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Coffee Talk 01.07.18

Good morning from the frozen tundra of Pennsylvania! It is exactly 2 degrees here right now. I am so excited for the warmup coming this week, I can’t even tell you. Unfortunately it’s also coming along with a few days of rain. While I’d rather have snow this time of year, I’m not going to complain because, well, IT. IS. TWO. DEGREES. RIGHT. NOW.

Okay so now that we have the weather report out of the way.

Thanks to whomever suggested I move the tall boots that were on the floor by my “bootshelf” into my closet under the jackets and vests. Why it never occurred to me to do that, I have no idea, but they fit perfectly.

I also managed to find better stuffing for the boots that were leaning over on that top shelf, so now they’re standing at full attention, and the bootshelf and the area around it is all neat and tidy. I love it. It makes me so happy to walk into my bedroom now.

My hanging rack is slowly starting to fill up again, and I’m looking forward to taking some outfit pictures and sharing my finds with you, but so far the weather just hasn’t been conducive to outdoor photo shoots, and my house doesn’t have adequate lighting so I’m waiting. Meanwhile, I may do a try-on sesh on my Insta Story. I haven’t even tried on most of those clothes yet.

I was also waiting to lose a few pounds so things would fit better, but my Whole30 isn’t going so well. I’m going to start fresh tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on when I get to the store. The snowstorm really did me in, plus I went shopping for some recipes I wanted to make, but I couldn’t find all the ingredients I needed. It was so cold and windy that I didn’t want to brave another store, so I settled for what I had in the house. All that to say, it just wasn’t good timing so I’m going to clean out the kitchen, stock up on good stuff, and then start again.

It should be easier to get to the store this week because it will be warmer. I’m also hoping the rainy days aren’t going to be a total washout so I can get some running in. I really need those endorphins to help motivate me to eat right. It’s funny how it all works together. I’ve never done a serious diet this time of year. I always end up doing them in late summer, for some reason. It’s a lot easier to get motivated during swimsuit season, ya know? Right now, I just want to hibernate, and that leads to self-indulgence.

I’m a big believer in giving oneself some grace at times like these. It’s fine to take a breather, admit the timing wasn’t right, and start over fresh with no guilt. But at some point I may need to give myself a little tough love to get this off the ground… especially at this time of year. I’ll keep you posted.

We ended up having friends over last night (again, not exactly conducive to a strict diet!) and that was fun. We ended up playing quite a few raucous rounds of Tenzi. Have you all played it? It’s a dice game, super simple and easy to pick up and learn, and it can be enjoyed by all ages. Everyone was playing, from the 11-year-old to the 48-year-old, and we were all having a blast. We had several sets of the dice game among us so as many who wanted to play were able to play.

It’s also one of those games where players can move in and out as they wish, so there’s no pressure to play all the rounds. It’s really conducive to a large group with a range of ages. Anyway, if you’re looking for something like that, I highly recommend it. I found it at Amazon.com, if you’re interested.

I spent a lot of the day yesterday reading through my reader survey results. It was very interesting!

I’m not quite done yet — there are over 2,000 responses so far! I’m blown away. The results post is getting ridiculously long. I have such a hard time not responding to almost everyone like I do in my blog comments, but obviously with that many responses, I can only touch on a small fraction of them. I might do a separate post just addressing Instagram and Facebook questions, in order to divide it up a bit. It’s still open if you want to participate, and there’s an opportunity to win a $100 Nordstrom gift card at the end as a thank you.

Anyway, I was working on that for a big part of yesterday, and I’ll finish up this afternoon so I can share the results tomorrow. As a result, we never got around to taking down our Christmas tree. It’s still so lovely, I’m really not too terribly motivated to get rid of it. This is my view from the desk in my office, and I’m not mad about it.

I’m always sad to take down the tree, but once it’s put away and we’ve vacuumed up all the remnants and my living room is restored to its normal layout, I’m always pleased. I guess it makes me feel that the New Year is officially here, and I can get a fresh start with a clean slate. Maybe that’s what I need to help me get this Whole30 off the ground for good!

But I’m not going to think about that today. After all, as a wise fictional character once said, Tomorrow is another day!

Pardon me as I channel my inner Scarlet O’Hara. She’s always lurking there under the surface. I always did like a good dramatic exit.

