My First Wedding Wednesday: Color Scheme!

This is my first Wedding Wednesday y'all! I'm so excited to share what I've been planning (so far) with you!

So far Zach and I have picked out our colors, the city we'd like to get married in, a timeframe, a photographer, and have made appointments to see 5 different venues!

We are planning a February or March (hopefully March) 2013 wedding in Charleston, SC!

I made appointments to see The Charleston Place Hotel, The Renaissance Hotel, The Wickliffe House, Thomas Aiken House, and Lowndes Grove Plantation. We are also hoping to see the Thomas Bennett House (plus any suggestions anyone has!)

Last but not least: our colors!

I just love how fuchsia and gold-champagne look together! The colors compliment each other so well and look even better in person!

I love how bright and vibrant a pink wedding party looks!

Aren't these pink and gold cake pops fantastic? I love them! Maybe I should make some for my wedding!

These are my inspiration swatches I have at my house so far! I know they look really red/orange but I promise they are a fabulous shade of fuchsia in real life! My iPhone/lighting doesn't do them justice!

The fuchsia pashmina is just gorgeous! I love the color - it's EXACTLY what I had in my head. I picked that up this weekend and it will be awesome to have with me to match colors to!

I also have my fuchsia hair flower my sister gave me last year. I may wear it in my hair as my "something old" on my wedding day. It matches perfectly to the scarf!

The ribbon swatches are color samples for a waist sash I'm having made to go with my wedding gown!

And the mason jar invite (I REALLY hope my bridesmaids don't see this...I don't think they read my blog anyway haha!) is the invitation I'm sending to the girls I'm asking to be my bridesmaids! I wish I could show y'all in real life how fantastic everything looks together!

What do you think so far? Any ideas for a Charleston wedding?

Uncle Sam Cereal: Wholesome, Filling, and Decadent?

Right before Christmas, I was sent three types of Uncle Sam cereal from Attune Foods!

They sent me Original, Strawberry, and Honey Almond!

I had never had Uncle Sam cereal before, and let me tell y'all, this stuff is great!

I tried the Strawberry flavor first, and had a bowl of it for breakfast with some light chocolate soy milk. It was SO GOOD! I loved the strawberry chocolate combination. I had this combo another day as well with some bananas cut up on top. Delicious! The rest of the box of Strawberry Uncle Sam came on my Christmas road trip and I ate it right out of the box for a snack on the road. This was definitely my favorite flavor!

I tried the Honey Almond out of the box as well, and the honey flavor is very strong. It was also the sweetest of the three types of cereal. I liked the honey almond best when I mixed it in with some vanilla or peach Greek yogurt. It stayed crunchy and I loved the honey flavor when paired with fruit or vanilla. It was a little strong right out of the box but it was so tasty!

The Original flavor was a little plain to eat on it's own, but the plain turned out to be SO AMAZING! First, I used it crushed up with some panko to make some fantastic and crispy homemade chicken tenders. They were soooo good and so crunchy!

The star of the Uncle Sam show is definitely the Uncle Sam No-Bake Cookies I made. I can't rave about these enough! I read a ton of recipes on the Attune Foods website and when I came across this recipe, I couldn't resist. My mom and I have made similar cookies using only oats in the past, but I think I'll be changing my recipe to include Original Uncle Sam because the cookies are absolutely to die for!

I didn't use the recipe as-is. I made a few changes, so I'm posting my directions and recipe below!

Top Left: Combine 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup dark chocolate Silk almond milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a saucepan.

Top Right: Add in 1 tsp of cinnamon

Bottom Left: Bring to a rolling boil, and allow mixture to boil for 1 min.

Bottom Right: Remove mixture from heat, and stir in 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 cup oats, 2 cups Uncle Sam Original cereal, and 1 tsp of vanilla.

Mix together thoroughly. (Take a bite-because it is so absolutely delicious).

Spoon mixture onto a cookie sheet and place in refrigerator.

Stuff your face with these decadent delights.

