Archives for December 2010

my tips on keeping goals and resolutions

December 30, 2010

Oh yes.

It’s that time of year.

The most wonderful time of the year.

Besides my birthday.

Obviously.

I mean, can you believe we are just one day away from a brand new year????

Are you dying?

Just me?

Ya, so I am a big lover of the New Year, and I begin my excitement about a month before when I begin to reminisce over my previous year and all that I’ve accomplished and all that I’ve learned. I spend time with my journal (or blog) and do my best to put it all into words.

And then comes the time for growth.

I begin to ponder as to what I fell short on, what I learned but want to be better at, what I can add or take away, improve or discard. I seriously think about. it. all.

Over the last couple of years Jimmy and I have started a little tradition that has been crazy helpful in finding success and I thought I’d share it with you.

I know so many people aren’t a fan of resolutions because they never take….but you guys, they can! It’s all just a matter of how you make them, and how you set out to achieve them.

So take notes….

literally.

{image seen here}

~ Begin with the pondering.

Sometimes it helps to have a glass of wine.

Just make sure you have a notebook and pen to jot down the thoughts,

especially if you have the wine…

cause you definitely want to remember it all later.

~ Next, try your best to think of reasonable changes and goals you want to make.

We like to categorize ours under the subjects:

Heart/Spirit, Mind, Body, and Family.

It’s also best to make clear defined goals rather than a big blanket goal,

such as:

lose and keep off those last five pounds

instead of:

lose weight

Or:

work out 3 times a week

instead of:

start working out

See what I mean?

~ Write them down.

Take a sheet of paper and title it, “My 2011 goals.”

Then write the subtitle, Heart.

Under heart, write out your goals that pertain to your heart/spirit (spiritual).

You’ll then move on to the others, Mind, Body, and Family until your list is complete.

~ Display the list where you will see it daily.

Once we have our goals written up all pretty like, we put them up where we will see them on a daily basis.

There is nothing like being faced with your goals every time you look in the mirror.

Last year we taped them on our master bathroom mirrors.

This year, I’m putting them on the wall inside my closet.

It’s kinda cool when I take down the old years goals cause before I file them away in my notebook, I spend time looking over what I’ve accomplished and what I still have to work on.

I even put a check mark next to the ones I felt I fully accomplished.

And after a few years of doing this, you’ll have lots to reflect on and even one day you can share them with your kids.

Little side note….

While it’s important to be okay with who we are,

I believe we should never stop striving towards growth.

And honestly, when better to begin those changes, than the New Year?

Tomorrow I’ll have a couple lil tips to help you in certain specific goals….

hopefully they’ll help!

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wedge wellys in action

December 29, 2010

Remember when I asked if these were chic?

Well, guess what?

They kinda are.

It couldn’t have been more perfect in that they came in last night, just hours before our storm began.

So, of course, I was super excited this morning for my doctors appointment because it meant I got to wear my sweet lil wedge welly’s.

{sans makeup}

{purple socks from the girls target section, uh, $3 people!}

{hangin’ beneath the louboutins…}

{had to get a shot of my most fave h&m headband}

I adore that they’re functional AND fashionable (and insanely comfortable!)…

because that’s just the way things should be in the world.

Amen.

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time to get back to fashion posts, ya?

December 28, 2010

I think I love this dress (flying tomatoes brand), partly because it was $1 at the thrift store but mostly because it hides the enormous amount of food I’ve been eating the last week….eh, months.

I decided I should most likely get dressed today since it seems I’ve been living in drawstring sweats and Jimmy’s Hanes v-necks.
It’s kinda awesome because when I know I’ve gained weight and I feel all large and in charge in my own clothes….
all I gotta do is slip on some of Jimmy’s stuff, and suddenly I’m blown away by how TINY I am.
{go with me here….}

Anyway to celebrate the occasion, of uh…getting dressed, I dragged my photog to the yard for a photo sesh.

