Celebrating January's M I L E S T O N E S .

Hey y'all. This first month in 2015 has been incredible satiating for me in terms of weight loss.

When The Biggest Loser first came on TV back in the day, I was in my sophomore year of college. I had definitely put on the 'Freshman 15' and then some. I knew I needed to lose weight and it's been a challenge since I was thirteen to be perfectly transparent. I couldn't just leave college mid semester if they selected me for the show to workout and lose the weight. But the concept of the Biggest Loser (as it applies to weight loss) is something that I am always thinking about - and I am on my way.

My goal in January was to kick start my weight loss again (after the holidays) but to be consistent. My biggest struggle is that I have a sweet tooth. All month long - I have been working really hard to kick out the junk that I used to treat myself to at anytime. The first to go really has been Starbucks. Anyone that knows me can tell you that I help keep Starbucks in business. After years of having fraps, I finally transitioned over to iced lattes and iced coffees to salvage my day's calorie intake. I love my Starbucks, I won't be shy about that. But I just can't have it at the frequency I'd love to or else I will never reach my goal. So in my mind: Weight Goal > Starbucks. 

This month I achieved my goals:
*I am consistently working out daily.
*I am planning my meals, staying accountable to MyFitnessPal, even on days when I have chocolate.
*I come home after work, lounge for a bit and get right into the working out, because I want too.
*I am part of the JessicaSmithTV workout community, finishing challenges and pushing myself.
*I have been training for this 5K on Valentine's Day & I am really excited to run it.

& I lost 7.2 lbs this month! That is huge for me. What a way to kick the year off with a bang. :)

I am pretty confident that February will be another awesome month for weight loss efforts! Xo.

Perceptions don't HAVE to define you. #DearWomen

Yay for Mondays. This is a short work week for me and I am excited to get Thanksgiving started. :) Not sure if you've been there lately but Target is decked out for Christmas and I love it. There is so much I want to buy - my husband practically can't leave me alone in the store because I could easily be found with two carts brimming. ;)

But today, ladies, I want to encourage you by letting you know that:

#1) People have opinions + they are entitled to them. 

#2) You may not always like or enjoy these opinions. 

#3) NO MATTER WHAT - if their opinions are about you --

 they DO NOT have to define you in any way, shape or form. 

This weekend, while my husband was at the dentist, I was stocking up on BOGO's at Publix. I don't go there often & every store is laid out differently, so I will be that person who appears to be having a full blown convo out loud trying to figure out where they put different items. I was walking down the main aisle in the back at the same time this woman walked by me, looked me in the eyes and called me a 'stripper.' 

Now, at the time I was a tad offended because this was a random stranger. Long ago, this type of event happened all the time but its been 2 years since and it made me sad that someone would say that period, and to a person they don't know. But later on - it made me laugh. I let it roll of my back and I said a prayer to God thanking Him for knowing my worth + identity in Him is completely different and awesome.

Just because this woman decided to make her opinion of me known - doesn't mean I let it impact my life for the long term. What she said has no long term dent on me or who I am. 

I didn't have the best time in high school or middle school. I was bullied alot. People said and did lots of horrible things to me which hurt for a long time. After I while, I honestly got to the point where I was just like - this isn't doing anything for me to hold on to what they think of me - that is just THEIR opinion of me, their perception but it was FALSE. 

While I wish they had chosen to get to know me - that was what they wrote in my yearbook every year for 6+ years " dear jessie, it was great getting to know you this year"- they didn't know me and enjoyed making me feel uncomfortable about things out of my control that I couldn't change. 

Maybe you've been in my shoes, whether you were 13 or 33. Maybe it's someone at work who likes to stir up catty drama with you. Maybe its a mom at your son/daughter's school. Maybe it's someone whose been your friend for years and something happened. Regardless of the situation, I pray that you will know your worth. 

Whatever anyone says that isn't true - just take a note from Taylor Swift + SHAKE IT OFF! Don't let lies or footholds in your life from other situations hold any meaning - they have none. You're incredible + created by Jesus who loves you just the way you are. 

Hope you have an incredible week! ~ Jessica

Weekend Roundup.

So, hello again. I took a few weeks off to refresh and focus on circumstances that needed my attention. In return - I feel brighter, happier and ready to get back to what I was doing on here - meeting new friends (which is harder than I thought) + being transparent about myself in hopes of inspiring one person in the world .. or two ;)

So let's catch up on me from the past few weeks.

- Family: Chris + I don't really go on specific date nights all the time. It's a luxury kind of thing and when it happens - it's marvelous. We go out during the week after work and that's kind of our 'us' time. But this week - we changed it up - we tried out a new burger joint here in Winter Park, FL - Shake Shack. It's a burger joint from New York + it's super fresh and oh so deeelish. Everything is fresh and made to order. Every bite of my hamburger was incredible. Plus, the bacon on it - that was a bonus. :) Have a peek & try to not salivate..

