Happenings

So, Easter happened.

And I survived. It was a hard day, to be sure. I cried a lot more than I expected. It was my first real single girl holiday--Thanksgiving, I was with my family (and dating someone), Christmas, I was with my family (and dating someone); New Year's, I was with my Molls in London (and dating someone), Valentine's Day, I was NOT dating someone, but, I was so busy with yoga that I honestly didn't care-- I had my yogis by my side.

Easter, was... different. My folks didn't even invite me home, and I knew if I didn't host a dinner, I'd be all alone. But, it was really nice to have people in my house again. Aside from my cat assaulting my Ro's daughter and my inability to set a formal dinner table, it was great!

I goofed off with Kim's kiddo at church

I wore ALL THE PASTELS. With a side of Valentino of course.

 Yeah, I bought the Anthro dress. Couldn't get the pink on in time, boo hiss! I suck at budgeting.

Full length dress shot on the left--I added a jacket for church.

I did this to the boxer. He hates me.

I can't be trusted to plan events--look at this food!

We ate a lot--I made scones (obvs), we drank lemonade and had an Easter egg hunt. I never need to eat again ever. 

Yesterday I ran like a mad woman all day but had a few brief moments at home and sat outside with the pups for a spell. 

Resulted in FOUR mosquito bites. Texas, you're on my list.

After 20 minutes outside, I ventured back into Dallas traffic for team headshots at the new studio. I teased my hair to heaven height and wore more makeup than a British drag queen (if you know me, you know why this is funny to me)--it was hilarious to see us all "done" up. 

Reliving my theatre days sharing a mirror

But, it was worth it--have you ever seen a more fabulous group? These girls are amazing and I can't believe I am part of their team!

Sarah, Amanda, Erica and yours truly (WTF, is that wisp of baby hair doing?!)

So, that's about what my last few days have been. Not exactly exciting, but, still, kinda great. 

How are y'all?

Single & Fabulous Question Mark

My darling long time bestie Amy always says "no! You are single & fabulous EXCLAMATION POINT!", which, naturally, is one of the 8,754 reasons I love her. But, sometimes, it's hard to remove that question mark from a statement about your life, especially when you aren't really sure how to change it.

I could give you my standard "I had a dream my life would be, so different from this hell I'm living" speech, because, you know, I did have a dream and all that, but, not today. Today, on April 1, I am claiming April 2013 as MY month. This whole "my" year thing, is just too taxing and honestly, the first few months have sucked donkey weenie, so, meh.

But! April 2013? Oh it is on!

The new studio opens (come take classes with meeeeeeee! I will kick your butt and you will love me for it--kind of), I am introducing my redheaded boo Rora to Wicked (can you believe my musical theatre girl has never seen Wicked?! I know, it's shameful), hopefully taking my kindred spirit and generally lovely Dallas pal, Soliel to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's production of Carmen, my bestie and nephew are coming to visit (YOU GUYS!) and I am jetting home for a quick weekend of In N Out-ing, sister snuggles and See's Candy.

It might not be the life I had envisioned, or even the month I had envisioned, but, hot damn it is shaping up to be pretty dang great.

I might not have a man by my side, or even within spitting distance, I might repel them like oil and water, my heart may still be grieving, but, I am fabulous. Or, something less bratty.


Single & Fabulous! Exclamation point.

On bags and BVLGARI

Ya know how when one of y'all gets knocked up there is that debate over Which Diaper Bag Is Best? Well, I can't relate to that, but, I need a new work bag. Not ya know, a handbag, but, a bag to carry all my notes and change of clothes and all my other random work crap in.

Most of my colleagues (barre babes) have a LV Neverfull, which, you can't go wrong with, but, I already have two Louis bags, and can't justify a new one. I mean, unless one of y'all wants to gift me one....

Then there was this Kate Spade that I fell in luuuuurrrrve with--solid chance I still buy it because OMG, YOU GUYS.

But, I am trying to put myself on a budget (worst word ever). So, there.

Imagine my sheer delight when I found this:

Isn't it perfectly, perfectly ME?! It's big enough for my crap and not too super fancy that when I spill a PowerAde in it (inevitable), I won't cry for a month because I ruined the most expensive thing ever.