"Why are there so few cookies?" you may be wondering. Well...I ate like 10 of them so far.

Who knew a cereal could add so much to cookies? They are crunchy, fantastically chocolatey, and such a treat!

There are so many other recipes I can't wait to try as well: banana bread, peach crisp, peanut butter honey granola bars. I am now a HUGE fan of Uncle Sam cereal! I really recommend that y'all go get a box or three and try them!

Check out @attunefoods on Twitter!

I was sent three boxes of Uncle Sam cereal by Attune Foods. I am reviewing them on my own and all opinions are mine. I was not compensated in any way for writing this post - I just wanted to share a great cereal with y'all!

13 Tips for 13 (.1) Miles

When I read the comments from the Go Sport ID giveaway, many of you said your goal in 2012 was to run your first half marathon. I loved hearing this from so many people!

I've only recently become a half marathoner. I ran my first race in the beginning of November and I ran my second race January 7 of this year! I am by no means an expert on the subject, but I truly love the 13.1 distance and I do have years of running experience (even though I took a few year hiatus). I also keep up with articles and new training plans. Running bloggers have provided tons of inspiration as well as tips that really helped me with training and racing. Here are some of my favorite tips as well as things I've learned along the way that hopefully will help some of you while you are training!

1. Find a training plan - Before you go out and start training for the race you've just signed up for, do some research and find a training plan that works with your schedule. I personally followed Runner's World's training plan for a first-time half marathoner for my race in November, and for this past race I combined a few beginner and intermediate training plans I found on the Runner's World website to make my own plan. Make sure you give yourself enough time to train for a race. Training plans can range anywhere from 6-18 weeks. I think 10-12 weeks is an ideal amount of time to train for a race. Most importantly, make sure you are realistic with the plan you decide to use. I do best running 3-4 days a week. My training plan with 5 days of running did not wind up working for me. Lessons learned.

2. Invest in quality shoes - Make sure you visit a running store and get fitted for the best kind of shoes for your feet. They have been trained for what to look for, and can identify whether you need stability, motion control, neutral cushioning, etc. shoes. These places can be pricey for buying the shoes, so I usually look on 6pm.com, runningwarehouse.com (my favorite), or Zappos. Good shoes are essential to running success!

Some people have asked what shoes I wear. I run in Asics Gel Kayano 17. I love the Kayanos and have been running in Kayanos since 2003. I can't wait for the 18s to come out this spring!

3. Be able to run 3 miles first - Before starting a half marathon training plan, it helps a lot if you can run at least 3 miles comfortably prior to beginning the plan. With this base, the long runs in the beginning of the plan (5-6 miles) are attainable, as well as the tempos and interval workouts. An improper base could lead to injury or plain old discouragement.

4. Some runs will be bad - Some days, running will suck. It will be too hot, too cold, too early, too late, you're hungry, you're tired, whatever the case may be. The best thing to do for this is accept that the run didn't go as planned and move on. Don't let one bad run deter you from moving forward toward your goal. You can do this! The occasional bad run will not ruin your training!

Running in the summer in MS is freakin' hot. And its sucks.

5. Indulge - You are working so hard! Make sure you take time to relax, enjoy yourself, and indulge in something that is a reward! Go to the movies, buy a new dress for your rockin' runner bod, make cookies, or do like I do and stuff yo face with frozen yogurt. Whatever you do, just make sure you treat yourself for all the hard work you've been doing!

Frozen yogurt is always amazing. And Zach always judges the amount that I get. Whatev.

6. Have fun with running - This training plan of yours lasts several months. Have fun with it! I am always getting new jams for my running playlists or signing up for smaller races to spice it up and have fun. Strategically placed 5k's and 10k's can actually work out nicely for your training.

I find that wearing orange and black for a Halloween run was festive. And Zoe also enjoyed running in her candy corn bandana. We had many smiles from passing people.

7. Have a support system - Tell your family and friends about your training and how your runs are going. They are proud of you and your accomplishments and they can provide encouragement for you as your training progresses! You can also coerce them into being your running partners.

