Hurricane Sandy Friendly: Easy Chili

I'm deviating from the norm a bit here, and bringing you my recipe for the easiest chili you will ever make. I wanted to share this because, while I'm not directly on the east coast, we have felt the effects of Sandy. It's oh, I don't know....37 degrees outside and snowing - and it's not even November yet. It was just 80 degrees last Tuesday. As they say "If you don't like the weather in Ohio, just wait til tomorrow. It will change." Also, I'm freezing. The puppy keeps telling me he needs to go outside, when really all he wants to do is play Pocahontas and feel the colors of the wind blowing through his floppy ears. Rawr. But I digress...

Here's my recipe for delicious and easy chili. I use ground turkey because we don't eat red meat at our house, but feel free to use ground beef (you could maybe try chicken or steak, too).

Easy Chili

Ingredients:

• 2, 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes


• 2 cans of diced tomatoes (or about 3 cups fresh diced tomatoes)


• 1 can of red kidney beans drained, or 1 can chili beans - do not drain chili beans if you use them


• 1 can of black beans, drained


• 2 packets of chili seasoning (we use hot and spicy :-) )


• 1 lb 85/15 ground turkey, browned and drained


• 1 yellow onion, diced

Directions:

• Dump all ingredients into a crock pot (4 qt. and higher sizes) and mix well


• Let simmer on low all day if you like, or about 2 hours on high


• Eat with cheese, sour cream, or whatever plays your fiddle


• Serve with delicious corn bread

Makes about 16, 1-cup servings, at about 167 calories per serving, 22 carbs, 6 g fiber, 10 g protein, 5 g fat, and 239 mg of sodium

Here's a photo of my last batch, because I am lazy haha

Cat Calls - No, I don't have to be OK with it....

So with all of the body love posts, and the anti-breast bullying posts, I've had this kind of topic on my mind for a while. I experienced breast bullying a lot when I was growing up. Nothing entirely too hateful, but enough people made comments about the size for me to feel ashamed of the size of my breasts.

Fast forward to Halloween this year. For any of my Facebook fans, you've seen the pictures that I have posted from Saturday night when my husband and I dressed up and went out. I was a pirate wench, and he was my scurvy pirate dog :-D

Costume: "Vixen Pirate Wench" by Leg Avenue, size 3X-4X. Under garments include: Curvy Kate Emily bra, my own pantaloons, and SPANX tight-end high waisted opaque black tights (FTW love these tights).

As the night went on, and many drinks were had.....this is how I looked:

[caption id="attachment_458" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Beginning of the night; my bra is totally showing....[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_459" align="aligncenter" width="225"] OMG Boobs! I actually kind of love the volume in my breasts here[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_460" align="aligncenter" width="225"] And ended with me wearing my husband's pirate wig, a sloppy smile, and lots of boobs.[/caption]

There was quite a lot of feedback about a status I posted on my page, and there was a comment given that is one I have heard before: you have big boobs, you need to have confidence to go with it because people are going to say negative/positive things. That comment really bothered me, as it's not something that's new to my ears, and I think that it can really be viewed as hurtful.

I've thought about that comment, and thought about the reactions that I got from folks at the bar. Within 5 seconds of walking into the bar, a woman came up to me and said "OMG! Your boobs are huge! Can I motorboat you?" Me: "No, thanks...", Her: "Can my husband look at your boobs? He's totally a boobs guy!" Me: *walks away*

Ten minutes later, the owner of the bar comes over to talk to a friend of ours and says "Oh hi, boobs."

Admittedly, I "broke the seal" way too early into the evening, so I kept making multiple trips to the restroom (side note: wearing high-waisted tights with every intention of drinking = bad idea). At one point, I came out of the bathroom and passed two young guys. As I was walking away from them, they said to each other "OMG! Did you see her! Her tits are huge!". As my palm itched to turn around and slap them, I just kept walking and sat back down by my husband.

Let's not add in the fact that there was a guy standing maybe 5 feet away from our table that stared at my chest all night long, and when I got up to sing (clearly, the only way to celebrate Halloween is by going to Karaoke :-D ), he would grunt and make awkward noises towards me. Old Elvis also stared me down awkwardly...

