Goals: A Look Back at {2015} and Forward to {2016}

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Below are the goals I set for 2015.

Fitness goal [will share this once I figure it out.] This was took a bit longer to figure out and I was extremely gun shy about sharing it here on the blog. Actually, I didn't share it publicly until I completed it because honestly I was scared to fail. Which looking back was dumb, but you live an learn. I set the goal of running the Spartan Sprint in the Elite category and finishing the race higher than last place in my group. Well, I was five from the bottom so that counts. I wish I had trained more running because that's where I lost time, but many of the women in my group compete for Reebok so I am still proud of completing this goal.

Simplify [in life and in our home.] We gave away A LOT of things in 2015 and I know there is still more to get rid of in our apartment. Le Husband instilled the 'buy something get rid of something' rule and it really helped me when I tried to justify those new pants on sale. Simplifying gin life was 50/50. I tried my best to keep drama at bay and didn't get overly involved in things I didn't care about. I would love to live a more minimalist lifestyle, but know it will take years to get towards that way of life.

Four Learning Books [I love to read for fun, but want to LEARN this year.] I read three big girl books, so this one isn't quite a total win. I did try to mix up my guilty pleasure reading with some non-fiction and plan to continue this way of reading going forward.

One new big girl recipe [my recipe repertoire needs to be pumped up.] Man, I really stepped up to this challenge. While originally I just wanted to master beef bourguignon I expanded my big girl recipe repertoire. We learned how to make homemade pasta, rack of lamb, Cornish game hen, soup and of course, I tried out a TON of Whole30 compliant recipes.

Grace [for myself and for others.] Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, this one is a daily pass/fail. I think I've gotten better giving myself grace. I'm okay with failing if I've tried my best, but I'm still truly trying to embrace my body and not get caught up in what it's not. That's never easy, right?

DO [Do more! Do less! Do yoga! Do that race! Do take that challenge!] Oh, yeah, I embraced this goal full force. You name it, I tried to do it. There were new eating programs, new recipes, new fitness programs and routines, more trips, more relaxation, steps outside my comfort zone, a home redo and of course lots and lots of fun.

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Right now my goals are still being truly formed, but I think I have an idea. I want to set my intentions earlier than last year, but understand I might revise/adjust any of these throughout the next month.

Rock out as a BODYPUMP instructor: I will be teaching two classes a week right out the gate and I want to strive to be the best instructor I can. Which means I'll need to continue to take time to practice cues and to memorize layer two coaching. I definitely know I can bring more energy to classes and I'm going to work to make each class better than the one before it. Along with teaching, I need to be sure to keep my body healthy and take time to stretch when possible and write in rest days.

Learn to make beef bourguignon: We have Julia Child's recipe book and I want to make this happy before the end of February. Fingers crossed it's a winner on the first try.

Let go: Of things. Of drama. Of worry. Of expectations. I need to let go of things that don't make me better.

Word of the year: Believe! Believe in myself and my goals. Believe it will happen. Believe I will figure it out when things are tough. Believe in the plan. Believe in the Keeper of the plan. BELIEVE in others.

How did you do on your goals for 2015? Have you set your 2016 goals?

A Lean, Mean, 2015 Machine

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Here we are at the end of 2015. Can you believe the year is over? I know everyone says the same thing every year, but honestly I truly feel like yesterday was April. Our summer flew by so fast and suddenly the fall was over in the blink of an eye. While 2015 wasn't nearly as go, go, go as 2014 it was still a keep it moving kind of year. I already recapped my full year however, I find summing up my year in one post really brings everything full circle at the end of the year. I'll try not to get nostalgic as I take a look back to the 365 days that were 2015. #takingalookback #thankyou2015

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2015 became my year of doing and so many amazing opportunities came our way because we were open to trying new things, changing things up and saying yes to challenges. We took a lot of kickball trips with a brand new team and it was a much less frustrating year as a whole. Of course there were ups and downs on the playing field and with teammates, but that's life right? I made great catches, helped my team on offense and really played well all year. I was nervous about joining the team we did, but in the end it the team was a perfect fit and Le Husband, the sissys and I were able to send our kickball careers off with a bang. #timetoretire #thankyouforeverthingkickball #manimold

Speaking of a bang, this year I worked my @$$ off to get a banging body. What started as a 'hey you wanna try this' question to Le Husband turned into a complete lifestyle change and one I wish I had tried out earlier in life. Whole30 finally gave me the body I've wanted for years and the program helped me break away from my previous food mentality. I finally got back down to my wedding weight and was able to really see abs for the first time since college. It wasn't easy, it wasn't always fun but it was 100% worth it. I credit Whole30 with helping me achieve my 2015 fitness goal of running the Spartan Sprint in the elite category and helping me get over the obstacles, mentally and physically.

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My year of yes found me trying something completely out of my comfort zone when I decided to attend Les Mills BODYPUMP training. The weekend was a huge learning experience and receiving my certification in August was such a high after all of my hard work. I've been in front of classes a few times and have been told I'll have two next year which I am so excited about teaching. I never expected to work in the fitness world but this opportunity is one I'm enjoying for the moment so we will see where it takes me. Who knows, maybe I've found my career path.