- Family, round 2: My mom is one of my best friends. She has been active/fit her entire life and it shows - she is awesome. Recently, she became a certified personal trainer + I am her first client. We've been working out together for a month strengthening me and helping me get back on track with the fitness. 

I tried going it alone for 2 years to lose weight and I did lose 40 lbs but after the weight crept back up - I turned to the expert and let her in to help. I am proud to say I've lost 4 lbs this month we've worked together. & I am excited for the transformation that's begun.. :) So much that paired with my new IPhone - I bought myself a new gift to treat myself. 

This new pink purse from Kohl's is my first treat of many to keep working hard, to keep pushing hard + over time I will see the weight fall off. It's a fantastic feeling so far + I am excited to accomplish my first bigger goal in the coming months!  

I guess its a blessing my in-laws don't really do dessert so for Thanksgiving - I'll be making my mom's homemade mashed potatoes. I made them myself the first time tonight + I hit a pot o' gold. :) 

I must say that while I did catch up on Scandal this weekend -- I got some good cleaning around the house - cleaning out drawers, we can see our kitchen table again + its a good feeling goin into the week that the kitchen/living room is all clean. Laundry is done. Groceries are bought. It's gonna be a good week - excited for our upcoming time off + Thanksgiving overall. & Amazon's Black Friday deals. :) :)

What a great weekend! <3 Thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll stop by tomorrow for my series on Mondays where my goal is to overcome Monday blues while inspiring + encouraging anyone who stops over. I'll be talking about perceptions from others. 

TGIF - Oh hey, Friday! :)

Happy Friday! Today I am already smiling because these pictures are relevant already  :) I am linking up with some fantastic ladies today to celebrate my week.

                 

1) I celebrated my birthday two weeks ago but I didn't get to celebrate with everyone - so this week the wonderful ladies that I worked with everyday for 3 years + I had Tijuana Flats together. I was promoted a year ago so I miss seeing them and talking to them and the fun on the team. Definitely going to enjoy this new tradition here and there with some good friends.

2) Today is Friday and I've already gotten some of my housework done that usually consumes my weekend. These items on my weekend to do list will be replaced but this means I will be sleeping better and more time with my mister. Hooray!

3) We picked up our car on Tuesday morning since our car accident last week & it looks incredible. Our bumper was replaced and our front lights. Feel like I am driving a brand new car. :)

4) I got back to working out this week, tomorrow will be my third day. Been back to keeping myself accountable with my food diary app, MyFitnessPal & challenging myself to drink mostly water + eating way less sugar.

5) I've already completed my Christmas shopping for my family - thanks to incredible sales. The bags starting appearing at my front door and I love taking all of the items out, and getting super excited. All of these items are taking up residence in my closet for another month but I love what I found for my whole family. I used Ebates to get cash back on all of my purchases and will be getting money back in a few weeks.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy yourself in all that you do. I hope you will stop by on Monday for another post from my #dearladies series for inspiration & encouragement.

From 28 to 29 years young//Pre-Birthday Interview.

Happy Thursday! I know I am WAY more excited to wake up tomorrow because it's my BIRTHDAY & it landed on Friday this year. :) Quite a bonus if you ask me!

Today - I am sharing another #tbt from birthday pasts. 

                                     

Hooray! Tomorrow's my Birthday, and the last one of my twenties. When I was growing up, my mom always 'interviewed' me at the beginning/end of a school year to remember my favorites at each time. I really miss it! I've decided each October 2nd, I am going to interview myself from the past year while getting ready to ring in the next. Think of it as the excitment (on my part) for Macy's Thanksgiving Parade + Scandal + Parenthood on the same day with a trip to Target/Starbucks SIMULTANEOUSLY.

My 28th Year Interview:

What are my top 3 favorite shows this year?

1. Scandal.

2. Parenthood

3. Bones

What is my favorite place to shop? (Top 3)

1. Target

2. Amazon.com

3. Kohl's. 

What are my top 5 favorite Disney attractions?

1. Expedition Everest (Animal Kingdom)

2. Haunted Mansion (Magic Kingdom)

3. Big Thunder Mountain (Magic Kingdom)

4. People Mover (Magic Kingdom)

5. Spaceship Earth (Epcot)

Top 5 Moments: 

1) Celebrating my 28th on a Disney Cruise. 

2) Paying off all UNSUB student loans. 

3) Celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary! {celebrate HERE!!}

4) Disney Annual Passholders!

5) First work promotion (ever).

Top 5 Goals for #29th year:

1) Mostly kick sweet tooth to curb.

2) Finish writing book/publish with Amazon.

3) Get in the fittest, healthiest version of myself.

4) Do more of what makes me HAPPY.

5) Be intentional & consistent in everything. :) 

Favorite memories to come in 2014/2015?

~ Cruising again w/Disney.

~ becoming a Aunt again!