Mom! Run 10 miles with me!

Zoe! Run every single run with me!

8. Do the long runs - Completing the long runs was something I struggled with during the training for my first half marathon. I did have a knee injury in the beginning of September, but when it was healed enough for me to run, I just stayed in my safe zone and ran the longest run of 8 miles once before heading to Savannah for 13.1. This is probably why I struggled horribly after mile 7 during the race. This time around, I ran a long run every week, ranging from 7 miles in November to completing 3 10-milers in December. This past race was significantly better and I was way more confident headed into my second half. I did struggle a little around miles 11-12, so I know next time I need to run probably two 12-milers leading up to the race. Regardless, the long runs helped my confidence as well as my overall race experience, so I really recommend completing as many of the ones on your training plan as you can. They are essential.

9. Cross train - I did not do this the first time around or the second time around. But I've already begun doing it for the third time around. Strong legs, arms, and core is crucial to overall performance, general health, and will help prevent you from getting injured or overworking your body with too much running. It's tempting to run every day while training, especially in the aftermath of a really good run. But I knew during both races I wasn't strong, even though I had the endurance. All I have been doing since last April is running, and while this is awesome and I have a lot of endurance built up, I'm not strong and it's a miracle I wasn't injured from running so much (my knee injury was a fall, not during a run or caused by running). This time around, strength training and yoga are already in the mix.

10. Don't try anything new on race day - Use your long runs as test days for trying out what gels, chomps, fueling strategy works for you, how you need to hydrate, and what upsets your stomach. Some people are sensitive to certain types of gel or food. I can't eat any dairy before I run, so I know not to eat yogurt on race day morning. I also know that Powergel works best for me for fueling during a race. Test out all the products and meals on days you are running long as a trial for race day. This also works for your outfit. Make sure your race-day outfit is comfortable for a long run. You do not want to be uncomfortable or chafing with an upset stomach on race day!

11. Don't get intimidated - So now it's race day, and you've prepared well and are at the start line. There will be lots of hardcore runners that can run a half in 1:30 and have been doing this for 25 years and will be talking about the 35th marathon they ran last month. Do not let these people intimidate you. They were first time half marathoners once too. I usually just keep to myself, talk to Zach, or make friends with the nice people around me. Gather all the pep talks and support you can. And listen to "All I do is Win".

12. Bring throw away clothes for the start - If you run a race in cold-ish weather, make sure you wear gloves or a sweatshirt you can throw to the side of the start or the road during the race. It's better than freezing while waiting for the race to start, and you don't want to get stuck carrying your nice running gear. Fall races or early spring races where the weather warms up nicely as the morning progresses but are freezing at the start is where you will see this happen often. Hit up Walmart or the Dollar Store.

13. Have fun during the race! - This is by far the best advice I have for anyone. You have come this far - make sure to enjoy it! Look around at the scenery, crowds, and other runners. Listen and enjoy the bands on the course. Read the funny signs the spectators are holding up. Enjoy the race experience, even if you aren't making your goal pace or your leg hurts. Have fun! Not every race will go as planned, you won't always PR, but you will always have fun!

And here is my 0.1 of other advice to make it 13.1 tips: All of the hard work is completely worth it. When you cross the finish line, you'll know exactly what I mean. You can do this!

Winner of the Nuun Giveaway!

Thank you all so much for entering my Nuun giveaway (and my Go Sport ID giveaway!). I've loved reading every response!

The winner of the Nuun giveaway is Michele from NYC Running Mama!

Congratulations Michele! I'm e-mailing you!

You all have got to go check out Michele's blog! She is so inspirational!

Thank you all so much for entering! Check back later for my tips for half marathoners!

Winners of the Go Sport ID Giveaway!

I have the winners of the Go Sport ID $25 gift cards for y'all!

The winners are #50, Jessica of It's Just Jess

and #89, Randi of S Club 4

I'm e-mailing you ladies!

