Places

What have we been up to?  So far this summer, we have...

made a trip to the Los Angeles Natural History Museum...

spent a couple days at the pool...

watched the Angels beat the Mariners...

hiked and played at Crystal Cove state park...

toured the grounds and made adobe homes at Mission San Juan Capistrano...

and it has only been two weeks!  In years past I have tended to overbook our summer with camps and activities but this year I took a different approach. I wanted to share with the kids all the amazing places we have around Southern California.  We usually take these places for granted being right in our backyard and don't tend to actually visit.  So far it has made for the best summer yet and I am excited to keep going on our list.

Have a happy weekend.

The Piperlime Lime Tag Sale

One sale that gets me every time is the bi-annual Piperlime Lime Tag Sale.  There is always a ton of merchandise to choose from and incredible prices across the board.  It also falls at the perfect time to update your summer vacation wardrobe.  Win-win for everyone!  These are some of my favorite picks but you can shop the entire sale here.  And make sure you visit soon...the merchandise goes quick!

Mara Hoffman Strapless Mini Dress

Soft Joie Carney

Cynthia Vincent Flora

Clover Canyon Neoprene Skirt

Joie Maretta Linen Pant

Haute Hippie Floral Silk Trouser Short

Product Review: The Sambazon Three Day Cleanse

Since I mentioned when we started and shared some of my favorites meals, it only seems right that I do an official review of the Sambazon Three Day Cleanse.  

The Juices
I was a bit unsure of how packaged juices would taste but I was pleasantly surprised.  The Prepare juice was a kick in the morning with Cayenne pepper waking you up.  The Purifying juice tasted extremely similar to one of my favorite green juices from Whole Foods so this was a great addition to lunchtime.  My favorite juice was the Purifying juice because, well, there was cocoa in it.  It was actually a delicious afternoon treat that provided just the amount of dessert you needed while eating so clean.

The Recipes
I know I mentioned this in my Roasted Beet and Orange Salad post but the food was my favorite part of the cleanse.  Sambazon provided extremely flavorful meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks that allowed you to eat through the cleanse but kept it extremely clean and purifying.  I will warn you that it definitely took some planning to ensure you had everything you needed.  I went to the grocery with the list they provided and loaded up on everything we needed.  I would then plan a day ahead to ensure the hubby had all the food he needed for his meals at work.  I did feel that I was cooking a lot but that was not because the cleanse required an abnormal amount of cooking.  It just meant that I have taken a break from the kitchen and this was a big wake up call to get back in there!

How It All Went
Three days on a strict diet had it's ups and downs.  The first day was really hard for me.  I already eat every three hours so instead of feeling like I was eating more frequently, I simply felt that my portions were made smaller and I was starving at times.  I did not intend to do this cleanse for weight loss purposes so there were times when I would throw an additional snack in there but is came directly from their recipes to ensure I was keeping with the foods they recommended.  Day one I added two additional snacks (one in the afternoon with the juice and one before bed) and it was just what I needed.  The hubby actually did great on the first day and I think handled the transition much better than I did.   

The second day was much easier for me while much harder for the hubby.  I was getting into my groove and my body was beginning to acclimate to the cleanse.  I think my hubby's metabolism was getting a jump start and by the second day he was getting a bit more hungry thanks to the eating every three hours.  For someone who eats very minimal amounts during the day at work, this was great because he needs to eat more than he does while at the office.  I was having fun making the meals too and both of us agreed that everything at this point was pretty fantastic.

By the final day we were both feeling great and excited that this was it!  We had made it!  I felt hydrated, refreshed and just more healthy overall.  It had felt great to eat so many fruits and vegetables over the past three days.  The dinner on the third night was one of our favorite recipes from the three days and so it made for a perfect way to end.

What About Weight Loss?

I ate larger portions than Sambazon stated, threw in a few extra snacks and I still lost a few pounds, which was something I was trying to avoid.  The hubby also lost weight during the cleanse in the short amount of time.  I am sure for both of us there was a lot of water weight lost but it is something to go into understanding that if you do not want to lose weight and simply cleanse, you will need to adjust your portion sizes.

Would I Do This Again?
Absolutely.  The way Sambazon designed the cleanse, we both never felt deprived of food or nourishment.  If anything, it was a great reminder that we need to cook with even more vegetables than we currently do.  I will also be making these recipes again, cleanse or not.  They were that good.

There you have it!  If you have any additional questions about it, do not hesitate to leave a comment of email me.  

* Sambazon provided the cleanse to both my husband and myself but all opinions are 100% ours.

The Little Blue Birdie

How cute are these wooden travel games by The Little Blue Birdie?

