Five on Friday!

HOORAY!! We made it to Friday!

Time to share my positives of the week.. 

1. I cashed out on some giftcards and bought new towels for our household. 

2. I am addicted to working out! I love the joy and the hardwork. I've lost 4 lbs this month and this quote makes me feel invincible. I am excited to see more weight melt off and smaller sizes and the pink bikini that I've waited my whole life to wear to the beach. 

3. I get to have a mini golf date with my parents & best half tomorrow night!! 

4. Saturday I get the whole day with my best half on an adventure. Fazoli's for dinner :) :)

I used to work there & was THE breadstick lady. 

5. This dog is my favorite. My bro's dog is incredible. She is super cute and gives the best hugs. :)

Hope you have a fantastic weekend no matter what you're doing. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you back here! If you want to keep up with my adventures feel free to follow me on Instagram HERE! :) 

So What, Wednesday!

We made it friends, we're halfway through the week. I thought I'd share another edition of SO WHAT, Wednesday. Feel free to share some of yours too!

This week I am saying SO WHAT too..

1) I didn't get up at 6:40 to work out today. That's been our 'new normal' for the past 3 weeks and I love it - but today I heard my alarm and was like I need my sleep- I will just work out during AGT tonight.

2) That I had Marco's for dinner last night. People seem to be judging me because I usually don't have delish pizza/cheesy bread for dinner but everything in moderation. On that note, I had cheesy bread with lunch. I am still accountable to myFitnessPal app to count calories.

3) That I just love shopping at Target. I bought my sister's birthday present Friday night, and on Saturday night I was back shopping again. This time to buy these beautiful towels in Guacamole & Coral. :)

4) Some of my co-workers have made it a habit to go to Mickey D's for ice cream here and there. I had to fight the urge & my sweet tooth today for a ice cream cone. I wanted it SO bad but I will enjoy a coconut Outshine bar post eliptical tonight :)

5) I want to get a calendar at work just for the sole purpose of crossing out the days til my staycation starts next month. 

7) I cannot stop drinking my homemade green tea. It's addictive. I think its helped kick my soda habit to the curb.

8) I am too excited to touch up my hair color soon. Thanks to my coupons - I will get it cheaper. 

9) I am already planning my coupons for this weekend shopping trip. I love it - its been an addiction since I was 16.

10) I am eating at FAZOLI's this weekend!! I used to work there and be the breadstick lady but I cannot wait for this weekend!! 

That was a shortened list for y'all. What are you saying 'SO WHAT' too this week? Sound off in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you back here tomorrow :) 

Weekend Recap.

It's always hard for me to get back to setting the alarms for another CRAZY work week but I am really excited for this coming weekend. Just got to keep my chin up and keep hitting the workouts each morning. :)

My weekend was pretty fantastic. It involved lots of rest & planning & working out. All that I LOVE.

I kind of went cray with the picture taking - at one point my hubs just stopped smiling. So it was like hey - can you put the phone away so we can focus on what's important - like not setting our house on fire with the grill. ;)

Saturday was awesome for many reasons.

#1//I finally had Starbucks after 2 months. I always get Green Tea & always get a few awkward glances because it is the only green drink they serve but its my favorite. Thanks to giftcards & my gold card - it was a nice treat.

#2//Stepped on the scale and smiled big when I lost another 2 lbs this week. Brings my total to 4 POUNDS this month. Hoping to work hard this weekend to lose a few more before the end of the month.

#3//Ordered two new towels for the house in some fun colors: Guacamole green & Coral (pink) from Target.

#4//Worked & sweated hard. Did Zumba expert level class #5. & some bodyweight training.

#5//Bought myself a small treat - Outshine Coconut Bars. Mmmm.

#6//Fiercely cleaned my bedroom for 3 hours while fighting with internet issues and lack of A/C.
& all my Laundry done! :)

Today was also INCREDIBLE.

#1//I'm a planner - which calms me. Got some ideas brainstormed.

#2//Got our grilling on. Pretty tasty.

#3//Enjoyed Jersey Mike's for dinner.