So anyway, that’s about all I’ve got for you today. We’re headed out to church in a bit, so my immediate goal is to find my warmest clothes and layer up. Our church building never quite heats up on days like this, so it’s important to wear layers and a coat that’s comfortable enough to keep on all morning if need be.

It’s easy for me to get cranky on cold Sundays, but then I remind myself that there are people in other parts of the world risking their lives to go to church today, probably hardly noticing the weather conditions. Far be it for me to whine about being cold as I worship freely with all the comforts of this world at my disposal. That kind of puts things in perspective.

Anyway, on that note, I will bid you adieu. I need to get a move on here! I hope you have a wonderfully restful and blessed Sunday, and stay warm, wherever you are!

Join The Conversation

59 Responses

  1. Good morning,
    Pool noodles are another great boot stuffer. I use then all the time. Just cut them to the size you need. 🙂

  2. It is 2 degrees here as well, -8 with the windchill. I am not leaving the house today so I think I will take the tree down. I miss my chair lol – our living room is small so we always have to take something out to put up the tree.

    I can’t imagine trying to take photos in this kind of weather. How about finding a hotel around there with a nice lobby and snap a few outfits there?

    My routine has gotten interrupted between the holidays and snow day last week. I find I do better with my eating when I am working all day. Being home makes me lazy lol, and this weather does not help one bit, I want all the warm comfort foods!

    I think breaking up the survey results and responses is a great idea. You can give each area more focus instead of trying to condense it all into one post.

  3. Ok I am not going to complain about the 42 here in FL. This time of year i love warm comfort foods which aren’t good for the waist line either.Tomorrow i start back with my trainer after the Christmas break so ready, may that will offset some of those comfort foods. Stay Warm

  4. When you purchase boots, don’t they come with cardboard of some sort in them!  You could keep that stuffing to help them stand upright instead of having to buy something or use newspapers.  Bubble wrap might also work.  I saw that Bed Bath and Beyond has clear stackable shoe boxes, that open on one end, that I’m seriously considering investing in.  I think they would look better in my closet than the original shoe boxes, but I want to ensure my athletic shoes will fit in them.  I get your challenges in getting the healthy eating going again.  Because good grocery stores are 45+ minutes away, keeping fresh veggies on hand isn’t feasible for us.  We really have to use more frozen veggies, however, there are still healthier choices to be had, if I take the time to seek them out.  The view of your tree is beautiful from your office!  We are so fortunate to live in a country where we are free to worship without fear.  Have a blessed day!

    1. Yes, I use those inserts that came in the boots. But sometimes they don’t work very well to keep them upright. or I forget which inserts went in which boots, and they aren’t all the same shape… lol. I do want to try those pool noodles, but I have to wait till stores are carrying them again.

  5. Thanks for the coffee talk and I’m sorry your son was in a car accident due to the bad weather. But very glad hs okay!  It’s one of those calls every parent fears getting. My daughter is 21 and I still have her text me when she gets to her destination and when she’s heading home. I got a little lacks about this over the holidays but I need to remind her again. This was our agreement for her having a nice “paid for” vechicle to drive. Needless to say; we will always worry about our children no matter what age.
    Looking forward to some 2018 style posts (but not until it gets warmed there). 

  6. Thanks for your words on the diet plan. I attempted  to restart Weight Watchers this week and was literally upset about my lack of progress when I picked up my phone to read your coffee talk. I am looking at it as a transition week.  Out tree is also up, I hate taking it down too but think today is the day . Being married to a man of Cuban descent  I can use Jan. 6th as my reason for leaving g it up as it is the day of the Kings in the Spanish culture (even though we don’t really acknowledge it). Better luck to us this week with healthier eating!

  7. Your closet inspired me to clean out my own this past weekend. I never thought to arrange my shoes like that but now I can fit more across a shelf. Love it! You probably have already run across this, but if you need another kind of tall boot shapers I got some inflatable ones a few years ago and love them. They weigh nothing and store down to nothing if needed. Hope your weather warms up soon!

  8. Regarding the tweed skirt on your hanging rack….I would love to know what color top/tights and shoes you would put with it. Thanks!

    1. I’m working on that. I was going to go with black, but then I thought it would be more interesting with some other colors, so I’m going to see what I can come up with.

