flashback friday: crawl for cancer

In preparation for the Crawl for Cancer in Columbus' Arena District tomorrow, I was reminiscing about our first crawl two years ago. This event is epic - an amazing fundraiser for cancer foundations, and the coming together of thousands of people around the city all for a great cause and some quality day-drinking with friends.

 

 

I was the team captain, so of course we had teal shirts. We creatively called ourselves Team Teal. Catchy, huh? This year, I opted for lime green shirts, just to switch it up. Our team name is the Brewsual Suspects. So if you've never done the crawl, here's how it works: You get a team of 10-12 friends, you get a list of 5 bars to go to, and you get 4 free pitchers of beer at each bar.

I don't even normally drink Coors Light (I'm a Bud Light kinda girl, but what's the difference, right?), but when it's free I'll drink just about anything. I remember the boys thinking that 4 pitchers wasn't going to be enough. But most of us could only remember what happened toward the end of the day by the pictures we'd taken. It's all in the name of cancer research, so the drunker the better, right? And you have to get your 40 bucks worth.

I'm sure tomorrow will be filled with compromising photos, inappropriate language/stick-figure drawings on t-shirts, and lots of hugging and dancing (maybe on tables until we get kicked off).

And it wouldn't be complete with a party foul...or seven.

This is going to be fantastic. Photos to come. Happy long, Memorial Day weekend, luvies!

so what wednesday

I'm doing it. I'm linking up with Shannon at Life After I Dew for So What Wednesday. And you should too.

Today I am saying so what if:

• I've already blogged once today. I might throw in a third one for good measure.
• I put laundry in on Sunday and forgot about it. Thanks to Mr. Ritter our clothes are only slightly wrinkled (he folded them yesterday). He's the best.
• I don't care if my clothes are wrinkly and I never iron.
• I'd rather work out than go to happy hour.
• I've eaten Ramen Noodles for lunch passed two days.
• I haven't swept my car out after having my dogs in there this weekend. Yeah, it's dog hair city and gross, but I'm dealing with it. Don't worry, no one else has been subjected to it. I would never do that to someone, because I know how much I hate riding in dirty cars.
• I have so many clothes that there is a small stack sitting on the floor of my closet, because I don't have enough hangers. I refuse to buy more hangers. Whenever this happens, I know it's time to clean out the ol' closet.
• I procrastinate.
• I have a weird craving to go shopping at Target. No, I'm not pregnant.
• I just, after nearly two years, brought in a wedding picture for my desk at work. I procrastinate, remember?
• The dog clock (yes, it barks - it was a white elephant gift) on my office wall has been stuck on 2:58 and 44 seconds for at least two months. At least it's consistent.

What are you saying "so what" to today?

semi-wordless wednesday: teal with it

If you've ever read my blog, then you're probably aware that teal is my favorite color. Here are some lovely teal things to brighten your day:

 Isn't this railing neat? I love the design, and of course the color.

 This color combo is divine.

I would love my bedroom to look like this.

 I think peacock feathers are one of the most beautiful, naturally occurring things in the world.

Dress or staircase? Stunning.

 I need this in my band of accessories.

{all photos via we heart it}

Do it.

Link up with Daphne at Flip Flops & Pearls to play along!

therapy thursday: death in a drive thru

 {via}

I recently took a health psychology class, and we had to read a book called Food Rules: An Eater's Manual by Michael Pollan. It's an easy read and gave me a new perspective on my approach to food and what I am putting into my body.

Here's the thing. We like life. We do so many things, whatever it takes, to keep ourselves healthy and alive - working out, getting enough sleep, wearing seat belts and sunscreen, not smoking or drinking too much, having annual doctor visits, etc. But the thing is, we are killing ourselves with food. We go through a drive thru, grab a sandwich, eat it in the car on the way to work, and we think that's progress. That's efficiency.

The truth is, it's killing us. We're overweight, we're fatigued, and we're eating food that can barely be called food because it's so processed and artificially flavored (have you seen how chicken nuggets are made? Warning: it's disgusting and not for the weak-stomached). Despite all of our efforts to stay alive, we are letting bad food wreak havoc on our bodies. Stop it. Think before you eat.