There were ups and downs like every year, but this year was a bit less dramafied. So many of my dear friends welcomed beautiful babies into the world and I was so thrilled to meet my BOFF's baby Evie. Le Husband and I are still on the same page regarding kids, we want them but not quite yet. We still have a few bucket list items we want to check off before being parents and we are slowly making moves to get them done. I tried out new hairstyles, make up styles and began experimenting a bit more with fashion as well. It's nice feeling more confident in myself and growing older has helped me learn who I am and what I want out of life. #collectmemoriesnotthings #dontletthedramagetyoudown #bewhoyouare

All in all 2015 was a pretty fantastical year. We traveled, learned new recipes, tried new challenges, set new goals and made new friends. There was a lot of growing done and I know we will continue to grow as the years pass. The end of 2015 found us making a big decision and finally putting our plan into action. I'm talking huge, life changing and excitingly scary.

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Our year started off with multiple trips and will be ending with a big trip, too. As you're reading this, I'm getting ready to celebrate NYE on a cruise with my family for Mama B's 60th birthday! YES, a NYE cruise, how fun, right? Mama B is the bestest and we all wanted to celebrate her big milestone in a big way so we put this cruise together earlier this year. I can't wait to tell you all about our Caribbean cruise down to Mexico, Belize and Honduras. I hope you all have a wonderful and safe night celebrating New Year's Eve. Cheers to the ending of a fabulous year and double cheers to the start of a new one.

If You're Looking For A Sign… Today is the Day! {BodyPump Recap}

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Six short months ago I was considering a concept I never expected. After a year of attending BODYPUMP classes twice a week during my lunch break, I found myself wanting to try something far outside my comfort zone. I am an extrovert and have very little trouble speaking in front of a group, but I had never instructed adults, only tater tots as a swim/soccer coach. However, my love for BODYPUMP and my desire to try something outside my comfort zone overcame my fear of the teaching unknown. It was time to make the move and just DO IT!

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So I decided to go for it. Despite the crazy schedule I already had on my plate, I signed up for the initial training in June and started studying like crazy before my class. I cannot convey how nervous I was leading up to the training. Until then, only one person, fabulous Nikki, knew about my goal and now I had to tell everyone close to me my plan. Can I tell you how much that scared me? It's one thing to have a goal and then explain to people when you succeed [a la the Spartan] it's another to tell people you are stepping out on a limb with the possibility of it breaking.

The weekend flew my faster than expected and I learned a ton. If you are thinking of taking a Les Mills instructor class take this as the opportunity to push yourself over that hump. Les Mills does an amazing job of preparing their instructors and they feed you so much wonderful information about coaching and technique.You are flooded with GOOD information and the instructors are incredibly knowledgeable and willing to help you become the best instructor possible.

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Once we completed our initial training, the next step was recording a video teaching a 'fake' class for assessment. Cue freakout. Not only did I have to memorize a full workout of choreography and cues, I also had to TEACH it to people close me and let them into my new world. As mentioned before, speaking in front of people doesn't bother me, but being new at something in front of those I care about makes me so self conscious. Even though I knew I had the full support of my family I still stressed myself out about teaching them. The class almost didn't happen because of a scheduling mix up, but luckily I received some great advice and just grabbed the bull by the horns and knocked it out in one take. There were some mess ups and mishaps but I was confident enough in what I did to submit my video and hope for the best. Waiting to receive my feed back was excruciating, I was pretty sure I failed and was already stressing having to teach my family again. And then, Monday, beautiful Monday came and I received word I PASSED MY ASSESSMENT AND WAS A CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR!

Honestly, I thought they had made a mistake. Me, lil Pinky, a certified instructor? No way! Check that, yes way! I put my mind to something and I achieved it. Something I never expected to try is now something I've completed. I checked the box. I can't even begin to describe how amazing it is looking back on where I was earlier this year. I am incredibly proud of myself for stepping outside my comfort zone and testing the waters of something new.

Now I'm in the processes of apply to gyms for jobs and I'll be totally honest, it's a bit daunting and overwhelming. I haven't applied for a job in eight years and I have NO experience in this field, besides my five day old certification. I trust the powers that be understand there are a lot of new fitness people out there and hope they will at least give me an audition chance. Once they see me in action I think they'll like me so please keep your figures crossed for me in this new venture.

The point of this post? If you're thinking of trying something, take *THIS* as your sign to give it a go. I'm telling you, from experience, attempting something outside your comfort zone is an incredible process. Could you fail? YES! Yes, you could. But you could also come across a new purpose in life. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to be part of the fitness world. Gym rat? YES! Instructor or trainer? NO WAY! But, here I am, a certified instructor looking for my first class. Take this sign and believe in your dreams, I already believe in you!!!!!! < 3

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Linking up with *kristin*& *annie*

I Came, I Ran, I Conquered the Spartan Sprint

Morning and happy Monday, muffins. I'm coming at you a bit sore and tired after my Spartan Sprint on Saturday but I'm coming at you successful which is all that matters to me. In January I set a fitness goal of running the Spartan in the women's elite group with the stipulation of not coming in last. Many of the women in the elite group are sponsored and compete for points in the championship races later in the year. Personally, I wanted to see if I could train enough to actually compete with these women and until May I did pretty well. Then, life happened and my training took a big back seat to everything else I had on my plate. All of a sudden it was the end of July and I started to fear failing big time. Thankfully, my body responded even better than expected and I can tell y'all I rocked it out and completed my 2015 fitness goal.  HELLFREAKINGYEAH!!!! #ididit #accomplished #aroo

This weekend I… 

… woke up at the crack of dawn to get to the race for my early starting time.