#4//Celebrated the fact that these crazy Fla rainstorms are keeping our flowers growing pink :)

But Monday is back. Ready for our mini golf date on Friday with my parents. & next weekend's adventure which involve a great dinner, tanning/theme parks, and time with my best half! :)

Thanks for stopping by & I'll see you back here soon!

Five on Friday!

Hooray, we made it to Friday. It's been a long week. But its over and the weekend has returned.

Today I am still in a rather high celebratory mood. Wednesday was my 3rd wedding anniversary, and I shared the story of my big day from my eyes, the bride.

Today I am celebrating our celebration thus far this week.

'

#1.// We celebrated at Smokey Bones. Who doesn't enjoy some BBQ & Sweet Tea after work?

#2.// We both enjoyed some BBQ - he had beef brisket. I had smoked turkey.

#3.//We both had gifts for each other - I gifted him with the shirt in the top right: "I put ketchup on my ketchup." That fits him to a tee! aha.He gave me Anchorman 2 !! :) 

#4.//My husband woke up Tuesday with a head cold so I knew there was a possibility he'd fall asleep super early. I called it.  So I picked out 'A League of Their Own.' Favorite movie!

#5.//We didn't get dessert on Wednesday because it was lots of food. But if you're coming to Orlando anytime soon or if you're familiar with the area - you need to stop by Twistee Treat! It's one of those amazing gems for ice cream here. 

Chris got a Waffle cone dipped in Butterscotch. I got a large vanilla with Pina Colada cone. Made me want to take a trip to the beach. Staycation is SO close!! :) 

This has been a fantastic week for Chris & I. I've been staying motivated, getting up an hour early daily to do the elliptical. Been working out for 2 weeks straight and I am telling a difference. I feel really good, really positive. I am excited to weigh in this weekend but regardless what the #'s say - I will keep on, keepin on. I keep  thinking -  in 3 months, all these good choices will pay off. & I am hoping to lose close to 50 lbs by October. All is going well on that front! :)

Hope you enjoy your weekend!! Take care, thanks for stopping by & I'll see you back here next week! :) 

Happy Third Anniversary, Chris!!

It's hard to believe three years ago today we were hustling about getting ready for our special day. You woke up to a king's buffet (so I've heard) at Disney's Old Key West resort with your family. I woke up, excited and multiple butterflies in my stomach. Not so much nervousness but so very excited to be married that day. Until our reception, I had only managed to enjoy a smoothie. I had spent the weekend with my bridesmaids celebrating and catching up at a hotel.. We also happened to spend too much time at Walmart partly b/c I waited til the last second to buy my shoes.

I spent the morning with my bridesmaids getting my hair done, still tired from watching 'Bride Wars' with my closest ladies and doing our nails from the night before. You spent the day being a stud -- because you are already good looking. As we pulled up to the church & walked to my bridal suite, I took out my music and belted out some serious dance movies to T.Swift. (No shame!) I put on my beautiful perfect dress that made me feel like the prettiest lady in the entire world.

My bridesmaids and I survived the sweltering humidity of Florida to take our pre-ceremony pictures. My parents were there. While we weren't supposed to see each other that day, I kept trying to sneak peeks of you the entire day because I'm a rebel ;) Finally it was time to snap a few more pictures and get our bouquets ready! It was time!!

Together with my  bridesmaids, I stood at the back of the church with my arm looped on my dad's - ready to see you. I watched as you and your groomsmen entered the church first and the vibe of everyone in the room softened. Our ceremony was starting.

I watched, one by one as the groomsmen came back and walked down the aisle with my bridesmaids. As each one left, my heart grew bigger in anticipation. When it was our time to go, my pastor saw my excitement and calmed my sudden sprint to a slower walk. I started smiling half way down the aisle, the excitement thickened. My dad, handed me off to you and took his place at the front to co-officiate the wedding.

I couldn't stop smiling at you, as we held hands. Then came the time to speak our vows and exchange rings. We exchanged our first communion together and lit our unity candle. Before you knew it, pastor Bruce was announcing we were man & wife. Our first kiss as man & wife was like every fireworks show at Disney + every sports game + the chills you get when it thunder and lightnings out of nowhere -- it was a big deal.