Here are 20 food rules I liked best from Pollan's book:

1. Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
2. Avoid foods that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top three ingredients.
3. Avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients.
4. Avoid food products that make health claims. - only big food manufacturers have the money to secure FDA-approval. Often products of modern food science that make the biggest claims, which are often founded on incomplete or bad science. Fresh produce doesn't have to boast about its benefits to your health.
5. Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle.
6. Eat only foods that will eventually rot.
7. It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car, or if it's called by the same name in every language (Think Big Mac, Cheetos, or Pringles).
8. Drink the spinach water. The water in which veggies are cooked is high in vitamins and other healthful plant chemicals. Save it for soup or add it to sauces.
9. Eat animals that have themselves eaten well.
10. Eat sweet foods as you find them in nature. In nature, sugars almost always come packaged with fiber, which slows their absorption and gives you a sense of satiety before you've ingested too many calories. Eat fruit rather than drink it's juice.
11. Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk. These cereals are highly processed, and full of refined carbs, as well as chemical additives.
12. "The whiter the bread, the sooner you'll be dead."
13. Eat all the junk food you want as long as you make it yourself.
14. Eat less. Caloric restriction has repeatedly shown to slow aging in animals, and many  researchers believe it is the strongest link between diet and cancer prevention. We eat more than our bodies need to be healthy, and the excess wreaks havoc, not just on our weight.
15. Stop eating before you're full. Don't ask if you're full, ask is your hunger gone.
16. Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it.
17. Buy smaller plates and glasses.
18. Serve a proper portion and don't go back for seconds.
19. Eat meals.
20. Treat treats as treats.

Now, I can't say that I have followed all of these rules...yet. But just having the knowledge of these food rules has really helped me to simply be aware of what I'm putting in my body. I have been avoiding drive thrus (though I have visited a few times in emergency situations. You understand.). I've been able to eat less, which has actually improved my energy level. I don't snack. I avoid the cookie, cracker and chip aisle at the grocery store. There are so many small changes you can make in your approach to food that can have a significant impact on your health. 

my best friend's birthday

Happy birthday to my amazing, fabulous, beautiful best friend K.Ruff.

I'm sure each and every one of you has a best friend that you consider to be your other half. That's Kristen to me. We met in college, but I don't remember how or when we became so close. My best guess is from hanging out at our boyfriends' (now husbands) house, since the boys lived together every year of college. They are besties too. This is both a coincidence and a convenience.

Kristen is a charming, stubborn, no nonsense kinda gal. She's cried, laughed, and vented with me. She's my shopping buddy, my therapist, my running partner, my partner in crime. She has dumped countless shots down my throat (seriously, she'll do this), then held my hair later. She's an amazing hostess, wife, dog mommy, housekeeper, dancer (this girl can shake it!),  and most of all friend. She's one of the most emotional (she cries a lot - over just about anything. It's just her thing.), compassionate, and considerate people I know.

She helps ground me and keep me sane.
I remind her to not sweat the small stuff.

We've been through so much together, and I look forward to everything that lies ahead for each of us. 

I'm so blessed to have her in my life.

I can't wait to celebrate your birthday this weekend!
I love you whole bunches!

giveaway winner & semi-wordless wednesday

I have the Rain, Rain Go Away Giveaway winner (chosen by random.org): Lindsey @ Lovin' My Life! Email me your address and whether you'd like a circle or square Shine Project necklace!

Congratulations, woman! Also, people, don't forget to link up with Lindsey's "Pour Some Summer on Me" blog swap!





Now, I'm linking up for the first time with Daphne @ Flip Flops & Pearls for Semi-Wordless Wednesday! Here's something you may not know about me. I think elephants are beautiful, intriguing creatures.

 {via}

If you buy any elephant figurines or jewelry or photos, make sure the elephant's trunk is up. 

It is a sign of good luck, fortune and optimism.

 {via}

Remember, an elephant never forgets.

 {via}

Elephants have female-led family structures and they are extremely loyal to the matriarch.

One of my dreams is to go on a safari and see these animals, free and wild.

nostalgia

I'm from a small town in northeast Ohio. As soon as I went to college, I left everyone and everything I knew there behind for bigger and better things in a much larger city. To this day, I only go "home" to visit my parents and extended family still in the area. But I mostly only visit on holidays. I only keep in touch with one person from high school. I wanted to get away. I wanted a change.

A couple weekends ago I made the trip from Columbus to Canton for my sister's bridal shower. It's two-hour drive (one way) passed a lot of Ohio's small, country towns. The ones where everyone knows everybody. You go to school with the same kids since kindergarten. On Friday nights, the whole town shows up for the football game. Saturday, you spend your time swimming in ponds, racing through the woods on ATVs, and relaxing with friends around a bonfire. Or at least that's what I think of when I think of summer nights in Shelby.

For the first time that I can remember, while driving home from Canton, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia for summer nights back home. To drive an ATV, to jump off an anchored dock, to sit around a bonfire with a cold beer. So I turned the radio to a country station, turned it up, and smiled as I was flooded with memories of old friends.

I don't regret leaving, and I most likely never will. But I do appreciate where I came from. This summer, my girlfriends and I are doing hometown tours, so that we can see where each of us grew up. That wave of nostalgia got me excited to make the trip to Shelby with the girls in July. Just for one simple, summer night.