… arrived later than expected which caused a bit of tension in the car and almost led to me trying to run with the elite men instead of the women. #frazzled #thatgirl #oops

… found my group, made it to the front of the starting line and started the race.

… realized they LIED about the race being flat. #somanyuphillclimbs

… rocked my first few challenges then failed my first challenge. #darnthoseeightfootwalls #booburpees

… kept on trucking and rocked the RINGS, monkey bars, cargo nets, bucket carry, log carry and rope climb.

… achieved a beautiful rope burn on my inner thighs, but I reached that bell.

… thought I popped a calf muscle on the hay barrel jump however it ended up just being a bad cramp. Unfortunatly the cramp stuck with me the rest of the race limiting my run ability on the uneven ground. It meant walking more than I originally planned yet I never stopped or quit.

… reached the last three obstacles and saw Le Husband WOOHOO!!!!

… failed the Hercules Hoist and the Spear Throw [damnyouspearthrow] which meant 60 burpees at the race end. #woof

… rocked out the barbed wire crawl and then FINALLY Crossed the finish line!

… felt SO ACCOMPLISHED after the race was over and I was done. I only failed four obstacles, with the spear throw being one of them, and was so ecstatic I rocked out the rope climb, rings and monkey bars. The four fails meant 120 burpees and some lost time, but I did it and finished and wasn't last!

… was OVERJOYED I achieved my fitness goal of running with the Spartan  ELITE group and was not last in the group. I may have been 40 out of 53 but I wasn't last and that was my goal. I AM SPARTAN STRONG! #aroo #goalaccomplished

… showered and changed then headed out to watch for Le Husband since he raced after me. 

… spent two hours looking for him and convinced myself I had missed him but then saw his handsome build. 

… hung out for a bit on the grounds then headed to grab lunch at the delicious bbq restaurant we found last year. 

… came home and did a quick turn around to meet Babyspice and a bunch of friends at the DC United game.

… realized I picked up a pretty gnarly sun burn while I waited for Le Husband. #crispy #oopsforgottoreapply

… grabbed our prepped kabobs, joined the tailgate and feasted on deliciously unhealthy foods. It was amazing after a week of Whole7 in preparation for our race. #gimmealltheguacandchips.

… had a blast hanging out with BabySpice and our soccer friends. The tailgate was a fabulous time and the game was a lot of fun too. There was a wacky moment when I had to tattle on lil kids the level above us that were trying to spit on people walking below. I have to admit it was quite satisfactory getting them in trouble. #whodoesthat #bebetter

… experienced one the highest scoring professional games of my life. DC United was losing 0-2 in the first half and came back to win the game 6-4!!!!! That is pretty unheard of in the soccer world and we all loved cheering our team to victory.

… sprinted from the game to Menchies to devour some well deserved FroYo!

… passed out and slept like a log after a such a long day.

… woke up early than planned to prep communion for church. #gladtohavesportyspicearound

… spent an hour at the pool trying to even out my burn and work out some leg soreness doing laps.

… played in an indoor soccer game with out any female subs. Thankfully my legs held up and I actually played pretty well with a goal plus a few goal saving blocks [we won't talk about a few horrendous passes, blah]. 

… went home, took an epsom salt soak [ le sigh ] watched a lil television then ate a delicious dinner cooked by Le Husband. #rackoflambshoulderwithveggies #lovemymanwhocooks #sotasty

… prepped for the week then went to bed early because I was bushed. 

I had been stressing this weekend for awhile and I am so happy I accomplished the goal I set back in January. We worked hard on this goal up until May and then life kind of got in the way so I was really worried I was going to fail. But, my body answered when I called and I am so thankful it didn't completely break down on me this weekend. Thank you for all the good vibes, y'all are the best. 

What did you do this weekend? Are you as tired as I am today?

Linking up with these beautiful ladies whoop whoop < 3

2015 Goal Check In

Morning, ladies. Can you believe it's June? I mean I know it's the second week in the month, but goodness the year is half way over and that's crazy sauce in my opinion. Since we are  halfway to the end of 2015, I thought it would be a good time to check progress on my 2015 goals [original post found here].

Fitness goal [will share this once I figure it out.] It took me until the end of January but I  figured out my fitness goals. My first one is pretty simple, get shredded! Okay, not quite that simple, but I am trying to get my body into the best shape ever. I'm not just trying to be thin, I'm trying to be strong, cut, and fit enough to hold my own in different athletic competitions. I'm also trying to get abs like my sissys and while it's proving to be a lot of work [in the kitchen, thank you Whole30] I'm starting to see progress. Not close to where I want to be, but I'll take the definition without the cardio. Which brings me to my second goal, a race and a certain time and that's all I'm going to share. I promise I'll let you all know when it happens, but right now I'm still just keeping it to myself. My strength training for the race has been pretty on point, but I need to up my racing mileage for sure. Time to start pounding the pavement!