  9. Hi JoLynne, Thanks for the weather update! We’re around 15 in DeBordieu, SC and still have snow on the ground! So strange to see snow at the beach!
    I couldn’t agree more with waiting for the proper time to begin an eating plan like Whole30. The preparation and planning are what will make or break your success. If I can suggest one thing, READ THE BOOK before hand. Once you understand the science and purpose behind an food elimination plan it will be much easier to fully commit to 30 days. The most quoted line of Whole30 is this:”it is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Quitting heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard.”  
    Good luck!

  10. You are 100% right about how sometimes the time is just not right for a diet. Super-cold weather just makes me want to eat, especially the wrong things. I think it’s sort of an instinct. Here in the South we’ve also had some single digits and sub-zero wind chills. I might or might not have gotten into some Walmart brand canned corned beef hash last week…twice….it was so good at the time, but looking back, I’m sort of surprised I did that. But it was cold! Today we’ll be into the 40s, thank goodness, and healthful food is sounding good again. I think I spy a really cute black and blue tweedy skirt on your hanging rack–I hope it works for you because I really like the looks of it! Sending warmer weather your way……

  11. I have stackable shoe racks under my clothes that hold all shoes, runners, sandals and booties. My boots stand tall with just the toes tucked under these. Every pair is in clear view but not blocking my walk-in closet. 
    Your boots do look better. Sometimes small changes make us smile. 

    I don’t think anybody expects you to respond to their comments. I believe it was just positive feedback and any questions can be addressed in a blog post, or two. We all know your business is keeping you very busy. 

    I got on the scale Thursday morning. Yikes! Up 5 pounds. I started healthy eating and no wine immediately. When I hopped on this morning, I’m down one. That’s enough to keep me going strong. 

    Have a wonderful Sunday!

  12. Your boots look great in your closet !! If your hubby is not terribly fond of the bookshelf w boots in your room – a simple tension rod with some fabric that matches your room decor might be a next step. 
    Thanks for all the great posts – a redo of my own closet is on the list for January at my house 

  13. I just love your coffee talks! They are exactly like a visit with a good friend. I hope you do a try-on session this coming week. It’s one of my favorite kinds of posts from you. Also , ( and this may seem silly, since I don’t actually really know you personally) but I do hope you won’t be too hard on yourself regarding the diet and weight. I am sure you must feel some pressure since you have to model clothes all the time, but outside of the desire to be healthy and strong, I wouldn’t want you to be hard on yourself. You look fabulous in photos and your Facebook Live videos. Again, this may seem ridiculous; you have an actual friend group who probably encourage and support you. However, this was in my heart so I decided to take a chance and share it….and now my comment has turned into my own “coffee talk ” WHOOPS lol

    1. Thank you, I appreciate that. When everything is feeling tight, it really starts to get me down, and that’s where I am right now. But I also realize it’s hard to get motivated in this kind of weather so I’m going to go easy on myself and hope to find my mojo soon. 🙂

  14. It is so funny your comment about not complaining regarding the cold temperatures and being grateful for the freedom to worship.  I am reading a book about WWII that has been on my mind.  Today while signing in church I felt such joy in being able to worship without fear.  We are so blessed. 

  15. Hi Jo-Lynne –
    I’m the same about putting the tree away – it makes me sad.  I think because it’s so pretty with all the bright lights plus the time of year it represents.  

    Oh well…one good thing to think about is the daylight hours are getting longer and eventually spring will arrive! 

    Cheers!

  16. Hey Jo-Lynne, you was talking about how winter time dries out your cuticles and hands the other day so I just wanted to let you know what helps me in that area. It is 100% Argan oil by Josie Maran. You can order this on QVC. argan oil does great things for your skin and hair. I enjoy hearing what you have to say every morning and seeing how you put outfits together. Also love how you are just down to earth!