{all photos via we heart it}

P.S. Today is the last day to enter my giveaway for a Shine Project necklace! If you already signed up, double check to make sure your entries are there. There was a glitch in Blogger over the weekend, and I lost some of your entries from the comments section. Sad face. Winner will be announced tomorrow!

what-to-wear wednesday: leopard and lace

I'm bringing back one of my former weekly features, What-to-Wear Wednesdays. I wasn't feeling photogenic today (truth: I have my side bangs pinned back away from my face and it makes me look strange in photos), so I used my trusted friend Polyvore to recreate my outfit today:

(the clothes I'm actually wearing are from: skirt, New York & Co.; top and belt, Old Navy; shoes and earrings, Target; watch, Kohl's)

I feel skinny in this outfit. Like extra skinny. Which is good since my lunch consisted of various cheeses, french bread, and a peanut butter and chocolate square (I'm blanking on the actual name of this tastiness). 

The weather is warm, sunny and hasn't rained for four days (must be my giveaway!), but Mother Nature is making sure that we know rain is inevitably returning soon to Columbus. The humidity today feels off the charts. I would actually say it's hot outside today. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I love clammy skin and frizzy hair. But seriously, I dislike rain and cold. Oh, I live in Ohio? Touché.   

So what are you wearing today?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my Rain, Rain Go Away Giveaway for your seven chances to win a Shine Project necklace.

rain, rain go away giveaway

As promised, I'm doing a giveaway in celebration of reaching 100+ tweeps (and I am this {insert small space between thumb and index finger in pinch position} close to having 100 blog followers!)!

It's cleverly named the Rain, Rain Go Away Giveaway because here in Ohio, rain is about the only thing we've seen this spring. I'm over it. Who's with me?!

So in my attempt to bring some sunshine to your Friday and all of Ohio, I'm giving away a SHINE necklace from Ashley @ The Shine Project! Maybe this will coax the sun and warm weather out of hiding in the mid-West!

{$1 from every SHINE necklace sold goes to the Shine Project Scholarship, which will be awarded, in January 2012, to an inner city student to help with his/her college education.}

I bought my own SHINE necklace a couple of months ago, and I love when people ask me about it when I wear it. I also love reading Ashley's inspiring blog. She's beautiful and fabulous, so go check her out!

To enter to win a SHINE necklace (your choice of circle or square):

1. Follow my blog

2. Follow The Shine Project blog

3. Follow me on Twitter: @runinstilettos

4. Follow The Shine Project on Twitter: @TheShineProject

5. "Like" Running in Stilettos Blog on Facebook

6. "Like" The Shine Project on Facebook

7. Tweet about this giveaway. Use this:

"I just entered the Rain, Rain Go Away Giveaway @runinstilettos! Head on over to http://runninginstilettosblog.blogspot.com & enter today!"

That's seven, Seven, SEVEN (think Monica from Friends) chances to win! It's super easy! Leave a separate comment telling me each thing you did to enter. You can enter today through May 17 @ 11:59 p.m. EST. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, May 18!

Good luck, luvies!

my favorite things

Lindsey @ Lovin' My Life tagged me in a 10 Favorite Things survey. So, if you're new, here is a little insight on yours truly. And if you're not new, well, maybe I've shared something you didn't know, or just reminded you of why you like me so much (or a little).

1. The color teal (and all shades of green)

{via we heart it}

2. Chipotle

{via}

3. Dancing

{the hubby and I gettin' down at a friends' wedding}

4. Vacations

{honeymoon in Cozumel}

5. Physical Activity

Whether it's running, lifting/toning, walking, playing games, I love being active!

6. Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy & Wine

Summer Shandy: Delicious this time of year. Wine: Good all year long. I typically prefer sweet wines, but I am expanding my palate to include reds and drier wines. I'm growing up so fast.

7. Cheese

{via}

8.  Football season

I'm a Buckeyes and Browns fan. And like I told Mr. Ritter, football is the only sport I can truly stand to watch on TV. Well, that and soccer, which is also called futbol, so it's basically the same thing.

9. Making Lists

Yep, love it. Do it every day.

10. Candles

I get this from Mr. Ritter. My favorite scent is Kitchen Spice from Bath & Body Works. No fruity smelling candles for me though. Yuck. I like earthy, fresh smells.

Note: I didn't include the obvious loves of my life, including Mr. Ritter, my family, my dogs and cat, my friends, etc. Because they are obvious.

Now that you know a little more about me, let's get to know some of my bloggy friends:

Audra @ A Little Bit of Rain

Megan @ It's Good to Be Queen

Brittiny @ Mommy's Pause Button

Emily @ My Life As I Know It

Megan @ Pearls and Pears

Katie @ The Design Apprentice

Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean

Brittany @ Sweet, Sassy, and Oh So Classy

Stephanie @ A Professor's Wife

ASJ @ Forever 88