I went back and forth sharing these pictures here because I didn't want to look narcissistic or have people that love to stir the pot leave a snarky response. But, I've worked hard for this accomplishment and want to have it on my blog as something to compare to later on in the year. #judgeyjudiesbegone

Simplify [in life and in our home.] I have a lot of stuff [don't we all] and a lot of it I really don't need. I usually do a big giveaway bag during my seasonal clothing switch over, but now I'm making a donation bag at least once a month. Sometimes I'm forced to give away things because they don't fit [darn those muscle legs/arms] and other times I realize I'm just holding onto something for a sentimental reason not because I would wear/use it. I am quite happy with my progress of 'letting go' things and am working more and more on 'letting go' thoughts in my brain and things in my life that don't't make me happy. Simplifying is still a work in progress, but so far I'm happy with my results.

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Four Learning Books [I love to read for fun, but want to LEARN this year.] Well, I'm one for four on this goal and it might be a reach. I read the book "The Boys in the Boat" last month and it was a nonfiction read but it didn't teach me to do anything. However, it was an incredibly interesting and informative read and I learned a lot about how Hitler used the 1936 Olympics to further Nazi propaganda and further pull the wool over the Western countries eyes. I also learned how tough and ingenious many of the young men of that generation were and how they went from nothing to Olympic gold medalist. I need to add three more learning books to my list, does anyone have a suggestion?

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One new big girl recipe [my recipe repertoire needs to be pumped up.] I have had my heart set on making Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon for years, but have yet to actually pull the trigger in the kitchen. Le Husband actually bought her "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and it's just sitting on our kitchen shelf staring at me every day right now. I mentioned to him earlier in the year I wanted to get better at French cooking to which he responded "You can't cook French and be a dorito", which is so true [we call leaning up and having broad shoulders and a thin waist a 'dorito shape]. I realize that trying to keep in shape does not make it easy to master a French recipe, but because this a goal I plan to pick a weekend and cook the heck out of some French food.Who wants to be a taste tester?!?!

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Grace [for myself and for others.] Oh, grace, grace, grace, you're proving to be a bit of a challenge for me. When I don't lift well or lose some flexibility I still beat myself up in my head. I need to remember that I'm not perfect and that I'm no longer in my college body so things won't always be as easy as they were in the past. Learning new things has also caused me some frustration and I need to remember I can't be a rock star at everything in the beginning. Grace for others has been hard too, but I'm trying to be more intentional in granting grace. There have been a few times I've stayed calm where I'd normally freak out in traffic, due to some doofus, which I am proud of, but I still need work more on granting grace on a consistent basis. This goal is gonna take a lot of internal work, so it's time to buckle up and work.

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DO [Do more! Do less! Do yoga! Do that race! Do take that challenge!] So far this one has been pretty easy for me. I've been much more intentional of saying YES to things and no to others. Yes, let's go hiking on a whim. Yes, let's plan a vacation in three weeks. Yes, let's buy bikes and start cross training. Yes, let's sign up for that race. Yes, let's stay in bed and sleep all Saturday. Yes, let's try a new recipe. Yes, let's do another Whole30. Doing things this year has been fun and I'm really happy I chose this goal for 2015.

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How are your 2015 goals? Have you made progress? Have you fallen behind? What are you working on this year?

Linking up with *megan* *kristin* and *annie* 

No Longer Afraid to Fail

Here we are in the middle of January and I've finally decided my fitness goal for the year. If you recall, I posted last week that 2015 was my year of doing. I want to spend 2015 doing things that will make me better, make me happier and make me look back on life with a smile.

January has been a month of struggle for me regarding fitness, because I want to attempt something big.  There were two big challenges on the table and I've taken my time deciding exactly WHICH challenge I want to take on this year. Part of what held me back was my fear of failure. I didn't want to set a challenge and then fail at it, especially if I told people WHAT I'm attempting, both IRL and here. As silly as it sounds, I don't want to let people down and I don't want people to view me as someone that 'can't hack it'.

But, that all changed on my flight home from Dallas a week ago today. Le Husband randomly picked up 'Outside' magazine, a new one to both of us, and while he slept on the flight I perused because I couldn't sleep. There were some great articles, but one article REALLY stood out in my mind. Pro athlete, Kevin Korver of the Atlanta Hawks, is an all start super shooter but also and incredible athlete with an INCREDIBLE sense of challenge and inspiration. Below is my favorite part of the article.

"We've evolved with a desire to challenge ourselves. It was necessary to get the tribe over the pass in winter, to hunt the mammoth. Now we live in the center of the table. We're afraid to fail. F*** That! How can you reach the edge of your potential without risking failure" 

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Wow, right? I reread that quote probably ten times and really sat back and thought about how much I've let my fear prevent me from trying. Don't get me wrong, I take chances, but fitness challenges can bring out the shy-shy in my ego. Failing at fitness is mentally breaks me, so I try not to set TOO high of a goal. I want to avoid the fear of not reaching what I set out to do.

But, that changes now. Today begins my journey of going for my 2015 fitness goal. I've verbalized it to a select few people so it's real. There is no turning back. I will be doing everything I can to achieve this goal and I hope to bring some good news to blog land in a few months. I'm back to logging my foot in My FitnessPal [be my friend *here*] and finding new ways to fuel my body with healthy alternatives. Tonight's dessert is two TBS of peanut butter and three TBS of whipped with a dash of cinnamon. Not as good as froyo, but it's a start in the right direction.

Now don't worry. This blog isn't going to become a solo fitness blog, I don't have the drive or knowledge base for that kind of thing. But, you'll probably see some more workouts and clean eat recipes here because that's where my life is going.

