2 a bag of frozen mixed peas & carrots
1/2 a bag of frozen peas (just the peas!)
Tofutti sour cream (optional)
salt, garlic powder, pepper & cayenne to taste

DIRECTIONS
Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain & mash w/ the margarine & soy milk - season w/ salt & pepper. If you're really lazy you can just buy some mashed potato mix.... I am totally guilty of doing this from time to time! :)

In a medium pan, saute the onion in the oil for about 5 minutes, adding the mushrooms about 1/2 way through.

In a large bowl, mix the cooked mushrooms & onions, faux beef crumbles, mushroom soup, peas & carrots, peas and spices. Pour into a pie pan, or a casserole dish. Top everything with the mashed potatoes, spreading to the edges.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are browned, and the insides start to bubble out the edges.


Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Dip
This is another recipe that I tried from my favorite food blog Smitten Kitchen! I only changed one teeny little thing to make it vegan, but made just as the recipe is listed otherwise, this is absolutely DELICIOUS!! My friends recently went nuts for it when I brought it to the Oscar party. Such a nice change from hummus!

INGREDIENTS
1 15oz can of white cannelini or navy beans
1 small jar of roasted red peppers (about 1 cup), drained
3oz Tofutti cream cheese
1 clove of garlic, minced (or a sprinkle of garlic powder if you're being lazy like me)
Juice from half a lemon
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Puree everything in a food processor until smooth! SO EASY!
Serve with baked pita chips - or this is fantastic with an assortment of sliced veggies too!

Photo from www.smittenkitchen.com.

Oh my gosh... I think I love the Diva Cup!

OK if you're a dude. Stop reading now.

HOWEVER, if you're a cool dude that doesn't flip out when he hears anything along the lines of "menstrual cycle" or "period" then keep reading. I would hope my male readers would be mature enough to not get grossed out by that by now. For cryin' out loud.

Anyway, I just got my first Diva Cup! For those who don't know what this little device is, it's a menstrual cup. It's not just that though. It's a safe, environmentally-friendly way to take care of a lady's monthly icky-time.

I have been hesitant to try this for a while, because I wasn't sure what to expect. I was worried that I would feel it in there, and that it would be too complicated. However after a horrible bout with back-to-back yeast infections (gross, I know), I decided that I needed to change something in my lady-parts department. Tampons just seemed to be aggravating things, and pads are SO not an option. Not just for the uncomfortableness, but for the amount of packaging and TRASH that pads create. I don't even use tampons with applicators (O.B. brand) to cut back on pollution.

But the greenest way to go is not disposing of anything at all, and the menstrual cup does just that. You use it over and over again - ZERO WASTE! Friggin' awesome! And it doesn't mess with your lady parts.

After more research I decided to give it a try. It just seemed too good to be true, but ladies seem to absolutely love it. To read more FAQ's about the Diva Cup - click here.

Last night I thoroughly read over the instructions and made my attempt at working the lil' cup. And guess what. It's AWESOME!! I was worried I'd be able to feel it, that it would be gross or slip around, and so far so good.

Yes, in the beginning the steps are kind of a pain in the ass. It's not as simple as 1.) insert, 2.) pull string, 3.) dispose. But it seems to me that the extra work is worth it, and it does come easier with practice.* Shoot, I couldn't even put on fake eyelashes a couple of years ago (same with contacts), and now I'm a whiz!

Oh, and did I mention that you can wear these babies for 12 hours at a time!? YES - 12 whole wonderful hours!! I feel like I have to change a tampon every 4-6 hours depending on the day. And there's still a chance I might leak! EW! With these babies they guarantee that if you're following the instructions you won't get any leakage, even in 12 hours. Whoa. That's pretty awesome.

I'm wearing white underwear today just to be sure!
Long live the Diva Cup!

*Ok, remember when I said this? Well, I'm on day 2, and I have already got the hang of it!! Please ignore my previous statement about it being a pain in the ass in the beginning. It's weird the first time, but that's it! Yep, it's official. I'm a Diva Cup Convert!!

A Skinnier Version of Me

After the big New Orleans trip and a bit of indulging, I realized it's time for me to get back on track. Summer is around the corner yet again, and I need to shape up or ship out!

OK, not really ship out, but you know what I mean.

My ultimate goal is not necessarily to be "thin".... although losing a few extra pounds would definitely be a welcome bonus! I really want to be the healthiest version of me that I can possibly be, and believe it or not in these photos I was NOT at my healthiest.

These pics were snapped about 6 or 7 years ago on a family vacation to Pawley's Island, SC. I had a few less tattoos then. ;)

I was working out (running, the elliptical machine, light weight lifting) about 5-6x a week, and eating a very strict diet.

I was also smoking regularly (YUCK), and the "very strict diet" I referred to was Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet (no vegetarianism or veganism back then for sure).

If you've ever done this diet, you know that this is the strictest phase, and that you're supposed to slowly start incorporating the other healthy things back in during Phases 2 & 3. Well, I got PSYCHO about my tummy pooch, and refused to leave Phase 1.

All I ate 3x a day was a serving of meat (chicken, fish, or steak) and a side of vegetables, with as much salt & butter as I wanted.

Sure, I lost a lot of weight! I wasn't having ANY sugar at all - but that included the sugar from fruits, and I wasn't having ANY carbohydrates at all - even the good whole grains!

I may look happy in these pictures, but I wasn't healthy that's for sure.

SO - although I would LOVE to get to the fitness level that I obtained when these photos were snapped, I never want to go back. I've quit smoking, quit meat & dairy, am eating tons of fruits & veggies & whole grains every day, and much more aware of what is a healthy diet, and what is not!

What I DO need to change though is my workout routine. Although 2 hours, 3 days / week of derby practice ain't too shabby, it's still not enough. Especially at the very sedentary stare-at-a-computer-all-day job that I have (as a lot of people do).

So this is my way of proclaiming that it's time to step it up a notch! Gym: hellz yeah! Workout buddies: come & get me! Pump class: Why the heck not!

Summer, here I come!