[caption id="attachment_462" align="aligncenter" width="225"] He sang "Love Me Tender"[/caption]

I tried to let the comments just kind of slide off my skin. And I was cool with it. Obviously, I wore something revealing, and my boobs are not tiny (something another girl talked with me about in the bathroom - she sympathized, being a HH and all - commiseration was nice). However, what got under my skin was the notion that because I have big boobs, I have to be okay with it.

Why do I have to be okay with it? Why do I have to be okay with men/women degrading me into a sex object? Why do I have to be okay with disrespectful comments? As someone else said on my FB page, when you see someone in a dress that has small boobs, you don't go up to them and say "wow! your boobs are tiny! it's too bad they don't fill out that dress! you would look so much better with bigger boobs!".

So, if we don't say that to people who aren't as endowed, then why is it okay to make comments like this to women who ARE full busted? It's a double standard, and a wrong one at that.

Yes, it takes a lot of confidence to be comfortable with your body when you are full busted. But that confidence should not come at the price of having to listen to negative and snarky comments from other people. Confidence doesn't make it okay. For me, it comes down to respect. Respect for other people's bodies.

Now I know that I wasn't at the bar to make friends or necessarily share my personality, my thoughts, my ideals....but at the end of the day, I - like many other people - want to be seen for who I am on the inside, versus the large sweater puppies I have on my chest. I don't know that that's too much to ask.

No, I don't have to be okay with cat calls and remarks about my breast size. Kind of like sexual harassment is all about perspective - not intentions - to me, I felt as though I was being breast bullied. And that's not okay. 

***Have you ever had a similar experience based on something that you wore in public? How did it make you feel? What did you do about it? Let me know in the comments below***

Plus Size Bra Review: Elomi Betty

I promised this review to be posted on Saturday, and then I remembered that I don't really blog/facebook/twitter much on the weekends :-)

Anyways...



 

The Elomi Betty is available in sizes 34 GG-HH, 36-42 D-HH, 44 D-G, and 46 D-DD in the beautiful navy color (and soon in Black/White dot in December). Matching panties available in sizes M-4XL. I paid $68 for the bra, and $32 for the matching panties. I almost cried.

On my trip to size a friend at Nordstrom, I happened to see that they finally started carrying the Betty and matching shorts. I knew I shouldn't have tried it on....because as soon as I did, I had to buy it. I bought the Betty in a 40HH, and the matching shorts in a 2XL.

Pics:



 



 



 

Features: Fully adjustable straps, 3 hook and eyes, plunging center gore, 4 part cups including side sling to push tissue forward, embroidered rose detail, bows on straps and central gore, minimum stretch 1" straps, mesh wings, banded bottom.

Fit: A 40HH is typically the size that I can wear in a lot of Elomi bras. I need a 38J, but a lot of Elomi's styles do not come up to a J-cup (at least not most of the really cute bras). Anyways, I could use a smidge more space on the side of the cups, but overall, the fit is good. I've worn this a few times and even once for more than 5 hours. I do not feel as though I am going to fall out of the cups, as is what usually happens when I wear a plunge bra.

Support and Shape: The support in the Betty is fabulous!! The shape on the other hand.....a tad too point for my tastes. Admittedly, I would love a little more more "oomph".  I would love for my girls to be smushed together a bit more for a bit more of a dramatic cleavage line. See here how it holds up under a few of my low v-neck shirts/dresses:



[caption id="attachment_450" align="alignnone" width="300"]    t-shirt[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_451" align="alignnone" width="300"] wrap dress

Wrap dress[/caption]

 

As you can see, either my purple wrap dress is too low, or the Betty isn't a good option for that dress. You also get more of an understanding of how pointy the Betty is in the side view.

Other Thoughts: I was really surprised by how stiff the material of the Betty was when I first got it. It reminded me of industrial strength netting that you would use to sew strange foundation garments. The panties are made of a similar material, though not as stiff. With multiple washes, the panties have definitely softened up, but the bra is still stiff. The material does not bother my skin, but it feels weird to touch. I do love the novelty of the Betty plunge, but as you can see, it's not ideal for very low necklines, and gives quite a pointy shape. Other than that, the bra is quite comfortable, and you don't fall out of it. I would have loved more oomph in this bra.