I'm scared. I'm excited. I'm nervous. And I'm ready to rock this ish!

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What is your fitness goal for 2015? How are you going to achieve it?

Linking up *here* today!

2015. The Year to Start Doing

January is the month of 'new beginnings'. People either love making resolutions or they are cynical and make fun of them. I used to make a bunch of resolutions and then would get so upset when I didn't reach them all. As I've grown I've changed my approach and thought about the one or two things I really want to achieve each year. This year many bloggers have chosen a word to define their year and I've seen amazing choices for 2015.

Believe. Thrive. Simplify. Grow. Learn.

All of these choices make for a wonderful year and I applaud those that have already decided their goals. This year, I'm taking longer to define ALL of my goals, because I'm still trying to figure out WHAT exactly I want to work on and achieve. For whatever reason, I'm all over the place this year. I made a quick list back in December, but haven't really found myself committing to them.

I like using this space to hold myself accountable, but I hate failing. If I don't outwardly acknowledge what I want to achieve, I won't fall flat on my face in front of y'all. Not the best outlook, I know, but I want to be sure I have everything in a row before I share my big plans.

However, I'm not just going to let myself completely off the hook. Below are the five things I want to achieve this year.

Fitness goal [will share this once I figure it out.]

Simplify [in life and in our home.]

Four Learning Books [I love to read for fun, but want to LEARN this year.]

1 new big girl recipe [my recipe repertoire needs to be pumped up.]

Grace [for myself and for others.]

DO [Do more! Do less! Do yoga! Do that race! Do take that challenge!]

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2015 is the year of DO, for me.

What are your goals for the year?

Setting Intentions

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Last year, I posted how I was GOING TO OWN 2013! I didn't set resolutions to break, but rather stated how I wanted and would make 2013 my year. I must say, while I didn't keep to everything I planned on 'owning', I think I did OWN 2013 :). It seems a common theme around blogland to not set resolutions, but to see the practice as a bad one. I have to say that sometimes I agree with that sentiment, however I usually find a JOY in setting a resolution or intention for the new year. To me, there is just something so refreshing about turning a new page of a new year.

This year, I'm setting intentions. I'm sure I'll add to them throughout the year and possible fail to complete what I intend to do. 2014 will be the year of intentions, both my and God's of course. 2013 ended up being the surprise year of my life, so I'm sure God has a few surprises in store for me this year too.

Here are the things I intend to do in 2014!!!!

I intend to expand my vocabulary. After reading *THIS* article I realize how DUMB I choose to sound. Totes, amazeballs and I KNOW, right are getting the boot [unless I'm impersonating someone] and I intend to try to add some new words to my repertoire. Hopefully *THIS* website can help a sister out.

I intend to master two intricate recipes that I can whip up for a formal dinner gathering. I'm thinking of looking to Julia Child, for a bit of help. Right now the two recipes I intend to master are Julia's Beef Bourguignon and French Onion Soup.

I intend to learn how to grant people grace. I'm not perfect, so I need to recognize that others aren't either.

I intend to figure out what I want to do next in life job-wise. There needs to be a change, I just don't know what it will yet. That needs to change.

I intend to read devotionals every other month. I know I can't commit to a monthly devotional, I get too distracted [bad on me of course], but figure two months to complete one devotional should be adequate time.

I intend to stretch and take deep breaths daily. Flexibility is key in life, as is remaining calm. These two intentions should serve me well in the future.

What are your intentions/resolutions/thoughts for the New Year?!?!

NaBloPoMo

Morning!

Yes, it's Saturday and yes it's unusual to be here in pinkland on the weekends. However, I randomly saw a post with the Blogher's National Blog Posting Month prompt and thought 'ehhh, why not join'?

I'm hoping to post every day, and hopefully with posts that are meaningful.

I enjoy writing on my blog, but sometimes worry things get stale in the 'this is my life format', so I'm taking the NaBloPoMo challenge. I hope I can stick with it and create some fun posts.

Happy Saturday!

Week in Workouts #4 and Sweat Pink

Monday: 6 am Body Pump Class:
After a week off during vacation, [minus a crazy awesome hill circuit with the sissys and skiing everyday] my body was ready for weights. I love the 6am Body Pump class and instructor. She's in her second trimester and a beast and really really inspiring. I was super weak [by my standards] but really tried to push myself. My legs were shaking by the end of class. I'm determined to make this a weekly class.

Tuesday Off Day: 
Things got way too busy for a workout. That and I had a meeting with my florists that ended up being two hours. Don't worry, it's a good thing, but all I wanted to do when I got home was eat dinner, clean up and go to bed. I was exhausted and didn't feel like staying up late to workout. In retrospect I should have done a quick yogadownload.com sequence.


Wednesday: 45 Yoga Power Sculpt Class
Another favorite of mine, and it as usual was awesome. This class really humbles me because the instructor is so amazing and the tons of reps make me weak...literally. I know I'm not very flexible, so the yoga work is awesome and I love the arm and booty focus too. I'm hoping to do this class every week until my wedding, to keep my arms in check. 