I am anxiously stalking the UPS man waiting ever so impatiently for its arrival.

Because I went all Budget-y for the bag, I had to splurge on the sunnies sitch. Yes, I hoard sunglasses, but, ya know what happens? I scratch them, they get broken after a race in Madrid, or I leave them in Denver.

After tearing my house--and car apart--I broke down and re-ordered my most favoritest pair of sunnies evah. They are perfection.

I bought them in Barcelona last year (omg, Shabbs, stop name dropping cities, it's just rude) and wore them every.single.day. Until I took them to work with me and it was snowing so I took them off and who knows where the hell they are now. And I figure if they ever do reappear, I can sell the new ones on eBay, so, total budgetary win, right?

And honestly, how am I supposed to land Hugh Jackman if I'm wearing scratched, ghetto ugly sunglasses? Because it all does come back to how to get Hugh to marry me. Life goal.

Do you have a favorite work/play/diaper/fabulous yummy mummy bag? Or sunnies? Is there a type of sunnies I need to be looking into?

Also, this:

You're welcome. I can't stop laughing

Hoppy Easter!

In this episode of Shabbs Does Dumb Stuff, we bring you "hosting Easter dinner with five kiddos". Exactly.

But I absolutely adore hosting big dinners and parties, and since my family has yet to invite me to celebrate with them (thanks, guys, love you too) (last year we did NYC and it was magical) (not that I am bitter about not being there, or not reliving that outstanding weekend--no, not at all). So, anywhoodle, since I am an Easter Orphan, I invited two of my closest "families" to celebrate with me, never assuming the would both be able to come--but, they are, and I am super excited! Even though this means five kiddos at my house at one time.

I started putting together Easter baskets yesterday, which was bad news bears because I just ended up eating like 85% of the candy myself. Damn you, gummi Sweet Tarts!!

That said, I'm combing the internets to find The Best Easter Dress EVER, which is ridiculous because it's not like I have a boy to impress, or need to look nice to show my family I Am A Put Together Adult (they doubt this), but, you know, dresses are my crack.

Imma show you some of my running favorites:

Lilly Pulitzer Posey dress. PINK!

Bernie Dexter Year Abroad. Um, hello, Paris?!

Aurelian Brocade Dress. Anthro, natch. 

However, I think I am going to be a Responsible Adult and wear a dress I already have. So boring...

What are your Easter plans? Anyone else pining for The Perfect Dress? 

And, because I love you, I give you, the Holy Grail of nerdy hipster dresses aka my version of heaven--a website dedicated to what Zooey Deschanel is wearing. I won't admit to you how many pieces on that site I already own and or have stalked.... I can tell you what brand she is wearing on New Girl in under 5 seconds--it's a problem. But they dress her in Kate Spade and Anthro! Like I wouldn't figure it out. Sheesh ;)

Weekend in Pictures

Hello lovelies! Happy Monday to y'all. I worked a 12 hour day yesterday and didn't get home until around 1am, so, this post is brought to you by copious amounts of Diet Coke. 

I spent most of Saturday morning at the studio, which was exhausting, but fun, then jetted up north to attend a baby shower with the bestie!

The redheads will seize the planet!

I love spending time with bestie and her girls, we have fun just talking about anything and end up laughing and looking like fools because we have a zillion inside jokes. 

How cute is this dress? $19 Old Navy. That dress deserves a boyfriend. FML. 

Sunday was church in the AM and working until the following AM, aka, you know 1am. Yikes. But, it was so much fun. 

Church outfit and big Texas hair. Obvs. 

12 hours with these idiots--love them. Love my team, love how much we laugh. 

Ordering pizza and cheese sticks at 8pm seemed like a good idea. 3 pieces later.....No

I wish I could tell you all the hilarity that went down in the 12 hours we locked ourselves in the studio, but, it's Fight Club. I mean, I guess I can tell you that Amanda was jacked up on sugar, I stuck a ball in my shirt and pretended to be pregnant, Erica ignored us, and our boss sat in the corner laughing hysterically at us. 

So, that happened. 

Also, and this isn't so happy, but, if you are the praying kind, could you please keep two of my sweet friends in your prayers? Two of my very bests are dealing with some things right now and sadly all I can do for them is pray. 

What did y'all do this weekend?