watch: brass rail @ nordies
chunky bracelet: thrifted, and it totally reminds me of the watches my dad used to wear, so i think of him every time i wear it.
bangles: f21
boots: target
socks: tj maxx
necklace: mark.com
ring: mark.com
sunnies: get this, the DOLLAR STORE!!!

~~~~~~~

I am so very excited now that Christmas is over.
Because it means that it’s almost THE NEW YEAR!!!!
And I sa-woon for that holiday almost more than most.
More on that later.

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i let go of the numbers

December 23, 2010

It’s almost the New Year!!!

{i know, i know….it’s not even christmas yet…but i was hoping this post would help us focus on what’s most important all through christmas and beyond.}

And you guys know that I kind of adore the New Year.

I think I get more excited about it than any other time of year.

It’s that feeling of starting afresh.

Beginning anew.

Starting over.

Ahhhhh, sounds lovely right?

Last year Jimmy and I sat down and made lists of our goals for 2010, and as I was going over it last week I was thrilled as I realized I was able to cross off the majority of the stuff!!!

My biggest thing I think was my body issues and dealing with them once and for all.

I was SO over the inner drama going on, and I absolutely DID NOT want that ish touching my own kids and knowing that they learned it from me.

I wanted to find balance.

I wanted to find inner acceptance.

I wanted to kick that mean girl inner talk to the curb, and finally find some peace.

So I read a lot of books.

I went to a lot of counseling.

And I did a ton of writing letters that in the end were never sent, but absolutely needed to be written.

And ever so slowly, I began to heal.

It’s now been a year and oh ma word, I have come SO far.

Just one of the ways I can tell is because it’s been months since I’ve stepped on a scale.

And I love that I don’t know how much I weigh.

Yes, I still love to work out and Tracy Anderson is still my best friend (tracy, call me, lets talk!) but if I miss a day or a week, I don’t freak.

Eating healthy is still a goal during the week, but on the weekends I let loose and enjoy because I can.

My body is far from perfect, and I don’t care.

Much.

I’ve certainly let a little more loose in the last few months than my jeans care to be okay with, but where in the past I would cry and detest myself and refuse to leave the house….

Now I know it’s a matter of getting back on track for a month or so, and all will be well again.

My biggest lesson?

I’ve realized that it’s more important to let go of the numbers, and focus on finding happiness.

I used to only determine if I was happy as long as the numbers added up.

If they didn’t, my mood would plummet and the whole vicious cycle would begin again.

I mean literally if my weight changed by one or two pounds….

my world could be sunny or it could be dark.

Insane.

So not okay.

{by the way, that worked with my blog too….when i stopped caring about how many comments and followers and stats, writing became joyful again. when i stopped looking at the numbers, my blog became my haven again. funny how that works. and now that i think about it, that advice goes with ANYTHING. i mean, what if we NEVER knew how many, how much, how long…and it was simply asked, “and how happy are you really?” Measure your life by how happy and CONTENT you are and never by the numbers. Period.}

And so because I like my jeans and I really quite like my clothes, and I’m SO not a fan of the underarm jiggle, in the New Year I am going to finally begin AND complete the 30 Day Method.

Because I want to be healthy.

Only this time I’m doing it different.

I’m not paying attention to the numbers.

{that’s what got me last time}

In fact, I’m not even going to look at numbers.

No measuring. No weighing. No counting calories.

In fact, who knows, I may never weigh again.

I want to be able to just look in the mirror and be okay with what I see.

I want to know by the fit of my clothes (which are not nor will ever be size 0’s) what works and what doesn’t….

I want to live in my own little world being happy because I’m content.

And not because numbers say I should or shouldn’t be.

I want my world to be bigger and more meaningful than my body and the numbers that go along with it.
More than that I want my happiness in life to have NOTHING to do with numbers ever.
I want to not care how much I weigh, how much you weigh, how much that cost, how much he makes, how big or little, how long or short…