Thursday: 45 Yoga Power Sculpt Class and Kickball game
Two times in one week, I'll take. I was wicked sore after Wednesday's class, but wanted to get in an actual workout before kickball. There was a different instructor, but she was just as awesome and bad@$$ as the other girl and I loved the class even though it killed me. I had to take a break during one of the shoulder segments since I was sore, but I managed to jump back in after a quick break. I really like this yoga studio and might buy passes once my test trial is over. 

Friday One Hour Arm Workout
I LIFTED IN THE BIG BOY GYM AGAIN! WOOT WOOT! Man, I've really missed lifting weights. I had planned to get up for the 6am Body Pump class, but my body was NOT having it. So, I packed a gym bag and hit Gold's after work. It was pretty crowded for a Friday but I was able to get my arm workout groove on easily. I created the following workout on the fly, just doing my bis/tris.

I did one set of each exercise, circuit style [completed three times]
Circuit 1
Hammer Curls - 15 pounds
Tricep Extensions - 15 pounds, plus 10 extra pulse
Abs - 50 crunchs on the bench.

Circuit 2
Bicep curls/reverse curls in a standing lunge - 20 pounds
Tricep bench dips with my feet on a Bosu ball
Abs - 50 revers crunches

Circuit 3
Tricep Extensions - Level 4, then tricep burn out level 2
21's - 10 pounds
Side abs - 25 pounds

I completed the workout with three sets of pullups and then two more sets of an ab circuit.

I left the gym feeling refreshed and sore and AWESOME!

Saturday 5K ROC Race
This race was set up 100% as a fun race, but I didn't know that until we actually got to the race grounds. I honestly only signed up because C did, and since it was a 5K I knew I would be fine running wise. I had no idea what to expect with the obstacles, but after conquering the Tough Mudder I knew I could handle whatever they had. As I mentioned yesterday, the race was really fun, minus the start debacle. Let's just say we had a 10am start time and didn't get through the gate until 1030am, womp womp. The staggering of groups was awesome, keeping the obstacle lines short, but they needed to be better about informing everyone. We all started out as a group, but C and I pulled away because the pace was way too slow. I'm not trying to be rude or mean, but running too slow out of my gate is KILLER on my legs. We had fun keeping a decent pace and conquering all the obstacles. We raced the last 100 yards which was fun, even though I lost. All it all it was a fun race and a great way to get a workout in on a Saturday.


Sunday My Last Indoor Soccer Game
Siiiiiiiiigh, I played my last soccer game until becoming a Mrs on Sunday. Mama B gave me STRICT orders that I am NOT allowed to participate in any contact sports one month before the wedding. The game was a late one, 10pm but I was pretty jazzed to play. We played a pretty decent team, but I went in hoping we would have a good game and come out victorious. It was a hard fought and very tight game, but we ended up winning by three goals. Yours truly had the first goal [and it was saweeeeeet] and I played lights out on defense. Normally I'm really good about sharing playing time, but I was super amped to be on the field so I kind of hogged the time. I'm taking this next season off, but hope to be back at it in late October.

How did your workouts go this week?

****************

I'll be posting more about this later,

but I'm SO EXCITED I had to share a bit now.

I'm now a SWEAT PINK Ambassdor!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

 

Monthly Goals/Recaps

Check in time for July. OH EM GEE when did it become AUGUST!?!

Let's recap how poorly I did this month.

[Source]

1] Attend wedding cake tasting and decide on wedding cake - Done and YUM!

2] Book Limo - Nope, will be done this week though.

3] Attend my Bridal Shower - SO MUCH FUN!
 
4] Decide on ceremony readings and readers - We've picked the reader, but haven't figured out the reading yet. 

5] Pick out wedding favors for guests - Sigh, still stuck between two thoughts.

6] Create centerpieces/table numbers for reception - Getting this done on Saturday.

7] Mail Out Wedding Invitations!!!! - BARELY made it, but DONE!
 
8] Create/brainstorm ideas for wedding programs - I have the idea I want, just need to get it to the design team.

9] Buy Wedding day Underthings - Going next week

10] Book Wedding night hotel - Didn't get done in July, but booked it in August.

11] Send out invite for family meeting party in August - And the PARTY was a blast!

12] Run at least two 4+ mile run a week - I did pretty well the beginning of the month, but lost workout time and therefore distance wasn't as important as JUST getting a workout in each day.

13] Work out 6x a week - Yes, 6! - I was able to do four times a week, but not six. Something about a wedding and stuff ;)

14] Lose X pounds - I lost some weight in July, but gained it back during vacation.

Not nearly enough green on this page, but oh well.

*******************************************************

Since this is the month before W-day, I've decided to NOT list out
EVERYTHING I NEED TO DO as a goal.

It's just too much and I'll stress myself out.

Maybe I'll do another list later this month,
but my goal for August is to SURVIVE the rest of wedding planning
and pack up my single girl apartment.

Oh and enjoy this time of life, because as my sissy told me
I'll never have this moment or month of stress again.

CHEERS!

Monthly Goals/Recaps

Holy frijoles June is done?
 
What, summer is halfway over?

 GET OUT! Let's see how well I did in June.

[source]

1] Decide on and order invitations - I've hired one of the bestest invitation people out there [hey girl hey] and the process has started. I have sent inspirations, and descriptions for what I want but don't have IT in my head yet. I'm looking for traditional, clean and simple invitations and I'm 100% confident I'm going to love the designs my lovely invitation lady will create :)! 