We took our man & wife pictures  - and escaped the crazy rainstorm by minutes. We walked into our reception to the song 'Ever After' by Carrie Underwood - and started the descent to that line of food we had so excitedly picked out months before. Flank steak was at the top of my list. We started eating, I felt like I consumed my food in seconds (that's quite a confession). I kept trying to be polite while eating. That was a fun combo. My mind really went to our cake since the top tier was rootbeer flavored. :) Since everyone was in the same room, everyone was on about us doing our first dance. Our song of choice was 'Two is Better than One' by T.Swift & Boys Like Girls. (Everytime I hear that song on my iTunes, gives me the chills/goosebump combo).

After everyone started dancing, on came the toasts & according to my Facebook posts - some rather not so flattering pictures of me in that time. After that was the cake cutting and you could just not get me off the dance floor! I will have to say that one of the most memorable moments of our wedding was when I opened the gift from your parents, the tissue paper landed on a candle and basically almost set my dress on fire. Haha. I laughed but no one else did.

I was a bit sad to change out of my beautiful gown into a normal dress but it was time to say goodbye, the night had come to an end and let's face it, we were ready to head out as Mr & Mrs :) We came out to our friends & family who had lit up sparklers as a stylish way out.

I still think of that day like it was five minutes ago. It was the best day of my life. <3
Here's to many, many more adventures and growing old with my best friend. :)

Thanks for stopping by. I'll see you back here soon! :)

Weekend Wrap Up.

It's hard to come back to work on Mondays isn't it? Especially when your weekend was just THAT good.
My hubs & I had the invite to spend the weekend here at Ponce Inlet, FL, with my parents/sisters: at the beach.

Unfortunately as much as I've been craving a beach day, we managed to be pretty productive.
We both did our fair share of working out (I am addicted to my elliptical & thankful for both my Netflix & Hulu subscriptions.) This am, we worked out before work & it's made me less stressed & its fun to have a reason to watch 3 episodes of 'Cake Boss' simultaneously. We both have been really making more of an effort to watch what we eat and everything in moderation. Its becoming easier to not let my sweet tooth consume my decisions.

What else did we do? We got our house cleaned up on the outside & inside. Our house now shines from all our work. The lawn is mowed. The floor/counters are picked up & scrubbed clean. Dishes are done. Laundry is finally complete.

Our favorite time of the year is this week. Wednesday we celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary with dinner @ Smokey Bones. We don't eat at the same place, though we might when we find somewhere we like THAT much. We're also treating ourselves to Twistee Treat. & we're probably hitting up the theme parks this weekend. I'm excited to gift Chris with his gift that I know he'll love. I feel like we've been married longer but while this post is reserved for Wednesday - I just can't begin to express how much I'm blessed to be with him. He told me the other day, "When I married you, my life really took off."  < 3

Ps. I was excited to step on the scale Saturday to find out I lost 2 lbs. I'll take it :) Thanks for stopping by!

Five on Friday!

Happy Friday, planet Earth! :)

Been posting all week. But now it's time to celebrate because we reached the end of the week. & it's time to reflect. :) [I haven't done this post in awhile so some of these are from last week but still - all awesome.]

1. I absolutely love my brother's dog, Alice. She is literally my best friend. Always gets so excited when we come over and she is just super cuddly. She wasn't too keen on our photo-shoot.  But she is patient with me. Sometimes she'll rest her head on my leg.

2. Finally made it to Gold level with Starbucks. Been waiting for 2 weeks for this beautiful gift to arrive and now I get to get some drinks. Thanks to giftcards, I am going to keep this status for as long as possible!  It's strange this has been on my bucket list. 

3. We're pretty close to our #third wedding anniversary (NEXT WEEK!) and wanted to remember the card on the left with a note from my hubs on our wedding day. The card on the right is from our first anniversary. This year we're doing something different. :)

4. #KateVoegele is one of my favorite artists. I loved her scenes on #OneTreeHill -- I decided to send her a tweet giving her some high praise. & I was notified that she favorited my tweet. I felt pretty cool!