The Panty Experience: I did buy the matching panties in a 2XL. There's no clear size conversion for Elomi's panties, but I would say that the 2XL is comparable to a US 18/20. They are definitely much shorter than I am used to wearing (I typically wear full briefs), which is kind of hard to get used to. Also, they are completely sheer - hence no pictures. My husband really appreciates this characteristic, but I was kind of "meh" about it. The material of the panties is kind of slippery; when I wore them with jeans, I felt like my jeans were about to slide off of my bottom because of the panties. (maybe I need smaller jeans...)

Overall Grade: B.....the shape and the oomph of this bra could be improved! 

Also, follow me on Pinterest! :-) 

 

 

Fussy Busty's Thursday Faves 10/25 ....A day late...

I was really busy yesterday, but there are still some great reads this week that I wanted to highlight :-)

 



 

 

We ARE Good Enough  - Oh how I LOVE this post by Erica at A Sophisticated Pair. It's a wonderful read and I don't want to give too much away so that you HAVE to go read it :-)

Breast Bullying  - Claire at The Butterfly Collection talks about what Breast Bullying is and how we can stop it. I grew up with big boobs and always took flack from my family, friends, and even the people that I dated it. It hurts and it needs to stop.

Also, if you didn't know, the girls over at Invest In Your Chest are celebrating their 2nd Blogiversary! Go check out their blog! They have tons of giveaways that you can enter to win :-) 22 days left to go!

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As part of Thursday Faves, I am going to start including any relevant sales that I see on bras. I get all these emails in my inbox that I usually ignore (I am on a bra buying hiatus until after all of my Christmas shopping is finished....I solemnly swear I am up to no good....)

Both BraStop and LoveBras are offering free shipping to UK address and half-off worldwide! Yay for only paying $6 instead of $12 to the US for shipping. Also, they have tons of bras that are up to 75% off on the site (including bikinis!). Good until midnight Sunday 10/28

Bras are BOG1 1/2 off at Lane Bryant's Cacique (for those of you under a UK 44FF)

If you see anything else, feel free to comment :-)

 

Upcoming Reviews:

Elomi 'Betty' plunge bra (40HH)
Panache 'Tango II' Balconnet bra (in a 38J this time)
Elomi 'Energise' Sports Bra (in the sample size 38JJ that Eveden sent me)

 

 

 

 

Where are you, Busty Ladies???

A topic that came up on Miss Underpinnings blog has really hit home for me....

Being a part of the bra blogging community is wonderful, but when you're not physically close to other bloggers, it's hard to stay connected. So many of the FABULOUS blogs I read are either based in the UK, or are located in states that are quite far away from Ohio. The most exciting thing that has happened to me was meeting Suzanne from Eveden (which was really quite exciting). I would love to meet other busty ladies in person!

Anyways, if you're from Ohio (or even close by PA, Indy, or maybe even Kentucky), shoot me a message! I would love to meet you and talk about boobs, bras, and a good fit :-)

 

Plus Size Bra Review: Elomi Sakura

The Elomi Sakura bra is actually a discontinued style, however, the new 'Libby' is built on the same frame. The Libby is available in sizes 36-42 E-JJ and 44 E-G in Raisin/Chocolate for AW '12. Matching panties are available in sizes M-4XL

I remember seeing the navy blue print of the Sakura a while ago on HerRoom's website and didn't buy it. However, a couple weeks ago I happened to find the Sakura in Blossom on eBay in a 40J for only $27.50 (in my mind, quite the deal!). Yes I need 38's, but I really wanted this bra and figured I could take in the band if need be.

Pictures:

[caption id="attachment_430" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Sakura, 40 J[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_431" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Sakura, 40 J[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_432" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Sakura, 40J[/caption]

Features: Fully adjustable, minimal stretch straps, banded bottom, higher central gore - though not as high as the Caitlyn, 3 hooks and eyes, 4 part full coverage cup, bows on straps and center gore, and mesh wings.

