Clothes, furkids, affirmations, a chance for a free race entry, and the scale, oh my! Another random Thinking Out Loud.
Carefully choosing my clothes
I make no secret of the fact that I’m a fashionista. I love clothes, and I love combining clothes into outfits; I love sparkle and soft, biker chic and a little bit of boho. I particularly love cashmere — I mean, who doesn’t? It’s so soft, light, and warm, and if you wait for the sales, you can get a good deal on it.
My problem? I have a cat and two dogs.That is 12 sets of claws all just waiting to punch holes into my pretty clothes. So I have to consider before buying: will this stand the 12 paws test?
It doesn’t mean I don’t buy cashmere, which decidedly does not stand the 12 paws test, but I don’t wear it at home. I wish I could. But I do enjoy the company of my furkids more than I wish I could wear cashmere at home (some days).
It’s not about the number on the scale
I’m a little thinner than I was last year during the winter — so far, knock on wood, I’ve managed to stay free at Weight Watchers — which is a first since getting back down to my goal weight several years ago. Winter is always hard for me.
It’s only a few pounds difference, but I’ve noticed, in the last half year, that those few pounds really can make a difference. The Oiselle tights above were always just a little bit tighter than I wanted my running tights to be. When I put them on for last Thursday’s run, though, I realized that they were a lot more comfortable.
I’ve noticed a few times that my short shorts, which I use when running on the treadmill sometimes, also fit a lot better.
It’s not always about the number — it’s about how your clothes fit and how you feel. Sometimes those two things are inextricably intertwined.
I didn’t even know it was inspiring
I’ve been drinking yogi teas for years. I never looked at the little tags, assuming they just said “yogi tea” or something, like most teas. Little did I know, until someone posted a photo one day, that there are inspiring little sayings on the tags for the tea bags!
Come run Utah with me
In case you missed it, on yesterday’s post (click here for the post) there’s a giveaway for a free entry to the Utah Valley Marathon (three race distances to choose from!). Good luck!
Bandit update
Really not sure there’s anything to report this week. Which is a good thing. So I’ll just share some photos. Bandit is getting a bit comfortable, as shown in the video I shared on Instagram on Tuesday.
Talk to me. Tell me in the comments:
What’s your favorite tea flavor (assuming you drink tea)?
Do your furkids suddenly surprise you by getting into something they’ve ignored?
Do you have to worry about the paws test when buying clothes?
I’m linking up with Amanda at Running with Spoons for her:
Chocolaterunsjudy 
LOL, not only do I have to worry about the paws test, but I also have to worry about bunny nibbles and scratches. I have nibble holes in about 4 tops, including my beloved Seahawks hoodie, from the bunny I babysit daily. I don’t even go near an animal if I have a sweater on, haha! 😀
Good job on keeping that winter weight off! I think that’s awesome!!
Teavana had a chocolate mint tea they sold over the holidays. I know that may not sound that good, but it was absolutely fabulous. I wish I had a pound of it to sip on throughout the year.
Beware of that Utah elevation! It’s an air suck for sure! I see it starts at 6000 then goes down to 4500. Looks like a great course!
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I didn’t say I kept winter weight off, I think it just helped that I was lower to start with. And I’ve been super hungry this week (lack of sun?). Despite eating healthy, I’ve been eating too much. Next week will be my WI for Feb, and the last couple of weeks have been stressful. It is what it is.
I LOVE chocolate mint tea. Remember my trick — make it with milk (I use almond milk usually) instead of water, & it’s like a skinny hot chocolate.
From my research, it’s not completely downhill. RDs always lie. But we’ll be doing some vacationing ahead of time, so hopefully I can get acclimated.
If not, it’ll just be really slow . . . hopefully!
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Love Teavana!!! That chocolate mint – yum!
And Yes, I had a hard time breathing while running in Denver – mile high.
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I’ve run in Denver & never really had a problem. Sedona was a lot more challenging, actually. For me.
While of course I’ll do my best, that one won’t be about PRs. It’ll be all about the scenery!
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Yay for free weight watchers and easier runs! My favorite tea is Earl Grey. Paw test for clothes….yes.
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Not sure I’ll be free in Feb . . . we’ll see! But I’ve been doing better than I have in the past few year, so I’m happy.
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Never tried Yogi tea – buy Tazo sometimes but prefer the leaves.
12 paws!! I have had 5 cats but only 3 like to climb on me. It’s like furniture. My clothes have holes, pulls and fur. Real cashmere – not I sure I have any but plenty of the imitation.
I love fashion too. One of the perks about working, you get to dress up and wear makeup everyday. And going out frequently. In fact, I have a birthday dinner tonight 😉
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I def have clothes that I don’t wear at home! My dogs are brutal.
I love tea… I drink all kinds… right now my fav is a tea forte Ginger Lemon Grass but it’s always changing. I drink English Breakfast every morning.
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I do green tea every morning. Not a big fan of black tea.
The dogs aren’t so bad, but Gizmo (the cat) — worse then clawing my clothes, he goes right through and scratches my leg when my husband sneezes & he pushes off my lap (that’s Gizmo pushing off, not my husband, LOL).
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Oh man… the paw test. My cat lives on my lap and sometimes digs her claws into my leg or pants. It drives me nuts, but she’s more than worth it!
Is that a jumper than you are wearing in that pic? It’s adorable!
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No, no jumpers. I’m not sure which photo you mean, but I know I don’t have any jumpers!
Gizmo digs in those back claws to propel himself off of me when something startles him. My husband sneezing, the dogs barking at the UPS truck, my husband opening a soda can.
The only reason it bothers me is because it’s painful!
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Oh yes, the dreaded paw test. I also have to worry about the dreaded fur test – as in, I absolutely, positively, must wait until the very last minute prior to leaving the house to put on black clothing and I must ensure that each vehicle is well stocked with lint rollers. Good grief! But, like you, I love my fur babies. ❤
I do drink tea but I haven't tried the Yogi tea yet. I am a big fan of the Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice flavor. Yum!
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I warn people all the time not to wear black here! It always seems to fall on deaf ears, but you can’t say I didn’t try. Really doesn’t matter how much/recently I’ve vacuumed those couches.
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Yes! I always have to think of all possible furkid accidents with new clothes / furniture / blankets haha, but we don’t mind.
I love tea, especially in the winter it is perfect to warm you up, all flavours welcome!
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