~Hopefully starting our family *fingers crossed*

~ Published Author title.
~ Paying down more of student loans.
~ Keeping my blog consistent//learning how to design my blog.

What I've learned from my husband/marriage?

I can't imagine my life/future without him. We make success look easy but we both make sacrifices daily that have positive long term benefits for later. Hard to believe we've been together for 5+ years already. Seems like 5 min ago, we met online & Got led us together. There is simply no me without him!

Overall, I am thrilled to celebrate #29 (at midnight!)

& with family tomorrow night with some fun plans up my sleeves.

Thanks for stopping by. Tomorrow I'll be posting my Top 5 Birthday related gems on the Happy Birthday version of Oh Hey, Friday linkup! See you tomorrow :) xo. 

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 :)

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 :)

Staring my goals in the face.

May is a month of chapters in my life. It has been the month where chapters closed, followed by open windows of new ones emerging. This year is the 10th anniversary when all of my big dreams were birthed. I was celebrating my graduation from high school. I knew that moment on May 28th, 2004 that my life was truly about to start for real. No matter all the crappy cards that I had been dealt those four years, this part of my life was over and the real, better silver lining that my parents had told me about was ready to show itself.

After high school, I started the newer chapter of my life. I started college out of state, while I only stayed at that college for 18 months, it was a huge learning experience. I really understood myself - in terms of what I dislike, what I like and what I wanted to do with my life while in college. I moved back home with my parents and took a year to attend the local community college to get those gen ed's out of the way. It wasn't mentally challenging because the workload felt like an extension of high school but by the following January when I made the decision to stay in-state, I was able to transfer a lot of credits in. I started with education, but made the switch (I regret it now) to communications, which I do like my degree. 

I remember May 2nd, 2009. I had spent the night before prepping my hair so it'd be curly. My mom made me a dress that's sparkly and butterflies. It was a fantastic day to spend with friends & family. 6 weeks after I graduated, I met my now husband. I was involved in an internship that would prove to be heading nowhere. My now husband was finishing an internship at Disney in the College Program, and about to start his final semester at college. I was ready for an adventure, the kind that changes your life in an instant. That adventure was my now husband. I surprised my parents by announcing, hey I'm moving to Kansas. I moved into my first apartment, I got a job (that I loved!) and started grad school while being with the man I loved. I only was there for a year but in that time we knew what our goals were: we wanted to be together with many adventures. We wanted to finish our degrees, get married, buy a house, start a family & the list goes on. [Before I moved I had lost 25 lbs, and then when I moved on my own - I gained it back and some more.]

We're about to celebrate our third wedding anniversary. I can't believe how fast time has flown by. We've really accomplished a lot of FANTASTIC goals. We bought our first house six months after we got married, which our wedding gifts helped with our down payment. We both graduated with our graduate degrees, months apart last year. We've worked on our house and made significant improvements. Last year, we put a big dent towards our student loans before we were required and are on the way to being debt free down the road. 

Tonight - however was staring down my goals. I've mentioned this before but I've had hypothyroidism my entire life. This condition goes against weight loss, and its definitely been a struggle in my life. Two years ago when I started my weight loss journey for the sole purpose of getting healthy - I lost 40 lbs fast. Now, with my remaining 75 lbs to lose - its proving to be a challenge. But this month - I decided I needed to make time for my goals. I stare at them in the face, I count calories, I force myself to portion size my meals and I only allow myself two cheat days/week. I'm learning how to really tone down stress, its hurt me in reaching my goals. But tonight I started a new workout routine, 40 minutes of Zumba at the Expert level followed by Jillian Michaels. My goals are simple - my husband is ready to be a daddy and I really want to give that to him next fall. So, I had to step my goals up, and I am excited because I am ready to enjoy life more fully.

I was thinking of this post while working out and I felt like its important to share my goals from where I started until the present moment. My big goal right now is to just lose the weight, as close to 50 lbs by my birthday in October. I am celebrating my birthday at the beach and with friends/family but I'd really like to be able to buy a new bathing suit as a birthday gift to me. Living in Florida, I can always find a good bathing suit sale - so I am excited to meet the goal for myself. 

What about you? What are the goals you're staring at right now to accomplish? Big or small - know that you can do it! Every time it feels like too much - I quote both Philippians 4:13 & Jeremiah 29:11 over and over. 

              

Thank God tomorrow is Thursday! I'm so excited for the long holiday weekend ahead! See you back here tomorrow! ~ Jessica

keepin' up with the robinson's

Happy Wednesday, friends! :)



 

 

Here's some Bob's Burgers gifs for you to enjoy!

 

Florida lately has been gross in terms of rainy, windy weather. I kind of love it but not during the work day as it makes me really tired and harder to stay awake.

 

Wanted to update my life lately because I've just been busy working out and sleeping so blogging just temporarily got moved to the back burner.