5. Last weekend, we were at my parents house and we played a championship game of SkipBo. I thought it'd be a great idea to take a #familyselfie. YAY. :)

Hope you have a fantastic weekend. I am excited to spend my weekend with my Dad. I bought him a pretty fantastic gift. I plan on making him a cake as well. I think its going to be a productive weekend of usual weekly wife stuff/working out. Happy to say I've been working out for a week straight. . Enjoy your weekend - see you back here next week! :) :)

#throwbackthursdays

Every week, I join the world in remembering those flashback moments from years ago. I think I am going to start using Thursdays to post more than just one #tbt photo. If you follow me on Instagram HERE, you can see all my various pics but on here I want to keep track of the best memories I've made. (This could be a fun link up - all of us sharing our stories of special memories every week!)

Four years ago, this July I got engaged at Disney's Boardwalk Resort. (I make a big deal about dates - I loudly & proudly share why their important - got this gem of a memory from my dad!) One year prior to that, I started dating my boyfriend. In order to share the engagement & collage, let's back up and start from the foundation of where it all began..

I met my husband online. After a string of unsuccessful relationships online, there was something about his profile. When I first read it - I was smiling. (That's a good start, riiight?) He wrote that he liked The Office, time with his family, catching Cardinals games and to those that know him, he's basically a Disney fanatic!
He had me at hello. We started talking right away and would spend hours getting to know each other, daily. At the time my parents weren't thrilled because I had just graduated college and I was supposed to be finding a job, the dating scene could wait. But when you know, you know. He told me right off the bat that after his summer internship with Disney ended, he would be returning to finish his last semester of college. I told him that wouldn't be an issue, that's not a deal breaker for me. Our first date was park hopping at Disney, we managed to do all 4 parks and saw a movie in ONE day. (Not sure if you've ever done that, but it's exhausting!) After our really long first date, we kept talking and I kept job hunting. The latter had no real success. A couple weeks before he left, I had landed an volunteer internship position in the Education field. I kept going to job interviews but nothing was happening. My relationship with C blossomed fast. I was able to introduce him to my mom & sister the day he was leaving to fly home. They both liked him which also, a good sign. Part of my heart broke once he boarded his flight. I had fallen hard quickly but knew that he was my future.

After he left, the job front was basically crickets. Job fairs, interviews and lots of tension because I missed C and wanted to be with him. After him being gone for a month, I realized that it was time for my next great adventure. He was pretty excited of my plans. His parents who'd never met me allowed me to come live with them temporarily in transport to my first apartment. So, I told my parents who immediately weren't thrilled. We didn't get along. But I was moving two weeks after my 24th birthday. My birthday present from my parents (the only thing I asked for) - a oneway ticket to Kansas City, Missouri on October 14th, 2009. Which they gifted me with and while they didn't like it, I spent my birthday in tears, packing because all I wanted was to leave. However, I still enjoyed my birthday. I went out to dinner w/my parents and had Key Lime Pie for my dessert. I was also happy because it was the first time in my life when a boyfriend got me a birthday gift. Part of the reason I was more compassionate towards my parents was after talking to C's mom who told me she was praying for me in all of this. She wished me a Happy Birthday. That was the sweetest gesture from the mom  (who I'd never met) of my then-serious boyfriend who I was relocating halfway across the country for.

I fell hard for my husband and I do everyday. Next week, I will share my next #throwbackthursday post on moving to the Midwest and all of the adventures that arose from that. Thanks for stopping by. See you back here tomorrow for Five on Friday - celebrating my week!

Why I've been here before.

You remember that feeling when you were little and it seemed like a good idea to ride the merry-go-round over and over as much as possible? Or to run around in circles with your friends so that when you stop, not only are you dizzy but you feel like you are seeing stars? That's what the last six months have been like. We started 2014 out like many of the years before with sparkling cider, on cloud nine and with a big smooch. We listened as our neighbors partied a little too hard with their fireworks and good times. We made goals to make this year big, get some projects done and enjoy ourselves.

