Photo A Day: Week 12

Another busy week in the books!

clean eats - Mexican bowls with brown rice, black beans & taco seasoned turkey

reading new magazines from my trainer

Toby hanging out ;)

getting my workouts done!

working on my Scentsy "homework" for a special leadership group I'm completing

balance work during my daily workout - have you tried standing on a pillow? ha

Eric's new knife...he needs another like a hole in the head! :p

Workout Progress

I know Jenn & Nikki aren't doing the linkup, but I have found that it helps keep me accountable by sharing...so I will probably continue to do so. I also text my daily workouts to my trainer, but that will be ending in another 4 weeks (at least until I can save up for more sessions!), so with this in place as well, I hope to stay motivated. ha

Sunday, March 16 - home strength training #2 (workout designed by Abby)
Monday, March 17 - 1 hour training session with Abby
Tuesday, March 18 - home strength training #2 (workout designed by Abby) + walked 1 mile with Leslie Sansone Walk at Home (YouTube)
Wednesday, March 19 - walked 3 miles with Leslie Sansone Power Walk (YouTube)
Thursday, March 20 - rest day
Friday, March 21 - home strength training #2 (workout designed by Abby)

Saturday, March 22 - home strength training #2 (workout designed by Abby)

I am also switching over to a clean eating plan versus the paleo plan. It is not quite as strict as paleo, which I think will help me stick to it. The more I am denied, the more I crave something! ha I've got my food planned out for the week and that always helps as well.

5QF - YAY!

Mama's 5 Question Friday is baaaaaaccckkk! *happy dance* It's back for only this week! *sad face*


I'm excited, even if it is only for one week...so hopefully you'll link up today!

- - -

1. If I had 5 minutes alone with Mother Nature, I would tell her...
If I had time alone with Mother Nature, I wouldn't do much talking...I'd give her the beat down of her life. Joking. But seriously. I am OVER this crazy weather. We get one beautiful, lovely, sunny, amazing day. And then...and then? It snows. It's 30 below. I am tired of the germs and crankiness exhibited by many. So Mother Nature, take a pill and get over it! How about letting us have our spring and summer?!?

2. If you could eat only one thing for a whole week, what would it be?
I eat a lot of chicken. I like chicken, but honestly...if I could only eat one thing, it would have to include a few more food groups, like pizza! ha I love love pizza. I could easily eat it for a whole week. ;)

3. What is your favorite season and why?
FALL! I love autumn weather. The days are still sunny and fairly long, but you also get to enjoy not sweating to death all the time. I enjoy seeing the leaves change color and being able to wear jeans/sweatshirts. Fall also brings on bonfires with friends and college football!

4. Do you have a meal that you are AMAZING at making? If so, share the recipe!
I do have some meals that my hubby loves...however, I can't say they are anything special. Ya know? If there's a recipe, I can follow it and generally have no problems with it turning out. One of my favorite Pinterest recipes (that the family enjoys) is Bubble Up Enchiladas. Yum! It's so easy and you can make it as spicy as you want. Just search for it on Pinterest...you'll find it! ha

5. What has changed in your life since the last 5QF? (8/2/13 was the last one!)
Where do I start?? Sooooo  many changes have taken place since the last 5QF. I was still dealing with blood clots and had 2 more visits to the hospital after that date. I lost my job of 3 years and spent 6 months unemployed, having now been at my new gig for the past month. I started exercising with a personal trainer and have truly enjoyed the past 7 weeks...4 more to go! We enjoyed family time at Christmas and Valentine's Day saw my sister-in-law getting engaged. We lost a very special person in my husband's family (his maternal grandmother) and recently spent time with his family picking out special pieces to remember his mamaw and papaw by from their home. We also went to court seeking more time with my step-daughters and unfortunately the law did not prevail on the right side....so we are still dealing with an evil troll for every single moment Eric is entitled to with his children (while paying off a hefty lawyer's bill).

Photo A Day: Week 11

Is it really only the 11th week of the year? Seems like we've been at this a bit longer and yet I still struggle to write 2014 instead of my automatic response of 2013. haha

black premium leather Carly bag - carried it for a few months, but looking to sell it! (let me know if you're interested)

my cubicle window - we got tired of everyone looking in at us as they walked by, so teal zebra tablecloth it is! ha

healthy snacks at work...mmm apples!

have 2 home strength workouts from Abby

taking notes during my Scentsy leadership webinar

empty Scentsy boxes means happy people with filled orders! :)

reading some great tips in Health magazine

Weekly Workouts

Feeling stronger every day from my strength training...and I didn't think I would! ha Silly, I know. It has really been a mostly mental battle (aside from my ankle/leg problems from last summer which really don't hold me back any). I am amazed most every time I meet with Abby, who is just a rockstar personal trainer! I actually look forward to working out with her once a week...and literally, leaving exhausted and barely able to move the next day. She has given me two different at-home strength training workouts and this latest one has me doing a plank that alternates from forearms to hands. Woah. Saw that on my "to do" list and thought, well I will attempt it, but will probably end up just holding the forearm plank. And you know what? I actually DID IT. You read that right! I was able to do the alternating plank...all 3 times I had it on my workout list! Crazy! Anyway...I am moving to a Clean Eating plan vs. the Paleo plan I've been using. I am excited about the change and being able to add a few things back into my diet. I went grocery shopping and loaded up on all the good stuff again. Ready to tackle a new week!