 

1) Ever since my surgery - been working hard on my book. Newfound motivation and creativity flowing that comes out of nowhere - I am determined to self publish through Amazon. I am blessed with some great friends who are interested in collaborating with me to share their stories & experiences for my future readers. I am really excited for the opportunity to bless the lives of other teenage/college aged & any other ladies who read my e-book. Hooray!

 

2) This past weekend, hubs & I sweated it out walking the World Showcase at Epcot which is our absolute favorite Disney Park, followed by Magic Kingdom. We also found ourselves at the Flower & Garden festival, where Disney characters were popping up everywhere pruned out of grass. Pretty artistic.

 

3) I am pretty excited about this weekend for a myriad of reasons. First, my mom & I are doing a Women of Faith event with Lisa Harper speaking at one of the Real Life church branches Friday eve/Sat afternoon. Saturday night, we're headed to Magic Kingdom. :)

 

4) When we bought our house, our master bathroom sink never worked. Our house is a fixer upper and finally after 2 1/2 years, my hubs figured out why. Last night we headed to Lowe's, thanks to giftcards from my parents we bought our new faucet which works amazingly.

 

5) I'm back to counting cals with my MyFitnessPal app on my phone & addicted to Zumba - 5-6 times a week and soon starting to train for my 10K in December to run it like Forrest Gump. Goal is to lose 5 pounds by May 1st, hopefully more!

 

6) Our neighborhood isn't the friendliest group of people but while we were walking our dogs on Sunday night - a neighbor not only waved, he said hi. Maybe I am being dramatic - but I wanted to hug him.

 

7) My dad & I were originally going to have a date last weekend but timing wasn't on our side. We're having a date this Sunday afternoon, with help from my entertainment book - Mini Golf & Froyo.

 

This week is really turning out to be something special. Hooray. ~ J

 



Five for Friday!

Happy Friday, friends! :)

 

This has been honestly an insane week. While I am pretty psyched its Friday, its not a real Friday since I work tomorrow. But I digress - it's time for my second Five on Friday post to link up with all y'all. 

1) As previously mentioned on my blog, I am in the process of writing my first book, well ebook through Amazon. I was brainstorming ideas and came up with a chapter that I hadn't even thought of inspired by my recent surgery. I am now recruiting individuals who would be interested in reading my chapters for grammatical errors and overall flow - if you're interested feel free to contact me at jessica_whitney@hotmail.com .. (Thanks in advance, my goal is to hopefully publish by the end of December 2014.)

2) There is something fantastic truly about receiving packages in the mail even when you know they're coming. Waited an extra week for my pictures but it was worth it - they are beautiful!

 

3) This has felt like the world's longest week and this is how I chose to greet my Friday. Arby's Mint Chocolate shake.

4) Thanks to giftcards - I was able to score two new gorgeous Target maxi skirts for only $2.17 out of pocket. Cannot wait to rock these out. 

 

5) I finally got back to working out this week. I am definitely getting back to it and my motivation is refueled. I've been hearing alot about Daily Burn and I am curious if it's worth it. But this year is my 10 year reunion from HS. & my wedding anniversary is coming up in June so I want to look good for both. 

I heard on the radio that on Saturday only - Old Navy is having a tanktop sale for $2 each (limit 5) in store only. I know what I'll be doing after work. Been wanting new tanktops lately especially with my new maxi skirts on the way! Have a fantastic weekend! I'm thinking maybe the beach & a few Pina Coladas myself! ~ jessica

TGBTL: Blogging keeps me sane.

Happy Wednesday, y'all. Hope your week has started off with a bang. Or that it's going well. For those of you just stopping by my blog - WELCOME! I'm so glad you're here. Today, & every Wednesday - I link up with Hayley & Lauren for this awesome link up. I encourage you to participate if your heart so desires.

 

This week's linkup is: Why do you blog? Tell us what got you started, what keeps you going, or where you want to go! This is your chance to tell us why you invest your time here day in and day out!

I am a visual person so for me to process - I have to see it myself. Let's go!

 

1. When I was a sophomore in high school, I signed up and took a Creative Writing course as an elective class & LOVED every minute. So many memories flooded my head that I was able to share and it was so therapeutic in those not so enjoyable high school years - that I realized how much I truly love writing. Blogging keeps me sane, I say it a lot but it's very true.  

What got me started two years ago, I was flipping through old journals and realized that I needed a creative outlet. Writing unleashes a part of me that I keep very private (to a degree!) It helps me process and appreciate the memories and experiences that I've witnessed firsthand. I am not blessed with talents like both my SIL's have with painting or drawing. It's come up a lot but I am working on my first book to encourage and inspire both tweens/teen girls & heck even ladies my age.

 

 

Lastly - I blog because it's my gift, my voice and my outlet. It can help twist a seemingly rough day into a much more positive one from taking time to process and write everything out. This is a gift I received from my dad, who is a great writer. I was blessed to appreciate writing memories and just keeping stories upfront. This is also a great skill and talent I plan to instill and develop in my own children so they're able to inspire themselves & their future selves.