Travel Wooden Memory Game - $10

Travel Wooden Tic Tac Toe Game - $16

Wooden Bead Set - $6

Such easy ways to keep the littles occupied while traveling this summer.

The Best

When I first started Juggling in Heels, I did it because I love to write.  Sure sharing my love for my family, friends and fashion is a blast but getting to spend a few moments each day to put my thoughts into words is where I find my calm.  Who knew something more would come from it.

A few months ago, Orange Coast Magazine reached out to find some of my favorites in Orange County.  I casually sent off a list of some of my favorite restaurants and shops to help add to their list, not assuming any of them would be picked.  To my surprise, they actually picked six of my suggestions and asked me to do the 50-60 word write up on each.

Writing the drafts, working with the editor and confirming the facts was such an awesome experience and I could not wait for the issue to go to print.  Once the middle of June hit I knew the issue would be arriving any day so I was like a child, checking the mail everyday while crossing my fingers that it had arrived.  The day it showed up and I saw my name under the heading "Contributing Writers", I could not contain my excitement.  I know that there are a lot of writers out there that write a ton of articles but I was still crazy excited about it.

I never expected an opportunity like this to come from writing this blog.  NEVER.  But isn't that the best part of life?  You never really know what to expect and if you do not try something, you never know where it might lead.

And now you all have to go grab an issue!  

What were my "Best Of's"?  The pieces on Bardot (boutique), Cinepolis (A dine in movie experience), Anqi Bistro (restaurant), 370 Common (restaurant), Cucina Enoteca (restaurant) and of course, the Neiman Marcus shoe department.

I hope everyone is having a great start to the week!

Roasted Beet and Orange Salad with Caraway Seeds

We were able to make it to Day 3 of the Sambazon Cleanse!  I will admit, the first day was HARD.  I was craving bread and chocolate all day and even though there was plenty of food and juices to keep me full, I wanted what I love...CARBS!  By Day 2 it was starting to click and I began to notice the benefit of eating clean.  Today is the last day and I have to say, I am glad we did it!

One thing I have loved about this cleanse is the food.  Sambazon did a great job of creating extremely clean and healthy meals that have provided MUCH more flavor that I was expecting.  I have been making everything the day before so that the hubby can bring it all to work and we really have had a great menu of items.  This recipe for the Roasted Beet and Orange Salad with Caraway Seeds has been one of my favorite (it was lunch yesterday).  I love beet salad and the flavors, colors and light dressing just feels like summer.

What you need:
2 large beets, scrubbed
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 oranges, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 c. beet greens
1 c. baby spinach
4 tsp balsamic vinegar 
2 tsp caraway seeds
4 tbsp hemp hearts
salt (optional)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Place the beets in a roasting pan and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil
3. Roast for 45 minutes
4. Cool to room temperature and then cut into bite size pieces
5. Place beets in a salad bowl and add the oranges, greens and spinach
6. In another bowl, combine the remaining oil with the vinegar, seeds and salt
7. Pour over the salad and toss.  Garnish with hemp hearts

Other items that we have eaten from the cleanse that were pretty good?  This Red Potato and Green Bean Salad that tastes way better than it looks.

And this Open-Faced Veggie Burger with Avocado and Organic Side Salad which we actually packed up to bring to an Angels game.  It was delicious and as you can see, piled with so many yummy things, but I still missed having a beer and hot dog!

Have a great weekend!

* recipe courtesy of Sambazon

What I Wore: Black and Denim

Black and Denim.

Simple, chic and easy to pull together in just a few minutes.

My comfort zone.

And from Wednesday to Sunday I lived in it.

Dress: Current/Elliott / Belt: J.Crew / Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Clutch: Club Monaco / Cuff: Last Call Neiman Marcus / Earrings: Kendra Scott

Dress: Helmut Lang (similar) / Shoes: MICHAEL Michael Kors / Clutch: Kirna Zabete for Target / Bracelet: David Yurman

Tank: Rebecca Taylor / Jeans: Tory Burch / Jacket: Patterson J. Kincaid / Shoes: Prabal Garung for Target

Left: Denim Shirt: Madewell / Dress: Sen via Bardot
Right: Shirt: J.Crew / Jeans: Hudson Jeans

Let the Cleanse Begin!

So today is the day.  The hubby and I begin our three day purifying cleanse by Sambazon.  When they reached out to me regarding the cleanse, I originally said no.  It was just not my thing.  There was no way I could live on juices alone for three days.  After further discussion I learned that this cleanse actually included a good amount of food but was extremely clean eating, working together with the juices to detox.  Food while juicing?  Now this I could potentially do.

After no caffeine or alcohol for the last three days, eating every three hours and purchasing more vegetables, fruits, seeds, and oils than I ever have (see below), we are now ready to do this!