Sunday, March 9 - home strength training #1 (workout designed by Abby)
Monday, March 10 - 1 hour training session with Abby
Tuesday, March 11 - walked 3 miles with Leslie Sansone Power Walk (YouTube) + plank
Wednesday, March 12 - home strength training #1 (workout designed by Abby)
Thursday, March 13 - walked 4 miles with Leslie Sansone Boosted Walk (YouTube)
Friday, March 14 - home strength training #2 (workout designed by Abby)
Saturday, March 15 - rest day

Customize...EVERYTHING!

Customize it....your phone case, that is! And so much more.

I have been waiting for an opportunity to blog about a cool Etsy company (and no, I'm not getting paid for it, but maybe I can convince my sister to send me some cool stuff!). ;)

My sister works for a company called Naptown Etching in Indianapolis (they have a new site that will be fully operational before too long...check it out here). So far everything I've learned and seen about the company through my sister's experiences has been really good! Just today I got my first phone case from them (it's sublimated plastic). I had come up with the design because I love the song "Brave" by Sara Bareilles and one day I hope to incorporate it as a theme song into my future Scentsy downline. And moving on...ha

The iPhone cases are of course cooler than the Android cases. :( Womp, womp. Why is it always that way?? Anyway, if you have an iPhone (or now specific Androids - like mine is an S4), you can get an awesome CUSTOM phone case and for a good price! Email my sister (Jenna) and tell her you read it on my blog...she'll help you create the best designs! :) info@naptownetching.com

They do so much more than just phone cases. You can do customized beer growlers. And for all of you with home businesses, including blog businesses, they do these AMAZING metal business cards! Ask her about them because they aren't on their Etsy shop page.

Browse their shop and shoot Jenna an email....lots of cool stuff that they can do! Makes great gifts for the people in your life who have everything!

Photo A Day: Week 10

Another week in the books! Hard to believe it's already well into March.

And here's my week in photos...

more stinkin' snow...ick!

using YouTube for workouts is fun

a Salted Caramel Moon Pie straight from NOLA thanks to a co-worker that goes every year for Mardi Gras

picked up RedBox movies for the hubs after my weekly session with Abby

Eric playing with paracord

all my weights ready for my home strength training

Eric's cherry chip cake with cherry icing - he said it was too much work to follow the directions, so I baked it for him

Workout Time

This week felt better for my workouts. I adjusted my lunch to a half hour at work (I've never understood hour long lunches...who needs that much time?) so that I can get home earlier in the evening. And yes, it makes a HUGE difference. I know it's only a half hour, but it seems like so much more! ha I am still fighting some sort of crud. Yesterday was awful for me which is why I took my rest day then. I feel slightly better today.

Sunday, March 2 - home strength training (workout designed by Abby)
Monday, March 3 - walked 2 miles with Leslie Sansone Slim Walk (YouTube)
Tuesday, March 4 - home strength training (workout designed by Abby)
Wednesday, March 5 - 1 hour training session with Abby
Thursday, March 6 - walked 2 miles with Leslie Sansone Power Walk (YouTube)
Friday, March 7 - home strength training (workout designed by Abby) + 1 mile walk outside with family + stairs every hour at work
Saturday, March 8 - rest day

5 On Friday

[ONE]
New foods. Also learning to love foods I haven't had in a long time. It's really a combo of the two. Trying many new things and eating things I used to eat all in the name of nutrition and health. Recently, greek yogurt, hummus, acorn squash and Larabars have entered my world. I have been doing a 30 day Paleo challenge. Today is the end of week 3 and it's been great! I've honestly not had too many cravings. Feels good! If you follow me on Instagram and you're tired of my paleo food posts... #sorrynotsorry


[TWO]
New makeup. My friend, Jerri Lynn, is the makeup queen. She's the one who so expertly did my makeup (and the bridesmaids' makeup) for our wedding. Being broke is no fun, but she tries all the products (Wal-Mart cheaper versions to Ulta/Sephora expensive versions) and helped me find a few new items. I am running low on most of what I have (except eye shadow) and I have very sensitive skin, but so far the new stuff seems to be doing well.

[THREE]

A job. Today marks the end of my second week at the new job and I have to say that's it is going pretty well. I share a cubicle with a girl who I surprisingly have A LOT in common with! Marie is awesome though. We make the work day fun and help each other through all the questions. It is a bit mentally taxing working in the Quality/Regulatory Affairs department, but so far so good. I feel like I've picked it up fairly quickly and haven't made too many mistakes! ha


[FOUR]
Scentsy. The new Spring/Summer catalog debuted at the beginning of the month! I have my catalogs and the new scent testers on hand...LOVE! This amazing company keeps outdoing themselves. The warmers are even more beautiful than before and the scents are so fun. When I got the new scents, I asked my family to tell me what they thought the name of the one scent was as they passed it around...Tomato Vines! haha And yes, it seriously smells like that. So if you love to garden or miss having a garden, it might be the scent for you!