 

Thank you for stopping by! ~ Jessica

a little bit of this and that.//January Goal recap

Good Morning, loves. Hope you're doing well & staying warm wherever you are. Florida is determined to keep me guessing with our weather - today its sunny and nice but this week its supposed to trick me with the freezing temps. Not nearly as cold as other places but real wintery weather in Florida is crazy!

I thought I'd update so I don't turn into the blogger who only posts for link ups. While they are fun - I need to be better about it. Unfortunately I am still fighting my cold and I am not loving it. Basically this is how I am feeling right now.

Love me some Bob's Burgers!

Let's see I decided to do the Monthly Goals as seen by another blogger. These are the ones I was hoping to accomplish:

JANUARY GOALS:

1) Exercise 26 days out of the month. : I am going to say - this is a monthly goal. And I did pretty darn good - until I got sick. I worked out about half of the month. I didn't lose any weight but I had some health issues this month that contributed.

2)  Be a better friend. I feel okay about this goal, I am still thinking I can improve but at the same time - life is busy so I am not going to make myself feel bad when that gets in the way.

3) Use Instagram more. That just didn't happen this month, maybe when we saw our favorite comedian but other than that - eh not so much.

4. Watch the excessive sugar intake. I did pretty good with this goal this month. This is another monthly goal that I am going to have but I feel like while I did great, I will only get better.

5. Entertainment Book = Creative Date Nights. This just didn't really happen this month either due to unforeseen things that happened. Nothing too bad but enough to make a few date nights be postponed for the time being. 

6.  End every post I do with "Hallelujah's" - on a weekly basis. Didn't do this either :(

7. Sew something. Nope. :(

8. Make my passion for writing a priority. This one is a struggle because due to my laptop having issues, m y Word no longer works but I have been using my old computer and have had a lot of creativity in this area lately. 

Overall - January has been a month where a lot happened out of my control. I started off well with working out and watching my sugar. These are goals I am working on monthly. But I think the biggest goal that my husband & I accomplished this month were a lot of little things - we have a better system of keeping our house clean so we don't have to make it a binge clean when people come over. We tried out a new church this weekend that we really love. It's in a period of growth and we're excited about the opportunities for our own growth by getting involved. Today I will be making my February goals & from my experience this month, I've made more of an effort to make realistic goals instead of pushing myself too hard. 

Feel free to check back here tomorrow for my weekly linkups - So What Wednesday & Girl Between the Lines. You stay classy & thanks for stopping by! 

Back to the Grind.

Hello, loves!
Hope you've enjoyed the past 48 hours of 2014 thus far. I've been inspired from visiting other blogs through a weekly linkup I post on & I'm trying to blog more substance-y posts than just what the weather is & what I ate for dinner because well I think there is more purpose in life than boring people on my daily life.

Anywho - I came across something that a fellow blogger who is a daily must read for me over at The Everyday Joys - does that makes way more sense in terms of making goals. See I'm a planner. I like, erm looove to plan things. I turn 30 next year - that is insane to me. I have already begun making ideas for it, trying to imagine what I want to do & after some brainstorming - I've decided on the beach which is a great thing since I live by all the beaches & mostly sunny weather year round. I digress - that is over 22 months away so I am going to stop looking for now. My blogger friend does monthly goals and revisits them after which I think is fantastic for holding yourself accountable. So instead of looping up my yearlong 2014 goals, I am going to break them down into a more eye level approach - monthly goals.

JANUARY GOALS:

1) Exercise 26 days out of the month.  If you follow me on Instagram, soon you'll be seeing my workouts & myself more frequently especially in the next twenty minutes. I am going to be coming on here with weekly updates because its true, working out alone & trying to yield results is harder than working out with others. I am going to start back up Monday with myFitnessPal & own up to the holiday weight gain :( I think exercising 26/31 days is pretty darn good. 

2)  Be a better friend. This really applies to family/friends who don't live close by but are still dear to my heart w/ monthly Skype dates.. 


3) Use Instagram more. I try to be all miss photographer but I sometimes forget about it. It's time to be a bit more #carpediem on a regular basis!


4. Watch the excessive sugar intake. Being a woman - its okay to indulge on chocolate or Starbucks from time to time but I need to learn when to say no. I am really going to wean myself off the extra soda that I've been drinking and I know this will help me for the long term as well as drop additional weight. Need to get back on the addicted to Smart Water train (which happened tonight!)

5. Entertainment Book = Creative Date Nights. Being that we subscribe to Netflix/Hulu on a monthly basis means we're rarely movie theater people unless its Anchorman 2. *tomorrow!* So, I am going to use this book this year to come up with fun date nights with my mister so that we can see more of our city, save money & be together. So far this far - we've been to Disney, taken some selfies & tomorrow we'll be doing it again - Everest @ Animal Kingdom & Magic Kingdom. Hooray!