2] Finalize groom/groomsmen suit - I delegated this to C and yeah, we are cutting it close. They haven't been purchased but he knows what he wants....I think... MEN!

3] Schedule appointment for cake tasting in Cincy and find bakery in DC - C and I will be in Cincy in July this week and we will be tasting some cake. I'm so excited...let us EAT LOTS OF CAKE!

4] Schedule tasting for reception hall - Done and completed on the 19th of June. Yummy!

5] Finish wedding website - Just barely got this done, but freaking finally it's done!

6] BLOCK HOTEL ROOMS and email guests - Done and sent out, woop woop!

7] Schedule second meeting with pastor - We had our first one in April together and have both completed our two separate meetings. He told us we aren't 'terminal' [PTL] and now we just have our FINAL meeting together where we woosah and figure out how we want the wedding service to flow. WOOHOO, one step closer to the actual WEDDING!

8] Book church musicians - I let this fall by the wayside, but resent an email to our church music director.

9] Run at least one 4+ mile run a week - Yeeeeeeeeeah, big negative on this one this month. I did some longer distances with C a few times a week, but my injury really hindered my running abilities. I'm hoping to rock this one out in July.

10] Work out 3x a week in the morning - This was superclose to being green, but I wanted to hold myself accountable.I had one week I worked out every morning and then another just once a week. If you add them together, they make 3x a week but I can't honestly make this green. Next month it's on for sure.

11] Lose X pounds - Not coming off the list until the weight comes off!

[source]

1] Attend wedding cake tasting and decide on wedding cake - This is scheduled for the first week of July, so woohoo! And yes, I put it on my list so I KNEW I would have something in green at the end of the month...so sue me ;)! YUM YUM YUMMY can't wait. 

2] Book Limo - This is C's job, he better do it! ;)

3] Attend my Bridal Shower - WOOP! YAY! Weeee! Can't wait!
 
4] Decide on ceremony readings and readers - Since we kept our wedding parties small [only four attendants each] some special people were left out of the wedding. We need to decide what reading we want to be read during the service and who will be reading what passage.

5] Pick out wedding favors for guests - We have two/three AWESOME ideas for wedding favors, but we need to decide exactly WHICH favor we want to give. I'm excited because both are going to be fabulous!

6] Create centerpieces/table numbers for reception - C has a genius idea for table numbers, we just need to be crafty enough to pull it off nicely. Same goes for the centerpieces, but I'm confident in our abilities.

7] Mail Out Wedding Invitations!!!! - Must be sent out middle of the MONTH!
 
8] Create/brainstorm ideas for wedding programs - I'm excited about creating a unique and fun program, I just need to decide exactly what I want. And I'll be working with the same awesome blossom that's creating my invitations [hey girl hey again].

9] Buy Wedding day Underthings - I thought I had this taken care of, but a few things need to be 'upgraded'. I'm excited to check out different stores for fun things ;)

10] Book Wedding night hotel - Ummmmmmmm yeah, needs to be done ASAP.

11] Send out invite for family meeting party in August - Another ASAP thing. We are having both families meet at my aunt & uncle's house and we need to narrow down the list and send out the evite PRONTO!

12] Run at least two 4+ mile run a week -  rocked out an eight mile run last month so I know I can up my weekly mileage. I don't want to aim for more than two long distance days because I want to protect my legs. I got this yo!

13] Work out 6x a week - Yes, 6! Bikini season is here and I'm a mess. I need to tone up LIKE whoa, I'm way too loosey goosey right now. This is easily attainable if I just plan and get off my hiney and DO IT!

14] Lose X pounds - Not coming off the list until the weight comes off!

*******************************************************

Oh em goodness this month is going to FLY by because I'm
going to be a busy busy bee!!!!

What are your goals for July?

Monthly Goals/Recaps

1] Order Bridesmaid dresses - COMPLETED at the beginning of the month and I JUST got an email saying they are shipping, wahoo!

2] Get Save the Dates in the Mail/compile addresses - Thank freakin' goodness these were sent mid May. I was a major stress ball because they weren't out and it all came to a head with a few tears. They are out and everyone loves them so I'm excited!

3] Switch over fall/winter for spring/summer wardrobe - FINALLY! I love my spring/summer wardrobe so much and am SO glad I was able to get this complete. Yesterday C helped me move my bins down to the storage area so this one gets a CHECK CHECK DONE!

4] REGISTER!!!! - Done and FUN! It was a bit of a process in the beginning but C and I both had a good time with the register gun. I've also grouped ALL of my registries together under register360 and it's AWESOME!

5] Contact DJ/Videographer - Contacted and DJ is almost paid in full. Our friend is going to be our videographer and I'm so excited!

6] Sign Contracts/Pay Deposits for Florist/Photographer - Florist check is IN the mail and photographer was paid earlier this month. WOOHOO, another thing that's official :)!

7] Begin Invitation Process - I've started this a bit, with the help of a LOVELY blog friend, but I need to decide what I want and how formal/informal I want them to look.

8] Workout in the mornings 3x a week - I missed one week but I'm still giving myself a Green. I really made an effort to get up in the mornings and at least do a Jillian Micheals ab workout online. I've found that I feel so much better in the mornings when I work out, so I'm REALLY going to try and keep it up in June too.

