The Importance of Shaving Your Legs

Hello dear friends!

I haven't really written a blog post since the end of the last challenge, so I felt like it was time for some updates! I have also had some great things happening lately, which I am excited to share.

First of all, if you've read any of my last couple of blog posts, you know my husband's hand was broken from his bachelor party. Well, we finally were able to afford an MRI and we can say that his hand is *healed* he just has a bad case of tendinitis now! He is going to physical therapy for this, but we hope it's all good soon!

Secondly, we have decided that within a year we'd like to move! YIPPEE!! Pretty much my biggest dream in life has been to leave Iowa...and we are finally taking action on it!

Third, we are *hopefully* taking our honeymoon in December to ITALY! AHHHHHHHHHH! We haven't exactly booked it yet, but the Universe always works with me on things like this, soooooo please send me some positive energy.

Anywho, the real reason I am writing this post is because I just shaved my legs. You read that right: I shaved my legs.

Why is this so important you ask?? Well, let me tell you a story....

So my husband and I fight occasionally. One night it was brought to my attention that I don't really try very hard in our relationship...I only do what is necessary and I never really go out of my way to do anything JUST for my hubby. Normally, I would just be emotional and cry because I do have years and years of pent up sadness within my heart. But instead, I decided that yes, he was right, and that I needed to change that.

So, I looked up a few things on how to be a better wife... I know this sounds ridiculous, but I did. And I actually took some steps.

During the summer, I do sleep au natural, but that just doesn't cut it in Iowa in the winter. So, I have decided that I would keep it warmer in the house and instead of wear sweats and a tank to sleep, I would buy a little sexy nightie. Now, this nightie I ended up buying isn't the MOST sexy...it's a little big, but it's sexier than sweats...My hubby was quite flabbergasted when I wore it to bed one night. When I do something different or catch him off guard, he laughs...which I never know if it's a good or bad laugh. So he laughed when he saw me and asked if it looked good or if I should take it back. He said it looked good and to keep it. My confidence and self esteem went up a little!

Then one day a couple weeks ago, I read a blog post from Sarah Jenks, a chick I absolutely love. She and her hubby just went to Paris. This blog post has inspired me so much! I've included a link to it: http://sarahjenks.com/uncategorized/pregnant-in-paris-learning-to-live-better. To maybe sound weird, but her taking this trip helped me fulfill my destiny as well. I had been doing a few of those things before I read the blog post, but many of them came about because of it.

I also am reading "Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I learned while living in Paris" by Jennifer L Scott. I am not going to base my life on the principles of French living, but there are so many wonderful things to take away from it! These are a few things:

I have been trying to build a better wardrobe. This started a couple months ago by watching a Sarah Jenks video from her Live More, Weight Less series. She said something to the effect that when you walk into your closet, you should love everything in it and the clothes should make you feel happy. This was not happening for me for a long time. I was keeping clothes that I should keep because they were nice work clothes, or keeping them in case I lost weight again. I had a closet of clothes that didn't make me happy or that I couldn't fit into, which reminded me of my weight gain. I've slowly been getting rid of items for a while and replacing them with things I do love.

And along with a lot of other things I just mentioned, I found myself putting forth effort and achieving great results. I cooked my hubby dinner and catered to him while he was (still is) sick with a cold. These things really made him feel super loved, and they were easy! My favorite thing he says is "I feel very in love with you right now" because it's so much different than "I love you," and he's been saying that a lot the past few days!

So, along with these changes, I have further realized that I simply wasn't being the person I wanted to be for a looooong time. And who's to blame for that? Only me. So I decided to write down what I want in my life: joy, laughter, adventure, love, fulfillment. These things are now my guiding lights. I want to read more, pamper myself more, go for walks more. I worked at an arboretum and botanical garden but rarely actually go walk around...this is silly. I have started taking walks a couple times a week. So serene, a great time to center myself and talk to the Universe (I actually asked the Universe for something yesterday and we got it today!). I have also taken my dogs for 2 walks this week!

I have also started doing my make up a little differently. I have stopped wearing eyeliner because it always looks trashy by the end of the day. I have found a mascara I LOVE with really makes my eyelashes look amazing, so I have been doing a beautiful eyeshadow and just some mascara with blush. Totally low-key but really highlights my natural beauty (very French). This makes me feel SO BEAUTIFUL. I have posting a few more selfies lately because I feel so darn beautiful and I feel proud! Before, I would never want people to think I'm vain or whatever, but now I don't care-I want to show that I not only look gorgeous, but feel gorgeous.

Another thing that is totally random that has added to my personal value is eating on nice plates and drinking from nice cups. This is apparently something French people do: always use the special occasion items so life always feels like a special occasion.You know, I just graduated college about a year and a half ago and I was still holding onto some of my plastic plates and cups....I found myself using them more because I didn't want to, I don't know, mess up the glass cups and nice places? What my mind was really telling me was that I wasn't worth using the nice stuff. So I got rid of (most of) them! My hubby bought us pretty square plates recently, and they are sooo fun. I LOVE eating from them! I have also been drinking from my glass cups and feel happier. WEIRD RIGHT? We also want to buy new glasses and I just found some super pretty ones at Pier 1 Imports. We don't need many, so why not splurge and buy something that I will love?? (I even have a $10 off coupon! :p)

Last night, I also posted a photo of myself in February 2012, a time where I was at my lowest adult weight. With all the other positive changes in my life, I feel so empowered, so I decided that it is time to take my weight seriously again. I am certainly not going to go to the gym 6 days a week, but I am going to incorporate exercise in my everyday life (which is how French women stay so fit!) and maybe occasionally actually work out (I did 15 minutes of Jillian Michaels last night...whoo!)

And finally, to my legs. I did catch the cold my hubby has had for 2 weeks, but I have really been nuking it with tea, grapefruit (more vitamin C than oranges!), and resting. I went to work, but I'm so thankful to have a great job and boss who encouraged me to take a half day to rest. So I did. I've taken 2 baths today, read, and relaxed. My second bath was reaching it's end and I thought maybe I should shave my legs. At first, I thought to myself, well Randall doesn't want to have sex tonight, so it doesn't matter. But then, I changed my mind because I wanted to feel beautiful FOR MYSELF. And who knows, maybe he'll change his mind? (he's actually sleeping on the couch right now...wore out from his first day back to work!) But then again, all the other times I didn't shave my legs led me to NOT WANT to have sex with my husband the next day...Self sabotaging myself without even knowing it! My hubby and I both deserve to have rockin' sex!

So there you have it...I feel my life changing in the way I've always wanted it to! I feel soooo happy and I know that good things are going to come my way.

Props if you read the whole thing!