6.  End every post I do with "Hallelujah's" - on a weekly basis. I think its important to remember the positive in everything we do. Maybe one day that could be become a linkup in itself but for now, it will be my way to keep the positivity a float in my life. I'm already a fairly positive person as is - it's in my DNA so finding positivity in my life won't be overall a complicated task but actually quite enjoyable. I also am a big fan of sharing so I will be providing y'all with my positivity so check back - it's a comin'.

7. Sew something. For Christmas in 2013 - I made my dad a 'Cleveland Browns' pillow. For my mom & nephew, (it didn't happen for Christmas) I am finishing their minky blankets once my sewing machine gets fixed. I am new at sewing but come from a family of crafty women, literally. So, my goal is to peruse Pinterest for productive projects that I can continue to improve my new talent. 

8. Make my passion for writing a priority. I have a voice & I do have a goal to someday self publish my book so in order for that to happen - I need to write the book to publish it.

TGBTL Week #4.

Happy New Year, loves! Excited for the linkup to be back, I felt like something was missing from my day & when the calendar reminder came on my phone last night - I smiled with pangs of bittersweet feeling, knowing that it was Christmas and that there would be no link up. Anywho, we're back, its a new year & back to linking up. This year - I've adopted the word 'transparency' in terms of how I view the next 365 days that have a purpose in line. I have a Biggest Loser amt of weight to lose to be ready for Baby #1. I have theme park passes & I am all about enjoying the adventures I seek out or find myself in.

2014 Adventures thus far:
Visited & enjoyed Epcot & MGM with my hubs.

Soaking up the rainy day that Orlando has by cuddling w/ my pups.
Tomorrow after the dentist: Animal Kingdom & Magic Kingdom w/ a showing of Anchorman 2.
& the list goes on.

Here's to the unforgettable adventures in 2014 for each of us.

You stay classy & thanks for stopping by. - Jessica

& that's a wrap. 2013.

I cannot believe that tomorrow is New Years Eve. I also can't believe that Christmas came last week. This year flew by. My husband & I are graciously off this week from work and I am so happy. I hope you enjoyed your Christmas with your family. My hubs & I are starting to begin our own traditions for the holidays, kind of getting them started for when we have our own kids. Christmas morning started out with Chris making us breakfast and him unwrapping a gift from his family - this one had strict 'Don't open til Christmas'. His brother bought us a Wii U and his sister's gift was a new Wii U game. Which was perfect because I had bought a Zumba game for the Wii U - I am opening it tomorrow :)

Afterwards - we headed to my parents for the afternoon of opening more presents, a nice lunch and just time with my family. When we got there - wrapping paper & boxes were strewn all over my parents because my sisters & little nephew just couldn't wait til we got there to open their gifts. So - everyone was all happy when we got there because we had gifts for them & we got all of our gifts right then and there. A tad hectic. Honestly it was one of those years when each gift I got - I loved & were a favorite. My sister got us a Mickey Ornament that she was stoked to give us because it was 'so US!' It was so cute. My brother/sis in law got us a Starbucks gift card which they knew I'd be overly excited for. My parents got us gifts - some individual & some for both of. Two of my faves from all of them: my mom sewed us throw pillows for our couch & my husband surprised me with *early* Disney season passes!

BUT TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY OF 2013! WHAAA?!

I posted this on my Facebook last night because I thought it was important to be transparent. I saw a post on a friend's blog over the weekend and having a 'word of the year' and after much reflection. I think my word of 2014 is going to be TRANSPARENT. To a degree - I have no problem being honest with family & friends about my personal goals for the new year. In fact - there are 4 main things about this next year that I fully plan on being TRANSPARENT about & accomplishing wholeheartedly:

2013 has been kind of a roller-coaster ride for us. Honestly there;s a few things I'm thrilled for in 2014:
1) Making a noticeable dent for repayment of student loans.
2) Continuing to make sacrifices for my hubs in all aspects of our lives.
3) Continue to be more active & healthy.
4) Seek out new adventures for ourselves daily.

I'm really excited for the blessings, joys, and even the lessons to be learned in 2014 & for a fresh slate.  Ps. I am really stoked that I am ending the year with Tijuana Flats!! :) :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! You stay classy :) -- Jessica

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Merry Christmas (Eve), y'all! The past 48 hours I've been cramming as many Christmas-y movies in my life as humanly possible. Last night I re-watched Christmas Vacation. Tonight I am determined to watch Elf, shockingly haven't watched it & am making sugar cookies/peanut butter fudge for tomorrow. 

Hubs & I are SO excited for 2014 and that all of our hard foundational work these last few years will start paying off next year. I thought about it & I want to share my top 5 BEST moments of 2013.

Ohhh snap - the GOOD:

1) I graduated with my Master's after 3+ years of grueling papers, sleep deprivation and changing my major a few times. April 27th is a day I will never forget. 