Thank you all so much for entering my giveaway! I loved reading each comment - you are all so inspiring! You have all accomplished so much in 2011 and have huge plans for 2012!

I noticed a lot of you will be completing your first half marathons this year! I'll be posting my tips for training for your first half marathon, as well as fueling tips next week so keep your eyes out for that post. Hopefully it will help some of you!

Thanks again for you support! And don't forget my Nuun giveaway doesn't end until Sunday night so you still have time to enter!

Enter HERE!

Happy Running!

Two Giveaways in One Week!! Day 2: Nuun!

Thank y'all so much for being so supportive of my second half marathon and for entering my giveaways this week! I am loving all the comments and hearing what everyone's goals are for 2012. And can I say I am amazed with what everyone has accomplished in 2011! You are so inspiring!

The second giveaway in honor of my second half marathon is sponsored by Nuun!

Nuun is just plain awesome! Nuun is electrolyte enhanced drink tabs that dissolve in water. They fizz like Alka Seltzer and leaves your water with a light, refreshing flavor. It has only 8 calories and contains no sugar! (FYI-it does have artificial sweetener). It isn't too sweet and has just the right amount of subtle taste and slight fizz. I love the strawberry lemonade and the lemon-lime! I want to try all the flavors!

Hydration is so important before/during/after workouts! I am hugely guilty of not drinking enough fluid, especially after long runs. This usually results in headaches for me, but as long as I drink a huge glass (or 5) of fluid with electrolytes in them (usually Nuun or Powerade Zero) I can avoid headache central.

Nuun is giving away a 4-pack of tabs and a water bottle to one of my readers! The flavors are grape, tropical, strawberry lemonade, and fruit punch. Each tube has 12 tabs so that's 48 tabs!

To enter this giveaway, tell me this:

1 entry: What is your favorite way to rehydrate during/after workouts?

1 entry: Who inspired you to start on your fitness/healthy living journey?

1 entry: Do you listen to music while working out? What's your favorite song to rock out to?

This giveaway will close Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 11:59 pm CST. I will announce the winner on Monday, January 16 as well as notify the winner by email.

Good luck!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a $25 gift card to Go Sport ID! I'm giving away two of them! Enter HERE!

A Giveaway in Honor of My Second Half Marathon!

As you all know, this past weekend I ran my second half marathon!

In honor of this event, I'm hosting two giveaways this week!

The first giveaway is sponsored by Go Sport ID!

They have so generously given me two $25 gift cards to give away to you all, my fabulous readers!

Since I believe safety is one of the most important and often overlooked factors of running, I wear a Go Sport ID on every one of my runs.

You can personalize your Go Sport ID with whatever you want on it!

Your name, any allergies you have, your blood type, your in case of emergency contact info, a favorite motto - whatever comes to mind!

There are four types of ID you can choose!

I have the Glide, and I LOVE it! I personalized both the front and back of my ID (I blurred out personal contact information). In my experience, my ID is so comfortable, I don't even notice it's there!

You can also get different colored bands for all three types of the wrist IDs! I rocked red during Christmas season, and now I'm feelin' purple. I'm thinking I'll bust out the red again for Valentine's Day.

I gave my mom a Go Sport ID for Christmas, and she loves hers already!

I was a Go Sport ID customer before hosting this giveaway. I purchased my Go Sport ID, my pack of bands, and my mom's ID. Their customer service is top notch, and the shipping is incredibly fast. I have received every product I ordered from them within days. Communicating with Go Sport ID has always been easy, and they respond incredibly quickly to comments. Go Sport ID is also very involved with the running community via their Twitter account, @GoSportID. I couldn't recommend them enough!

To enter this giveaway, comment below with your email address and tell me:

1 entry: Which GoSportID you will order if you win

1 entry: What healthy accomplishment you made during 2011

1 entry: What goal you have set for yourself for 2012!

This giveaway will close Friday, January 12, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST. I will announce the giveaway winners and contact you via email Saturday January 14, 2012.

Good luck and Happy Running!