I will definitely let you know what I think at the end and definitely share some of the recipes if they taste as good as they look.  Three days cannot be that bad, can it?

The Pleated Maxi

When it comes to wearing something simple yet still looking chic, the pleated maxi skirt tends to be one of my favorites.  Not only do they come in an assortment of colors but everything else you wear can be easy breezy simple and you still look pulled together.  My favorites items to top the skirt are a simple black tank and sandals, along with a denim shirt for when the summer night becomes a bit chilly.  The entire looks reads effortless.  

Skirts from left: Ted Baker (on sale) / MANGO / TopShop / Ted Baker (on sale)

Denim Shirt: Madewell / Tank: James Perse (on sale) / ALDO

Lazy

It started with Friday.  It was the last day of school.  I had been anticipating this day for so long that I couldn't contain my excitement.  Summer was officially beginning at 11am and we were all ready for a little fun.  I completely forgot about a post and was wrapped up in the celebration with the three kids and our friends.  

Then the weekend hit and it was filled with a soccer tournament, graduation parties, family reunion, dinner at a friends, and of course, Father's Day.  It was late nights, lots of friends and family, so much fun and ended with complete exhaustion.  I did have plans to write a post for today, I really did.  But then last night when I had the chance to do so, I choose to watch Million Dollar Listings New York (don't judge) instead with the hubby, embracing the fact that we were finally sitting down.

And then it all ends with this morning.  Again, I planned on waking up early before the kids woke up to write up a fabulous post for all of you.  Unfortunately I realized at 6:30am that this was the official first day of summer and I would be crazy to not take advantage.  It took only a second for me to roll over and go back to sleep.  It is not very often that I get to be lazy and it felt SO GOOD.

The laziness is now over though and I must get this house back in order (DISASTER) and prep for some fun plans we have this week.  Summer is here which means three little ones are going to be looking to me for fun and I need to be at the top of my game.  It also means that I will be posting regularly again.  I hope everyone is having a great start to the week!

Just Thinking...

Tomorrow is the last day of school.  I do not know who is more excited, me or the kids.

I have discovered that Baby Girl needs her beauty sleep.  It is actually amazing how much her personality changes when she is tired.  The teenage years are going to be fantastic.

I gave up caffeine.  Who knew I had it in me.  I still like a warm drink in the morning so now I drink decaf which makes me one of those people who drinks coffee without caffeine which I have always found strange and now that is me.

In case you were wondering, I will never give up wine.

Next week the hubby and I are doing a three day juice cleanse.  This one involves food because I could NEVER not eat food for three days.  It is also only three days because I am not that committed to giving up indulgence for too long.  I am also already looking forward to the wine and food I am going to eat the day after so I am potentially a bad person for this all together.

My Middle Man continues to state that he is going to live in Washington D.C. when he is older because he is going to be the President.  I expect you all to vote for him.

The last time I did a post like this was the week before Spring Break which leads me to believe that my brain stops working as vacation draws near, I have nothing to say and so you get this.

My Oldest is now going into 3rd grade.  3RD GRADE!  I am waaayyy too young to have a third grader.  

I just picked up this Sen dress from Bardot.  Such a fab summer staple.

On the list for movies I want to see are The Great Gatsby (I KNOW!  Cannot believe I haven't seen it yet), the Lone Ranger and Man of Steel.  Just call me a Leo/Johnny/Henry fan.  

My triathlon training is back in full swing....FINALLY.  

I watched Real Housewives of Orange County last night and I continue to ask myself, if you are not married, and have no children, how are you a housewife?  Very deep thoughts on a Tuesday night.

There you have it!

A Lighter Chocolate Milkshake

My kids love sweets.  Surprise surprise right?  Ice Cream, cookies, cupcakes, candy.  They love it all.  This is to be expected with a mother who also has a slight addiction to all things chocolate.  I seem to always be walking the tightrope of not indulging them with sweets but also not being too crazy about it that one day I find candy bars hidden under the mattress.  

To help with the balance I am constantly looking for recipes that offer the sweet flavor my kids love but are not filled with SO much sugar and fat.  I came across a recipe for this lighter Chocolate Milkshake, and thought I would try it out.  

It was a hit with two out of three of the kids (Middle Man is SO picky that this was no surprise at all) and I enjoyed it myself.  With coconut milk, agave, bananas, peanut butter and cocoa powder, it created  a blended drink that provided some nutrition AND tasted like a dark chocolate milkshake.  Is it an In and Out shake?  No.  But it did curb that craving for something sweet and was a refreshing drink on a hot day.  With summer right around the corner this will be a running staple in the house when the ice cream cones feel like they are on overload.

One vs. Two

The one-piece vs. the two-piece.