2) I worked my booty off at work & it paid off two fold. I earned Top Performer at work & then I was promoted in November to my new position.

3) I celebrated my big ol' 28th birthday with my first-ever Disney cruise. & had this amazing drink with my hubs in paradise. :) 

4) My best friend got married. Love you, Mrs. Rhodes :)

5) I celebrated 10 years of friendship with this lady (We equally looove Ross!) 

Overall - I had a pretty fantastic year. I learned, I grew, I soared. I learned more about my marriage and how to serve my husband best. I grew to love Mexican food, and helped my husband appreciate chick flicks and why they are needed. I soared - I graduated with my Master's, I met new friends through blogging. I lost some weight (more to come on that). I discovered what I liked, what I didn't & appreciated why I am blessed. Once again, family trumps everything. I am ready for 2014 to come & for the opportunity to learn more about my life and those around me. Have a very Merry Christmas & stay classy. - Jessica

2014 {resolutions} begun.

One month from now, we'll be celebrating a new year. One month from now, we'll be starting or continuing our New Year's Resolutions. For the past few weeks, I've been trying to get re-pumped to hit back to the working out. I decided today that I wanted to start 31 days early on my goals for 2014. Boy did I start. I found this site (fitnessblender) which does at-home workouts, and they were just as intense as I need. Tonight I started with a ballet inspired barre workout & I will definitely be sore tomorrow. But I am ready to get back on it. I want to lose 10 lbs or more. I know most people wait until the New Year to start working out but usually these 'resolutions' don't make it past March. I got a significant amount to lose and am hoping to lose it all by my 3rd wedding anniversary. I made a daily 'workout date' on my phone to remind me that 1 hour of my day + good choices (all day) is vital to my success. I'm excited to see where I am weight wise as of January 1st.

I cannot believe its December. This year has flown by and so did my time off from work for Thanksgiving. Along with working out, my husband & I have a busy yet turning point *slash year* ahead with 2014. We've been working hard in the past few years and I feel like in the year to come - all of our efforts will start to pay off. Today & yesterday we got our tree up, I wrote & sent out our Christmas letter to family & friends and if not most importantly - we fiercely got our clean on. We cleaned our living room, re-organized what was in cabinets & out. I tackled a job I've been piling up - my side of the closet. (Ever since watching a season of Hoarders), I've noticed that I was starting to become one in my 'never throw anything away' mindset. I have a great big donation for Goodwill, room in my closet and I feel mentally more organized. I spent three hours in my closet today while watching a favorite show and while I am not done - I feel like I made a great big dent.

To wrap up our weekend - we got into the holiday spirit - happily.

We watched the classic 'Christmas Vacation' with great big laughs of the Griswold family.
& I enjoyed some hot chocolate. Since it doesn't snow here, I like to find ways to make the most of the Christmas season. :)

{jessica}

Weekend Tidbits.

Welp, we made it through another week, congrats. I don't know about you but I couldn't be happier. There were points this week I didn't know if I'd make it in one piece. Part of my transition to a new team has left me turning into a 99 year old woman -- falling asleep at 8:30. Yiiikes. That was different yet serendipidity? Yeah.

I felt the need to update but I don't really have anything big to update. Just a few random things.

One of the ladies I work with do Transformations - a type of physician supervised weight loss. I am debating about if I can with my condition and if its worth it. I've heard great things about women who've kept it off but I am eager to get other perspectives. I've tried my share of diets -- Weight Watchers, South Beach, Atkins, but the bottom line is -- none of these are magic - they won't let you lose the weight overnight just like you didn't gain the weight in 5 seconds. That is what I need to decide to do.

I am loving that the holidays are right around the corner. I got my Starbucks holiday drink on last weekend even the day of my best friend's wedding. Which, she looked gorgeous & I am so happy for her. Here are a few shots of me & her --

I was lucky enough to celebrate the wedding with two of our friends. The three of us kept the others sane. It was an interesting wedding especially when my friend Katty G caught the bouquet that night again. She caught it at my wedding so I loved it so its a new tradition in a way. But it was great fun to celebrate my bestie and her mister. :) Plus it allowed my mister & I to get a picture together. YAY. We looked schnazzy. :)

Today was probably the best day ever. I am going to get back on track with my squat challenge. Kind of fell off the wagon and rolled around in the mud -- basically just forgot to stay on it. But today I belted out N*Sync on the way into work -- we're talking classic hits like 'Bye, Bye, Bye' & 'It's gonna be meeee!' lol. That will get a smile on my face pulling into work on a Friday. I also made a student loan payment. Been working hard to have a bit extra. It may sound off to others but I honestly am ready to just make more payments. I am actually looking forward to being in repayment.  & then I got this awesome email from Laura over @ The Every Day Joys (if you're not following her blog, well I'm scratching my head as she is fantastic!) -- I won the Hunger Games giveaway on my blog. When I told my husband he was surprised as I just got into this movie series recently. But hey, it always feels nice to win a giveaway. :)

I had to make a sad decision today. I have been obsessed with deals on Moolala lately (kind of like a Groupon that pays you for every deal you buy) - I ordered 5 canvasses and I just kept running into sizing snags. They were going to revolutionize our living room - make it more homey feeling -- but alas, I had to get a refund. So I am bummed but still on the look out for great canvas deals. 