I want to only see the joy.
The freedom.
In you.
In me.

Who’s with me?

words,scale,worth,secret,typography-7405b3ddc8df90f222509c703489d195_h_large

*edited to add…
As I walked away from this post and let it settle within me, I was struck with something I couldn’t forget to add.
My heart didn’t feel complete with the simple, are you happy and that’s all that matters.
Because it’s so much more than US.
We are a nation centered around our own happiness.
What goes beyond numbers…
what goes beyond our inner happiness…
is this.
What will they say about you when you die?

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tracy anderson’s 30 day method grocery list: the cleanse

December 20, 2010

If you’ve been looking for the grocery list all laid out for Tracy’s 30 Day Method book, look no further!

Week 1

Week 2

Weeks 3 & 4

And below you’ll find all that you need for the last five days of the cleanse!

Fruit:
Apples x 8
Blueberries 4 cups
Kiwi
Oranges x 2 (or fresh orange juice)

Vegetables:
Red Kale (12 cups!)
Spinach (4 cups)
Red beets x 4
Sweet Potato x 4
Corn x 4 ears
Red bell pepper x 2
Cucumber
Red onion
Tomatoes (enough for 6 cups chopped)
Edamame
Carrots
Kale x 4 cups
Celery
Broccoli

Herbs:
Cilantro
Chives
Basil
Parsley

Protein:
Chicken x 2 breasts
Tofu x 2 portions

Other:
Veg or Chicken Stock
Ingredients for Choco-Chestnut pudding (you should have all of these from previous weeks)

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tracy andersons 30 day method list: weeks 3 & 4

December 20, 2010

For those of you doing, or about to do, or thinking about doing the plan from Tracy Anderson’s book, The 30 Day Method….first of all let me just say, do it!

It will most definitely be a challenge, but one you will be thankful you did when all is said and done.

That being said, there has been a lot of talk about how amazing it would have been had Tracy included a grocery list in the book to make things easier.

Well now.

Tracy is a busy gal and she can’t be expected to think of EVERYTHING, after all she did think up how to get us in shape all the WHILE kind of having fun…and that’s absolutely enough for me.
As for the rest of those itty bitty details, I’ve found that’s what her facebook page supporters are for.

Two amazing Tracy supporters, Robyn & Emily, took the time for all of us and put in the hard work of making all those lists and I’m MORE than happy to post it here so we can have a one stop shop for all that is needed.

So. For the first weeks list, go here.

Second weeks list? Here.

And if you look below, you’ll find the last two weeks (minus the spices, herbs, dried fruit and oils from the first two weeks. Hopefully you still have enough!)

Week 3 {Days 15-21}

Fruit:
Strawberries
Avocados
Limes
Watermelon
Oranges x 5-6
Lemons
Orange Juice
Pears
Honeydew 1/4 cup
Pineapple 1/4 cup
Papaya 1/4 cup
Kiwi 1/4 cup
Blueberries
Mango

Vegetables:
Corn- 3 ears
Red Pepper- 3 peppers
Romaine Hearts x 2c
Beets (1 Cup)
Arugula
Brussels Sprouts
Sweet Potato
Tomatoes
Endive x 2
Red Onion
Escarole
String Beans
Cucumber
Kale (lots)
Onion
Leeks
Asparagus
Celery
Parsnip
Mushrooms
Fennel
Cauliflower
Sugar Snap Peas
Spinach
Broccoli
Swiss Chard

Herbs:
Parsley
Cilantro
Chives
Mint

Protein:
Salmon x 2 portion
Tofu x 2
Lamb Tenderloin (4 oz)
Egg x 1
Turkey (lots, at least 3lbs… for the turkey kale soup)
Canned Tuna (in water)
Shrimps

Other:
Kefir Yogurt
Flax seeds
Kefir
Lowfat feta
Nicioise Olives
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Hearts of Palm
Almond or Peanut butter
Chickpeas

Week 4 {Days 22-25}

Fruit:
Apples
Lemons
Oranges
Mango

Vegetables:
Spinach
Escarole
Carrots
Celery
Kale
Red Onion
Bell Peppers
Shallots
Tomatoes
Peas (3/4 either edamame, spring peas or snow peas)
Broccoli x 3 heads
Leeks

Herbs:
Parsley
Basil
Cilantro
Chives

Protein:
Eggs
Chicken x 2
Red Snapper
Ground Turkey
Turkey
Salmon

Other:
Garbanzo beans
Stock
Red Beans
Cannelli Beans

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rain boots & wellies

December 20, 2010

I need some help choosing….it’s pouring buckets here and rain boots are in order.

Help me decide!

{my thoughts: cute, but I won’t be able to fit pants inside. they will keep me warm though. could look cute with skirts…but will i wear skirts in the rain?}

{my thoughts: super cute, love the wedge AND they’re wellies! but, are they practical? will people laugh?}

{my thoughts: love all leopard but will it go with everything? funky, yes….classic, no. will i regret that?}