[FIVE]
Ginger ale, Fisherman Friend's cough drops & generic Nasal Spray. Ugh. Being in a cube farm (yes, my work is rows and rows of cubicles on different floors) is my worst nightmare for sharing germs. Ever since my leg/blood clot issues from the past summer, I have had a horrible time getting over colds. I have had a slight cough most of the winter. Ever since my second day at work, I've been battling sickness. To make matters worse, it has gone beyond a common cold to some sort of virus that is getting passed around. Everyone in our department seems to be sharing...and I really wish they weren't all so generous with sharing!

NEW Velata - Spring/Summer 2014

Velata is probably one of the lesser known brands of Scentsy Family, but it is still very good! We enjoy this product here in our home and have learned through events where we've shared it that the raclettes are everyone in Europe. I think that it is cool!

I may have a hostess this month for Velata, but even if I don't you are always welcome to order from my website. Let me know if you'd like to host a catalog/online party! If you have questions about any of the products, please feel free to contact me!

Some of my current favorite items....

Fondue Warmers - $40

comes in classic colors to match every kitchen (or to stand out!), perfect for the chocolate & cheese fondues

Ceramic Knife Sets - $65 or $120

great addition to your knife collection - knife blocks are available as well!

Antibacterial Cutting Mat - $24

every home needs a cutting mat like this!

Raclette Tabletop Grill - $140

we love this and are hearing so many great things from around the country on those who have tried this - such a versatile piece of kitchen equipment...bring fun to your next family dinner!

Paleo Challenge

I have talked about it a little, but not a lot. My trainer, Abby, suggested I look into eating clean and while doing so I came across lots of information on Paleo. One stood out to me more than the others, so I messaged her the link and coincidentally, it was the link she was preparing to send me! ;) Abby and her sister used this blog's guide to eat clean. I have completed 2 weeks of the 30 day challenge. Not sure if I will do the whole 30 days, but I wanted to see how far I could go with it. My plan is to be able to continue clean eating 80%, but allowing myself to have a few favorites every now and again. I miss Mexican food (it's not like I ate it everyday, but I am craving it lately)!!

Eating paleo is NOT what I thought it would be. For one thing, I feel satisfied. Secondly, for the first time in forever, I am not counting calories or points. It's liberating! ha I have tagged some of my favorite recipes from the paleo blog. I have been trying all sorts of new things and for the most part have enjoyed everything.

My challenge to you is to try 1 new healthy food/meal this week! My suggestion would be acorn squash! YUMMY!!!! It's my new fave, but side note...she tells you in the comments section to use 6 oz of the leanest ground beef you can find. Just a heads up if you decide to make it. :)

Paleo Acorn Squash

Spaghetti Squash

Gluten Free/Paleo Blueberry Muffins

Tuna Patties (have also swapped out salmon - both were delish!)

NEW Scentsy - Spring/Summer 2014

I love love love the new Scentsy catalog! It's been so hard to keep everything a secret until now! haha

If you're interested - please check out my website. I have a few parties going on this month and I know my hostesses would be thrilled to have an extra order or two. ;)

Some of my new favorite items are below...

March's Warmer of the Month deal - $31.50

You get this beautiful custom warmer with the Thank You Scentsy frame PLUS a complimentary warmer that will be a surprise from Scentsy! If you want to change it up, you can order a new frame to replace the one that comes with it for only $7.00.

One of our newest Element Warmers - Zen Rock - $25

these warmers do not use light bulbs, they have a heating element under the lid

my husband is dying to get this one!

the new scents - our current faves are Aussie Plum, Atlas Cedar, Tomato Vine & Rosemary Mint

Clover the Cow buddy - $25

Clover is limited edition item with only 40,000 available! Get yours before they are gone!

Cluck the Chicken buddy - $25

Cluck is limited edition item with only 40,000 available! Get yours before they are gone!

Roosevelt the Rabbit charitable cause buddy - $30

Roosevelt is this season's charitable cause benefiting the March of Dimes campaign! $6.50 from each one sold will go to the March of Dimes. Would make a cute Easter gift too! ;)

Owlet - $35

A beautiful new premium warmer for all the owl lovers out there!

Daisy Craze - $20

My personal favorite new plug-in...trying to figure out which room I could put it in...love this shade of purple!

Shadow Collection - $45

A new collection that a shadow shade fits INSIDE a woven or frosted glass shade (your choice) to project a beautiful design...these are gorgeous!

Photo A Day: Week 9

What a week! And it's already March too. Goodness...time has been flying by lately. Without further ado, a look back at my week via pictures!

butternut squash soup - my only true dislike so far while eating paleo

my work space

my new workplace has a Starbucks in it...swanky, no?

Wednesday was a bust - I was sure I took a pic, but that's the day I felt my worst, so I guess not!

carried all my stuff to work in one of my new Scentsy bags

I have a cubicle partner (she's awesome...Thank goodness!) and she brought this in for one of our cabinets

used a Pinterest idea to take my gel polish off (it worked well)