The truth is....

The truth is, I am sinking this week.

Sinking big time. Struggling. Don't know which way is up, trying to tread water, trying to find the daylight, trying....

I've been working like a madwoman and that is the only thing getting me out of bed in the morning. Which I guess is a good thing! ;)

Every week, nay, every day I think I've hit rock bottom, but, no, no, I haven't. Occasionally, I get these slivers of joy and peacefulness and hope, but, they are fleeting and seem to be furthest out of reach when I need them the most. Funny how that works, eh?

It's like pulling myself out of a well and whenever I get close to the top, the water gets turned back on and I'm back where I started. Major pain in the ass, yo!

One happy this week was the FaceTime chat I had with my best friend last night (god bless the iPhone!). She literally saved me a few months back--she's my person. I mean, she gave me the greatest gift ever, my nephew, so, I'm kind of indebted to her already. Yikes. I better step up my game to repay her-- and FAST!

I hate to be a Debbie Downer, I just don't know what to say ya know? Blogging is about honesty, so, I'm just being honest here. (pretty sure there is a Johnny Depp Pirates of The Caribbean quote here)

"I had a dream my life would be, so different from this hell I'm living..."

On the upside, I don't work until Friday afternoon, Les Miserables comes out on DVD, which means, ALL DAY LONG--and!-- BFF and I are going to see Jim Gaffigan Friday night, which should be absolutely hilarious! I just gotta make it through the night.

Lucky I've got these buggers to snuggle me.

Yes, I'm a crazy dog lady--but, look at them!

Thanks for listening y'all. I promise to snap out of it soon. Well, I don't promise, but, Imma do my very best! Cause I'd hate reading this blog if it was all whiny boo whine nonsense, but, I do try to bribe you with Antho stuff and puppy pictures.

Well, and also, this:

Basically my idea is heaven is riiiiiight between those two. Swoon. 

xoxoxo

Things I should probably stop doing

Buying dresses that I think would be lovely for a date.

Exhibit A (bought this a month ago, want to wear it every single day of my life)

Exhibit B

I send pictures to TPG in dressing rooms. Also, I'm a midget and had hobo hair, please forgive.

Exhibit C

I actually love this dress waaaaay more than it looks like I do. Rather obsessed, actually.

Because, you see, I haven't been on a date since who knows when and I have exactly ZERO prospects of that changing anytime soon, and yet, my brain and my credit card say "Ohhh, Shabbs! You would look so cute wearing this on a date! Please buy said dress for a first date occasion!".

And then I do, but end up wearing the blasted thing to church, which isn't bad, it's just much more boring than the intended purpose.

Much like my life in general to be entirely honest. Hm. Things to ponder....

Oh well, I have a closet filled with fabulous dresses--and handbags--

(this is how I've ended up with so many damn handbags over the last year, serious) (see also: break ups and Bond St)

and eventually someone will recognize that, sweep me off my entirely too large for my height feet and we shall live happily ever after.

Or, I adopt 15 cats and three more dogs. The ball is in your court, men.

(yes, I know, I buy too many dresses and have too many accessories and have too much of everything. I know. I realize there are bigger issues on this earth and bigger things I should be worrying about--I know. But right now, today, I wanna talk about dresses! Because they are pretty)

Running? What?

Remember when I used to run? Yeah, those were the good ol days.

Even so, I still make poor life choices and go run 13.1 miles super duper undertrained and it's basically a fiasco, but my best friend, Christy pulls me along and refuses to give up on me even though it's the most horribly embarrassing attempt at a half marathon ever.

Yikes. 

So, the moral of the story is: always run. Hanging out with Christy is the best. And, I love DC. (and I probably need Botox. Lawdy mercy, look at those squinty lines! Yikes. 30 is approaching fast, kids!)

My best girl--reliving our Madrid moments!

How was your weekend?

(hashtag) barre babes

Today I am teaching my very first solo on my own, as part of my job job this is what I do for a living and I've been asked to come teach a class on my own, yoga class.

I am so crazy super excited. My bestie got me the job and I am really scared I am going to let her down, because I know she thinks highly of my ability--which is flattering, but, scary! Of course, I am most stressed out about what to wear--what says "cool, hip yoga teacher"?!

