High Five for Friday - Link up, Vol. 12

It has been a few weeks, but I'm back linking up again for this week's...

with Lauren @From My Grey Desk

So here are my 5 favorite things from this week:

ONE. Cupcakes...yummy, delicious, OMG I have to have another one, cupcakes...

Need I say more?! :D

TWO. I have a new-found love for Zico's chocolate coconut H2O...

It's amazing...anyone else addicted too?

THREE. This is a BIG one...since starting up Crossfit & running, I have successfully lost 13-14 lbs, lost a total of 9-10 inches off of my body (from neck, chest, arms, waist, etc), gone down 2 pants sizes and decreased my body-fat percentage. 

I plan on posting some before & after photos in a separate post.

FOUR. My July Birchbox arrived

Birchbox teamed up with Glamour magazine this month to create a box based on Glamour's "Five Senses of Summer" issue. I'll have a separate post featuring its contents - but let me just say, I got some cool stuff this month!! :)

FIVE. The Crossfit Games are happening right now!! 

source

If someone asked me a year ago, if I'd be interested in watching/paying attention to these games, I would have told them that they were insane. But I am so wrapped up in it, it's ridiculous!! :) The men & women competing are just ridiculously fit...I'm amazed!

Can't wait to see others' favorite things that are linking up this week!
Thanks for hosting Lauren :P

Addicted to Pinterest!

My name is Kristin and I'm addicted to Pinterest. There, I've said it!

And honestly, I'm not ashamed one bit. :)

Do I check it first thing in the morning to make sure I haven't missed anything that my other friends have pinned? Yes.

Do I check it before I got to bed to get one last fill of it? Yes.

My simple, daily Pinterest routine: (1) Check the pins from my followers & repin/like any that I choose, (2) Go to the Popular tab and repin/like any that I find there.

Here are some of my favorite pins from recently:

*My sister's art:

Pinned here (Art/Print Board)

*Portobello, broccoli & red pepper melts...Mmmm!

Pinned here (Favorite Recipes Board)

*DIY "Where I've Been" corkboard -love this idea!

Pinned here (Craftiness Board)

*Great summer look - I'm really into blazers right now!

Pinned here (My Style Board)

*Great idea to make sure you get your water intake for the day!

Pinned here (Fitness Board)

*These are just adorable little cupcakes & perfect for a spring party

Pinned here (Entertaining Board)

Friends Seen in April

I know this is a pretty belated post...but nonetheless, I wanted to post about 2 good friends that I got to see in the month of April. The first was my good friend Jenna and her husband Cam...both friends from high school. She and her husband live down near L.A. and asked me to come visit for my bday/Easter weekend! I was thrilled to visit them and have something fun to do for my big bday! We had so much fun...

FRIDAY

HUGE margaritas and yummy appetizers at Baja Cantina

SATURDAY

Bike ride along Venice Beach

Birthday beers along the Promenade while watching March Madness game

More HUGE margaritas for Jenna & Cam while at the Promenade

Celebrating bday at a bar, after dinner at Wabi Sabi (such good sushi)!

And then Sunday for Easter, we went to a nice dinner at a waterfront restaurant...I had such a nice time and we had great food & drinks around the L.A. area!!
I can't wait to go back and visit them again :)

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Then, a few weeks later, my good friend from high school, Katie, came to Monterey to visit me! I was super-excited because other than my sister and Jenna & Cam (who had come to Monterey for Thanksgiving dinner), Katie is the only other visitor I have had!

We had a few days packed full of trips and lots to do

FRIDAY

Lunch on the municipal wharf and a walk down the commercial wharf to get Katie a sample of clam chowder...Mmmmm!

Dinner at Peppers in P.G. and some beers at a local British pub

SATURDAY

SAN FRAN!!

The Stinking Rose for lunch

Yummy treats from Kara's Cupcakes in Ghirardelli Square

And a trolley ride through the city

SUNDAY

Whale watching in Monterey Bay...we saw 2 groups of killer whales!

And the Monterey Bay aquarium...hot pink FLAMINGOS!! :)

Overall, I had so much fun on BOTH trips...and it was so good to catch up with great friends. The only thing that would have made the month even better is if I had gotten to see our other good friend, Manzo! The 3 of us were inseparable back in the day, cruising around So. Illinois! I wish us girls all lived closer to one another, but at least we still have fun times like these! :)