I was feeling pretty good for a few weeks when I got sick one day with symptoms I'd never had before. One of my best friends who has medical history told me it was probably gallstones -- which immediately scared me. I remember driving home that night shaking because I was in so much pain. I got sick that evening and thought I could brave the next day at work. Ironically, I had that Friday off to enjoy a long weekend off, not realizing my day would be spent going from my doctor's office to a specialist, back to my parents when I got that dreaded phone call that I had gallstones and would require surgery. I met with a surgeon on my lunch break who ordered me to report to the hospital that evening. My thoughts were swirling around in my head about how serious this was. I remember my mom driving me to the hospital that evening and I was trying to put on a brave face but internally I was scared. I didn't look sick but inside I felt absolutely horrible. I got stuck with 3 horrendous roommates and I grew really sick of being poked and prodded by needles/blood pressure throughout the nights. My surgery was delayed twice and I really had to cling to God in that hospital room. I was in pain I didn't think was possible, apparently I had passed a few gallstones (I apologize if that's a TMI) but by the time I got to have my surgery - I just wanted to feel better. Even after my surgery, I had no idea what ride I was in after having my gallbladder removed.

I felt after this that my entire year had just taken about six steps backwards. I felt wobbly and shaky afterwards for awhile. I really wanted to get back on the weight loss train but since I had abdominal surgery, I had to make sure my incisions healed properly. The week of our Disney cruise in March, I finally got the go-ahead from my surgeon to get back into working out, especially Zumba which I LOVE. But as anyone knows, when you go on a cruise even with your best intentions - you don't really lose weight. I think I gained 2 lbs from my cruise which isn't a show stopper by any means but when you have a LOT to lose, you don't want even a feather more than what you have.

**For those that didn't see any of our cruise pics, I'd like to share a few with you now!**

Anywho - after our cruise, I made every attempt to get back into losing weight but after coming back from our cruises and having some stress that undid the relaxation, we got back into the swing of things and focused ourselves on working on our home. We finally made some headway - we got our living room painted and our kitchen painted. We got other rooms in our house painted last weekend and now our house is looking more our personality. So while it feels like these past six months have felt like I keep circling back to the same place, I felt like it was time to mentally and physically process our year so far. I only feel like the year will get better. We have our staycation coming up relatively soon. We live in Florida where theme parks and days with Disney happen. We're where we're supposed to be even if it's been where we've been time and time again and will be back here again in the future.

Thanks for stopping by! I'll see you back here tomorrow to remember the good ol' days: #throwbackthursday :)

In another life I'd be...

While blog hopping this morning of my daily reads which I don't usually get because I usually get to work and don't have time to sit and do this - but since I've changed my schedule around this summer, I have the time to peruse my blogging friends earlier. I was inspired through one of my must reads, Lauren @ 34 Magnolia Street who posted this topic this morning and this is something I've thought about over and over, more so recently.

In another life, I'd be that best selling author. From the first Creative Writing class in high school, I would have written that book to inspire & encourage teen girls. I'd had enjoyed my seasonal fame on the best sellers list and from then on, discovered that that was my calling in life. I'd live in my hometown, quiet and far away from the drama that Hollywood brings but visit enough to where people know my name. From writing, maybe I'd find that I enjoy acting or participating with talk shows. I'd meet those people I'd see on shows, I'd travel but at the end of the day, I'd be enjoying my life because its my passion.

In another life, I'd be a second grade elementary teacher. Being that I grew up around kids my entire life, everyone in my family thought that'd be a perfect fit. Throughout college, I'd find a way to where I get to interact with kids and change their lives for the better. I'd find my first teaching gig nearby and settle into this next adventure, knowing my family has my back. While in my teaching career, I'd go back to school and earn my Master's in Teaching to advance my knowledge in my field and for the multiple opportunities down the road to open up for me.