  17. pool noodles work great to stuff tall boots with!  you can easily cut them to fit and they are easy to stuff 

  18. Thanks as usual for being so real….your true self.  I hate this time of year when all you hear is all of those who are out there working out and always eating good, its all over TV right now.  I like how you give us room to start fresh and no guilt.  With so many migraines, I can’t even get started. 🙁  I can’t believe how cold you are.  BUT, we are only having rain, rain, rain, so I’d like a few days of snow and cold.  We always want what we don’t have.  I’m good with Winter weather until end of Feb. and then I’m ready for Spring to happen in March but again all it is here is rain, rain, rain.  🙂  But, at least the flowers start to bud and it just looks like things are coming alive again…..including me. 🙂  Thanks for your newsy Coffee Talk.  I can’t believe how much you get done before church.  Your Christmas Tree is beautiful, I don’t blame you for wanting to keep it up.  I usually take my tree etc. down Jan. 1st but this year it was a few days later, due to the flu we caught.  It then was days longer to really clean. I just have to do a clean after Christmas stuff is away.  Its the fresh new start for me.  Have a blessed Sunday.  

  19. PS So glad your son is okay. Sorry to hear about his car wreck.  I remember those days with 3 kid drivers.  I don’t think we ever quit worrying about our kids on the road.  

  20. Hi. This may be a stupid question but I was wondering why you keep your rain/snow/winter boots in your clothes closet as opposed to a hall closet or mud room?  I currently live in NW Wisconsin where these items are needed daily which may be why I noticed.  But outdoor boots do take a lot of space and I just wondered why they were taking up valuable real estate in their current place. Thanks! By the way, I love your decorating scheme in the photo of your Christmas tree.  The wall colors, hardwood floors, etc. are really lovely. Thanks.

    1. Hey Kris, we don’t have room downstairs in our laundry room for tall boots. I do have some shoe cubbies in there but they don’t fit boots. I make my kids keep their tall boots upstairs too. I can see your point. They can be messy, but we really don’t wear them all that much. Even with the icky weather we’ve had this year, I usually wear fashion boots when I go out, not rain or snow boots. I probably should wear them more, actually, but either way, when we come in and they’re messy, they sit downstairs on a towel in the foyer or laundry room and I take them upstairs when they’re dry. 🙂

      And thank you! I do love the way the colors in this area of the house came together. 🙂

  21. Thanks for this post. Always nice to read your news, even without the fashion info. Love your Christmas tree (finally got all my decorations and tree put away yesterday – took 2 days). Was wondering where you got your front door entry floor mat. I need a new one and yours looks great.

      1. Thanks! I wouldn’t think of shopping there for a door mat, yet it makes sense 🙂 Will be checking it out later this week. Enjoyed your survey results. I read to the end!

  22. A lot of talk about the boots! ???? in a pinch until you find pool noodles is to roll up old magazines and secure them with a rubber band. You don’t get the height factor Ike a pool noodle but they’re usually tall enough to keep the boots from sagging over.

  23. Your mom looked super chic at church this morning!  Maybe you could get her to model fashion styles sometime. 

  24. Thank you for inspiring me  to organize my closet. I was very excited in the beginning but I have stopped and started more time then I care to say. Lol it looks like a trip to target is in order to get this job done. Im look forward to the warm up this week too. They are say 60 on friday here in the First state (Delaware) so i will be taking a walk for sure. Enjoy

  25. So much comes to mind as I read your blog and the comments. I’m stuck by how like-minded many of us are about food, dieting, nutrition, Christmas decorations, etc. I was curious to see if anyone else noticed your rug at your front door. It stood out to me too! Plus our trees were decorated very similarly, the ribbon and white lights. I too have intentions of improving my eating plan and taking down the tree. Mine is down I hope to work on the church one tomorrow. Thank you for ALL you do for us!

  26. I just caught up on your last two days; so sorry about your son’s car accident and driving drama! Tough to deal with all that worry and the extra hassles of fixing the car. I can relate- my older son has had his share of accidents in the past two years! Fortunately nothing serious, but his last one is requiring a pretty pricey repair (he takes it into the body shop tomorrow!) He also didn’t have a car at college his freshman or sophomore years & he learned to navigate the city very well by Bart and bus (He goes to college in San Francisco.) However, by junior year he convinced us that he needed his own wheels for getting around and he started working etc… I try not to think about it cuz when I do I start to worry considering how crowded it is up there.
    Good luck! 

  27. Great post. Cant wait for the weather to warm up. BTW, can you tell the paint color on your walls? Going to start painting mine in spring and looking for inspiration.

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