Fit: In the 40J, there was a little bit of space in the cups as you can see. Also, I think in general, I'm struggling with how wide the wires are. I know that in Elomi bras, in a 40HH, I still get the same side coverage I need without the really wide wires (you can see in the Sakura that the wires are almost to my back). The wideness of the wires isn't uncomfortable, but it looks silly and I worry that it won't help in the retraining of my migrated tissue. The central gore sits flush against my chest BUT I have found that because of the height of the wires and the non-stretch materials of the cup, the bra tends to shift throughout the day, pushing the central gore away from my chest and giving me a bit of double boob on my bigger side. The band was surprisingly firm in the 40 when I first wore it, but it only took a day of wear for it to relax.

The band is not too tight, but no surprise to me, the bottom of it tends to flip up. The banded part of the bra flipped when I had only had the bra on for a couple minutes! I know that the Libby was often suggested to me when I first started buying bras in my more accurate size, and when I expressed concerns about the banded bottom, I was told not to worry. I think the reality is that I am really quite short waisted, so even the slightest bit of extra material around the wires is uncomfortable for me. Instead of me constantly flipping the band back down, I just let it flip and then go about my day as it is more comfortable without the band pressing on my tummy anyways.

Support and Shape: I very much prefer the shape of the Sakura than my other Elomi bras such as the Briony and the Abi; I feel as though I get much better lift in this bra and the shape is less wide. It might have something to do with the better anchorage of the banded bottom, but I'm no bra constructionist.

Other Thoughts: This bra is soooo pretty. It makes me happy to wear it. Probably not the sexiest thing, but I love all of the sweet touches of femininity on this bra. I wore this bra, and then wore my new Betty (review to come after a few more wears), which has led me to truly appreciate plunge bras as I love the lower central gores.

I would definitely recommend the Libby to anyone who is looking for a full coverage bra that provides great support and shape, without being as overwhelming (and work horse-like) as the Caitlyn.

Grade: A

Ambition is Bigger Than Time....

More and more, I keep thinking this is what I want to do. I want to own a lingerie boutique. I want to fit women and change their lives!

I also want to own a bakery. And a restaurant. And a craft store.

I have the tendency to start many, many projects and then have myself spread thin. Like right now? I work full time, I'm finishing up my master's, we got another dog in August (yikes, potty and puppy training), I have a very successful Etsy wedding favors store, we're working on starting a handmade soap business, and I have all those buckeyes to drill holes into and make into necklaces and wreaths, etc. We're also listing our condo for sale in the Spring to move closer to my family (2 hours away). Oh, did I mention that I'm an avid crocheter? I'm actively looking for a teaching job that I can start up after graduation, too. Yesterday, my husband and I started working on our massive combined family trees (with my Dad's side of the family's lineage dating all the way back to 1700's Germany...).....The # of pots we have our hands in right now is insane.

But, as I was sitting and talking to my uncle's sister on Saturday, telling her about bras and fit and the brands I love for a half hour - poor girl, I chat her ear off - I kept thinking "This is what I want to do!". But I've thought that about so many of my other projects. And yes, somehow, the schedule always works out, and I am able to get everything done. But how would I start a lingerie boutique?

I wish I was the kind of person that could choose one thing to be passionate about and devote all of my time towards that one thing. There are pros and cons to being the way I am (see: unfocused), and sometimes I only see the pros and others just the cons. Admittedly, I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Just kind of stream of consciousness.

In other news, I'm hosting my first bra fit workshop in a couple weeks! I am aching to share what I have learned and what I know with the women in my life, so I'm inviting a group of ladies over to my house to talk about bras, how they should fit, and how they can help their friends and family, too. Obviously, I have nothing to sell except for the big message: every woman should know how a bra is supposed to fit her, that way she can make an informed decision when she is out shopping, or when she is fit by someone in a store (i.e. Victoria's Secret, Lane Bryant, etc...).

I guess in a way, this is my contribution to the people in my life. I can't actually start a lingerie boutique right now, but at least I can help to educate other women :-)

And now, I have probably spent enough time distracting myself from my thesis...

Happy Monday!