The girls who helped make me a yogi-- Hannah, Laura and Diana

The yoga teacher training I went through at Sunstone was some of the hardest and yet some of the best times I've ever had. Truly lucky to be part of that family! Dallas, we have some GREAT new yoga teachers out there! Take a class, my friends!

Team Backbends 2013. Bunch o' idiots that I love oh so much!

Backbends and teachers at 500Hour graduation. Love these guys with my whole heart. 

And I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Denver where I was thrown headfirst into four days of intense Pure Barre training. Four days with a bunch of spandex clad bitches (not really, just using the word) did not make me feel good about myself at all. But, what choo gon' do? I had a great time and am so lucky to be part of such a great team!

Pure Barre Arlington team on a sunny day in Denver. 

I cannot believe this is my life now! I am so humbled and blessed and lucky and all the other words that mean that same thing. These girls are amazingly talented, sweet, funny and beautiful. I can't believe I get to be included with them!

It snowed all morning, so, we went for ice cream. Obviously. 

Told you it snowed. 

I never imagined this for myself, and it's pretty great to finally see a path taking shape that I hope to be on for the rest of my life. A path that I created. Me. No one else, just me. It's pretty awesome.

Now, let's just hope Eddie Redmayne, Hugh Jackman or, ya know, any non douchey wonderfully attractive man wants to share that path with me. That would be ever so delightful!

And that's all I'm going to say

As know you, the last um, year (?) of my life has been a bit of a nightmare. A wild ride. A "you can't make this up" type situation, followed by something much the same. And in some cases, even worse.

It hasn't always been fun--despite what reading my blog might tell you (honestly, do you want to read a blog where I tell you I didn't get out of bed yesterday and haven't shaved my legs in two weeks? Didn't think so. So, I tell you about the good stuff, because that is just more fun. And yes, at times I share the bad, but, I don't need to be a constant Debbie Downer)--but, it's my life. Mine. I don't claim to be perfect, I don't claim to have not made mistakes. Oh heck no!! I'm living my life and messing up and learning along the way. For me.

The last few weeks have been especially hard for varying reasons. Things were said, things happened, things were learned--it all was very, very hard on me. Lots of tears. Lots of emotions. Lots of FEELINGS.

And this is all I really want to say to "those people", but, of course I can't. Because I am a giant chicken.

Instead I cry because that's all I can do. And, I just hope and pray that we as a people can cease judgement and guilt on one another, that we can actually live the values we preach and live a life of love. 

That's all I'm trying for. 

Each and every day. 

xoxox with love--lots and lots of love,
Shabbs

The time I went all hippie. At nearly 30.

A few of you requested a picture of the nose ring that I talked about in post a bit back, and like a good blogger, I aim to please.

Yes, I'm almost 30 and did something this silly. Judge away!

There is a backstory, of course--my college roommate got one 1,000 years ago, and I always thought they were cute. My BFF has one. Etc, etc. But, it's no secret that I detest my nose--yay Scottish genetics! So I always thought I couldn't pull it off.

Welp, when Molls and I were in Brighton, which is basically England's version of San Francisco, we passed so many little tattoo/piercing places, I told her we should pop in and I'd finally do it--since I was going to be a hippie crunchy granola yoga teacher and all. And she encouraged it of course! Ha. We were tight on time in Brighton and decided we'd rather see the city, if we had time, we'd do it on the way back to the train.

And then, two days later, walking around Soho, I did it. Because I am nothing if not silly and impulsive! Then we had a Whole Foods picnic in our hotel room, saw Les Mis and my girl Sierra Boggess at The Queen's Theatre, and stayed up too late.

Standard.

And that is how this nose hating, Burberry wearing, Princess Kate obsessed, almost 30 year old ended up getting her nose pierced in England. Because WHY NOT?!

Do you have any holiday piercings or tattoos? Any permanent souvenirs?

Also, my parents will disown me. Oops.

Meant to be BFF

I've rambled about my love of Isla before, but hot dog, she and I were meant to be BFF.

I mean look at who she hangs out with:

This is my point. (also she's mid thirties, has two kids, is married to the funniest man alive and looks no more than 25. I need in on her secrets!)

Who's your celeb BFF?

Isla babe, call me, Hugh has my number!  xoxo