{my thoughts: same boot, different design. same thoughts as before.}

What do you guys like?

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jeffrey campbell come to mama

December 18, 2010

oh. ma. word.

How does this man know my heart and taste so well?!?

I mean, my wedge addiction is almost off the charts right now….and even better is that people SWEAR they are the most comfortable heels out there.

Thinking I need to test that out myself.

Jeffrey-Campbell-shoes-All-Ruffle-(Grey-Leather)-010604

Jeffrey-Campbell-shoes-Oh-Yes-(Black-Leather)-010604

Jeffrey-Campbell-shoes-Foxy-Wood-(Grey-Suede)-010604

Jeffrey-Campbell-shoes-Jesmeen-(Black-Leather)-010604

Jeffrey-Campbell-shoes-Pixie-Tie-(Black-Leather)-010603

Jeffrey-Campbell-shoes-99-(Black-Snake)-010604

Jeffrey-Campbell-shoes-So-Crazy-(Beige-Black)-010604

Santa?

Can you hear me?

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a lil something special to keep off the pounds

December 15, 2010

Hello, uh, Tracy Anderson geek here.

Yes, two years later, I am still LOVING her workouts and still totally seeing great results when I’m consistent.
{and when i can put down the sweets…}

Anyway, whenever I’m obsessed with something you guys know that I like to pass it on.

So, just in case some of you are waiting for Santa to bring you her DVD’s or book and yet you still want to attempt to keep off those Christmas pounds in the meantime….here’s an easy to get to and great beginners Tracy Anderson workout.
For free.

We like free stuff around the holidays, right?

Do this routine every day for 10 days, and then when you get either her book or DVD’s (or all!!!) you’ll be ready to go!

Okay, so, start off stretching.

Always.

Then begin with her goop legs. {Replay it again for the other leg.}

Next up, the ab webisode.

And to finish up the muscular structure, work those arms with the arm webisode.

If after the first week it starts to get easy and you don’t have time to add more reps, simply put on the ankle weights and feel the new burn.
And oh ma word, will it ever burn.
{trust me, you want this. or at least, your thighs do.}

Okay, now you’re ready for cardio.

This easy routine will get you sweating and even the clumsiest of dancers can do it.
Do it two or three times.

And then for more calorie burning, go on to do the Goop Cardio a few times.

Try your best to do 40 minutes if you can, but remember SOMETHING is better than NOTHING. So if you only have 20 minutes, do that. And be proud. You’re butt (literally) will thank you.

If you finish this and Santa still hasn’t delivered…
well then, be your own Santa and order up.
And while you wait, go here for more free TAM workouts.
Just mix and match the links up for a complete workout.

And if you’re feeling totally unmotivated and need a kick in the jiggly you know what,
go to her Facebook page.
Those peeps are motivation junkies, and when it’s needed, they will most definitely give it.

Hope that all helped, and I hope you guys grow to love her like I do.

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home tour ~ entry way

December 15, 2010

Finally, my “entry way” is complete.
{for now}

And while it’s not really an official entry way, I did my best to create one.

Wanna hear something kind of amazing about those silhouettes?
We had a woman who’s a local artist do them.
And she does it by having the kids sit sideways and then simply cuts as she looks.
No drawing.
No pictures.
Just some incredible cutting talent.

I think it would be cool to have her redo them every year.
You know, especially when Chloe has hair and her silhouette looks a little less like Taylors.
She will have hair one day, right?

As for the rest of the stuff:
As you’ll recall, the little blue table is thrifted and with a can of spray paint and a black paint pen, my sister and I changed that baby up.
The Love print is from etsy, as are the no place like home and the French Fry ones.
Those you can find here.
The white vintage frame IS vintage, and it was an ugly brown when I found it at the thrift store.
So I brought out the glossy white spray paint, and wa la.
Perfection.
Let’s see….
The “S” is from TJ Maxx.
The little trays on the table as well as the mirrored framed art are also thrifted,
and the plant & pot are from the infamous Ikea.
Whew…think that covers it.

This little area now feels just right.
It says welcome to my home.
Welcome to us.

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