9] Do At Least THREE NON-Wedding Related and FUN Things with C -These were completed the first week in May I believe, haha. Guess I took this seriously huh?!?! We attended two playoff hockey games for the Caps [dagger on the second one] and then did a few date night dinners out an about. I really think we need to keep this up, because we are starting to get to crunch wedding time and I DON'T only wanna be STRESSED. He's my best friend and lovah and I wanna appreciate him and I together NOW.

10] Lose X pounds - UGH barftastic on this one. I was so up and down with my eating that no progress really was made. I'm jumping into June with a clean slate for clean eats.

1] Decide on and order invitations - I still only vaguely have an idea of what I want. Need to scour Pinterest and websites before deciding on a design. Definitely want something old fashioned, but still trendy if that makes sense.


2] Finalize groom/groomsmen suit - We know the color, we just need to man up and buy the suits for the C and the groomsmen.

3] Schedule appointment for cake tasting in Cincy and find bakery in DC - C and I will be in Cincy in July and I need to schedule our cake tasting ASAP so we don't miss out. I'm excited for CAKE!

4] Schedule tasting for reception hall -Our coordinator told me this needed to be done by July, so hopefully we can get something done early!

5] Finish wedding website - Ugh, this is taking forever and really isn't as fun as I thought it would be. Who likes to write about themselves in the third person? Anyone want to do this for me?

6] BLOCK HOTEL ROOMS and email guests - BEHIND on this one. Needs to be done by the first week of JUNE!


7] Schedule second meeting with pastor - We had our first one in April but now we need to schedule our individual meetings. I'd like to get this taken care of so it's not one of the LAST minute things we need to do.

8] Book church musicians -The first email has been sent, but I need to get confirmation and then book everything with a contract. Married ladies, what did y'all do for church/ceremony music?

9] Run at least one 4+ mile run a week - With the Army 10miler in October I really need to start upping my mileage. C is doing a halfmile training just for fun [who does that] and I really want to be able to keep up with him on his longer runs. Here's HOPING I can start rocking out some longer runs.


10] Work out 3x a week in the morning - I enjoyed how I felt when I worked out in the mornings last month, so I'm going to keep the same goal this month.


11] Lose X pounds - Not coming off the list until the weight comes off!

Monthly Goals/CheckIn

1] Celebrate the DIIIIRTY THIRTY in STYLE! - DONE AND DONE! My actual birthday was amazing and my party was super fabulous too!

2] Lock in Photographer and Florist - I met with both and loved both equally. I will be reaching out to sign contracts with both vendors this week, fingers crossed. 

3] Yoga at least once a week - Ha, guess how many times my yoga mat was used this month. I should PROBABLY take this off my list for next month.

4] OWN the Tough-Mudder on 4/21 - We ROCKED that ish out y'all! I had a blast participating in the Tough Mudder and might do another one in June. Guess you could say I've caught the bug :)!

4] Print, cut and mail out Save the Dates - They are printed, cut and the envelopes are stuffed, but they have NOT been sent out yet. I'm hoping to have them post marked by next week, once I get all guests' addresses.

5] Switch over fall/winter for spring/summer wardrobe - This barely got off the ground, BUT it wasn't only because of laziness. The weather in APRIL was straight bonkers and sweaters were still needed. I decided to wait until May to move everything around.

6] Lose X pounds - Try put on a few pounds....UGH. Birthday celebrating all month and not working out after the Tough Mudder did NOT help this goal at all.

Ummmm I'm going to be generous and say April was 50/50 for me. 

And leave it to that. :)

ON TO A FRESH NEW MONTH!

1] Order Bridesmaid dresses -A MUST! I have all the girls' measurements and pending one question being answered they should be ordered NEXT WEEK!

2] Get Save the Dates in the Mail/compile addresses - I was SOOOOO close to having this completed last month, drat. Now just need all the addresses and I'll be G2G :)!

3] Switch over fall/winter for spring/summer wardrobe - YAY, I love my spring/summer clothes! Bring on the dresses, skirts and fun tops!

4] REGISTER!!!! - GAH, I've had a few people ask me WHY this hasn't been done, which makes me think I'm WAAAAAAAAAAAAY behind. Am I the only one who thinks that while this will be FUN it will be a daunting task?!!? YAY for fun gifts but uuuuuuuuuuugh for picking out things without having a HOUSE to furnish. Wish ME LUCK!

5] Contact DJ/Videographer - Think I'm a bit late on this, but hopefully it will all work out. Both are friends of friends so I'm hoping it will be easy peasy.

6] Sign Contracts/Pay Deposits for Florist/Photographer - I'm sold on these two, but need to make everything official this month.

7] Begin Invitation Process - I've started this a bit, with the help of a LOVELY blog friend, but I need to decide what I want and how formal/informal I want them to look.

8] Workout in the mornings 3x a week -Ugh, I've been horrible about this and MISS the endorphins [don't wanna kill my soon to be husband haha] and the satisfaction of working out. I sleep better when I workout in the mornings and 3x a week is manageable.

9] Do At Least THREE NON-Wedding Related and FUN Things with C - I don't wanna stress out and just be WEDDING girl. C and I have a ton to do this month wedding wise, but we also need to just have fun too. I have a few ideas up my sleeve, hopefully I can get my act together.

10] Lose X pounds - Bringing this over from last month. And I'm joining with Kristine for her linkup:

LOTS of goals this month, but I KNOW I can make it happen!