Every summer I think I am going to venture over to the one-piece side to "try them out".  And each summer I end up in bikinis.  

I want to find a fabulous one-piece, I really do.  And I am not talking about just any one-piece but something that is sophisticated and sexy at the same time.  There are a million of them out there but every time I try them on I actually think they look less flattering on me than a bikini.  How wearing less clothing feels better I do not think I will ever be able to explain but it just does. 

And so this summer begins, with me trying on a few one-pieces that I just didn't like and now I am back to finding some cute bikinis. 

So I ask you.  

Which do you prefer?

Have you made the switch from one to the other? 

We Did It!

Like I said on Friday, the hubby and I ran with friends in the Camp Pendleton World Famous Mud Run this past Saturday morning.

IT WAS AWESOME!

We spent 6.2 miles running up hills, climbing over walls, getting sprayed with fire hoses, crawling under nets and swimming through mud pools and everyone loved every second of it.

I have no idea how long it took us but we made it to the end and linked arms as all 10 of us ran through the finish line.

I CANNOT WAIT to do it again!

We couldn't stop laughing throughout the run and one of my favorites moments was when we were swimming through a mud pool with mud up to our neck and one of my friends yelled out "I cannot believe we are doing this!"

We are all excited about doing it again next year.

When it was all over, I took the best hot shower ever and kicked back at a friend's home with a big glass of wine.

It was the perfect way to re-cooperate.

In other news, I also found the triathlon that I committed to doing this year.

I am so excited and now have two months to get ready for it.

The Mud Run was I all needed for a little more motivation.

Happy Monday!

Friday...

We are almost there.

Baseball has now ended (with a 1st place tournament finish I might add!).

We are all over homework.

School is out next week.

The weather is warming up.

Summer, we are ready.

I mean, REALLY ready.

And as everything winds down, I embark into the weekend extremely apprehensive about tomorrow.  The hubby and I committed to running on a team for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run and now it is here.  Back on January 1st when we were asked to be a part of the team, it sounded like a blast.  Now, when it is a few hours away, I am beginning to ask myself what we were thinking.  Six miles is not the problem.  No, I am not worried about that at all.  It is the fire hoses, mud pools, huge hills, walls and crawling under wire that has me a tad bit nervous.  Everyone keeps telling me that it is going to be a blast, and I am sure it will be, as long as I do not pass out or break any bones along the way.  The plus side is that perhaps it will be like taking a very long, excruciating mud bath and my skin will look fabulous afterward.  Who knows.  Even the promo scares me.

I will be sure to update everyone next week if and when I survive.

If you missed it this week...

I shared one of my favorite closet staples

I pulled together some leather and camo for Spring

I wrote my first contributor post

Baby Girl became a dancer

Happy Weekend

Tiny Dancer

Last week Baby Girl had her first dance recital at her preschool. 

 It was chaotic, kids were everywhere, no one was doing the same thing at the same time.

And it was AMAZING.  

I loved every second of it and so did she.

Dance class, here we come.

Five Summertime Must-Have Accessories

Today I am over at My Thirty Spot sharing my five Summertime Must-Have Accessories.

Come over and visit here!

Get the Look: Leather and Camo for Spring

Even though the weather is warming up, I am just not ready to get rid of my camo jacket and leather. I absolutely love how this look brings in leather shorts, a casual white shirt and lightweight scarf to make it Spring-ready.  

Jacket: Miss Selfridge (sale!) / Shorts: Madewell (sale!) / T-Shirt: T by Alexander Wang 

Booties: Michael Antonio Massey (sale!) / Scarf: Alexander McQueen / Bracelet: CC SKYE

The Splendid Tunic

Is it Monday already?

This past week was a whirlwind with us returning home from Santa Ynez on Monday, only to prep the house for the arrival of my Best Friend and her family from Chicago on Thursday.  The entire week of friends was awesome but I am a tad bit tired from it all!

On Saturday night I wore my Splendid Always Shirting Pocket Tunic to dinner and my friend asked me about it.  This has happened numerous times and it is one of the few pieces in my closet that I consistently wear (potentially on a weekly basis), that I thought I would share.

I have the tunic in a couple colors and tend to wear them from extremely casual moments to nights out on the town.  The style is extremely versatile, comfortable and flattering.  Here are a few new colors that I am eyeing to add to my collection but there are a TON to choose from.

The Splendid Always Shirting Pocket Tunic in Very Berry, Navy and Clover

Such an easy staple for any closet.

I hope everyone is having a great start to the week and I am REALLY planning to get on track and return to some recipes, looks and some general consistency to my posts.  That being said, I think I need to get some consistency in my life first.  The end of the school year is CRAZY!