In another life, I'd be the talented baker. I'd showcase my talent all over the world, meeting the big kahunas in the business - Buddy from Cake Boss, Rachael Ray, Paula Deen - and countless others. I'd open the bakery/card store/coffee shop with my best friend. We'd have those delish treats & cards for special occasions as well as the coffee you need when you're having the best day of your life. We'd get to showcase our talent in different events, win awards, pen a memoir and maybe if we're really that lucky - Lifetime will make a movie of our story! (said fairly sarcastically)

Regardless of what has happened in my life, I am content and happy. While any of these 'other lives' would have been enjoyable - I wouldn't have my husband, my house, my dogs, my job. I'm happy where I am. I live close to the beach and having a day with Mickey isn't a dream - its our reality whenever we want it to.

Thanks for stopping by, I'll see you back here Wednesday! :)

The icing on the cake.

Sometimes you just need a relaxing yet productive weekend to soak up in. I faced this issue this am when I got to work after having binge-watched the second season of 'Orange is the New Black' over Friday night/Saturday. I guess to some that seems silly and not cool but I am taking advantage of the fact that I don't have kids yet. Thanks for the judgment, work peeps. I get it. 

Friday was my brother's birthday. The best way to celebrate? 4Rivers BBQ and chocolate cake. Time with family reminiscing about my favorite stories of my brother. He tried to unsuccessfully play the 'I don't remember that card' but lo & behold - I think he did. The best part was that his little boy, my hilariously cute nephew had his cake but then went around trying to convince everyone else he hadn't & should have some of theirs. He got a few extra bites but overall - we all know he had cake and we weren't sharing ours! After the cake, I hit the eliptical at home (this continues to be the BEST present from Christmas). Worked off something.

Saturday we continued to watch OINB on Netflix. I will say there was a few hours gap that day. We needed to get cleaning done and lawns mowed. You know, the domesticness of being a wife needed to happen. We straightened up some rooms in our house, vacuuming and really making all the painting we did last month - look incredible. Hubs cooked us dinner while we resumed our show and it was one of those awesome evenings.

Yesterday was the icing on the cake. We headed to my parents house to swim and enjoy the company of family. Our nephew kept showing me all his animals, his dump truck and just is the smartest little boy. We played in the pool, he threw us his rings and we threw the ball back and forth. I got a tad more tan apparently. He likes to give me kisses (upon request) and I hate when we have to leave but his little waves as he tells us goodbye is the cutest. Pulls at my heartstrings that little guy. & when I got home, I did a step workout - and am now sore. Alas, I am back to Jillian Michaels today & trying the Tone it Up workouts as well.

All in all - I needed this weekend. I didn't have to set an alarm. I got to turn off alarms. I got time with my mister and my pups. I cleaned fiercely (stress relieving). I got to listen to the rain. And I could take naps when I want. The weekends are the best part of my week. Thanks for stopping by. I'll see you back here again for So What, Wednesday :)

It's a Jeremiah 29:11 type day.

Ever since I woke up this morning, Jeremiah 29:11 has been spoken over and over. Over and over. Lately, I've been struggling with girl issues. It's no surprise that I've wanted a baby since I got married but it seems recently everyone in the world is either pregnant or welcoming their baby into their family. While I am so very happy for my friends & the celebrities, it just feels like a part of me is missing. Friends closest to me know that I want to be a mom but there are certain steps that have to happen first.

1) I have to lose all my weight. We're not talking five pounds, the amount is higher and I am breaking it down to x lbs in a month over a ten month period. But sometimes I just get onto myself if I don't work out daily like I should or if I don't log everything into my food diary app. Tough being a lady at times.

2) Financially, we're not where we need to be. Family and friends keep telling us, 'Babies aren't free but if you wait til you've saved enough, you'll never have one.' While this is true - it's rude to me. I hate when people tell us this so its become a bitter topic.

3) Family pressures. I love love love my family, especially my in-laws but it seems like everytime I talk to them - babies are somehow tied into the convo and when we'll be having one. & why we live so far away. The sarcastic side always pops out with 'When you pay us, we'll pop out a baby faster.'

Today, I just have to pray, pray and pray for this internal struggle. I try to handle it on my own but then God speaks to me and tells me to let it go - let Him take my struggles and He'll bless us.

That's been on my mind lately and felt I'd share. See you back here tomorrow for Five on Friday! :)
Thanks for stopping by!