It's been one full week since joining my new team at work & I love it. It will take time to make friends with all the new people but I am loving the non stress and the energy I have. I got home tonight - got laundry going, got the dishes going, made dinner. I think at one point I looked at my husband like 'we can throw a newborn in this -- I got my A game on' Something of that nature. Plus tonight - in other randomness - I was able to buy my dogs' Christmas gifts - basically cutesy treats. They wont really care as they have a ton laying around our house but I am excited to give them the treats.  Essentially I am all done with Christmas shopping in terms of gifts minus my husband. This will happen next week with the incredible Amazon sale. Cannot wait to get some good deals - I am taking part in Target's black friday sale but I have some items I have been saving for. 

Hope you enjoyed my weekend tidbits. I will most likely think of many many more. 

My life {in 5 years}.

Remember when you were a kid and that question would come around, the one that asks you to forecast your entire life on the spot -- where do you see your life in 5 years. It's fun to kind of put a time capsule on here today and then check back in 5 years to see what happened out of my guesses and dreams. I mean, I remember playing that hilarious game in school 'MASH'. You could see just in the title alone if your future would happen in a Mansion, Apartment, Shack or House.  With frilly options, you could end up with your celebrity crush, how many kids you have, the pet you have, the car you drive, what your job and your husband's job would be. Every time you played this game you could end up with a totally different 'future'.

Well today I won't be resorting to that game because one of the few games I loved from my childhood, I own already and its honestly much more fun than seeing what your future entails, which is Mall Madness.

Today I want to answer the 'where do you see yourself in your 5 years' question?

While I don't have kids yet, hopefully God will be blessing our family in 2015 with our firstborn, happy & healthy. Five years from now, our baby will be three years old. They won't grow up with luxury but a lot of love from family and close friends. They will make good friends in our neighborhood and enjoy their life in sunny central Florida where they will be able to go to Disney World, Universal, water parks, etc on a whim. Whether our firstborn is a darling baby girl who loves to accompany her mom on shopping trips and love the color of pink. Or if our firstborn is an adorable baby boy who loves cars, trucks, planes and choo-choo's.

Also, in the next five years, my hubby, Chris & I will be celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary, actually closer to 9th. I hope we will be traveling more, be in fantastic jobs who pay us generously, enjoying our lives here in central Florida with our multiple theme park passes. We'll be midway onto paying off student loans and have owned our first home for almost 7 years. We'll hopefully have made some improvements to our home that will make us enjoy our home more.

Personally, while I hope to have lost all my weight by next year -- I think five years from now, I will greatly enjoy my life. I will be in my early 30's which sounds so nerve-wracking but yet not really in my control. I will have a beautiful family of my own which expands both of ours. I feel like in the next few years -- in a professional side that my Master's degree will pay off and I will be working somewhere that is simply wonderful. I will be taking great vacations and making impacting memories with my entire family.

Life in 5 years seems so far away but in a blink of an eye, it will be here. Regardless of if all these dreams come true or if they happen differently - I am so excited to see what the future brings in all areas of my life.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

{jess}

come what may.

Sitting here on this Friday night, I feel like my head won't stop spinning. To be frank, this week wasn't the greatest or the most spectacular. I'm still waiting for news from Monday morning for an incredible opportunity that was so graciously extended my way. The last few days, I've been trying to give myself a few key pep talks in a variety of areas.

1st) This weight loss thing. Every time I fall off the wagon and make a few too many choices that result in the scale going up, I keep mentally scolding myself. Why? Because I am a lady and I tend to over-analyze. But honestly, with the frustration thrown my way from work lately -- I took that anger, unfairness and molded it into something powerful and fearless tonight. I finally did Zumba. Not as long as I wanted but I was kind of a super wife, prepped dinner & caught up on my favorite shows. But I learned that if I am going to lose this weight, I have to stop with the negativity and balance the good encouragement in. I've been searching for the spark and I think I found what I need to keep that burn alive, to make myself push hard and lose the weight. So, while I have 2 months left in the year, I am going to really work hard, and kick 2014 off with a bang.

I think its important that we stop remembering the negative and the positive. Women are so catty, and competitive in all the wrong contexts. It's rough knowing that there are so many women who feel that bad about themselves that you thought after middle/high school that you could replace them with really great people, but unfortunately for me -- I feel like all the mean girls I dealt with in middle and high school are mucking up the general population. I encounter people on a daily basis who act entitled, spend money like its the same oxygen they breathe and then turn around and treat me horrendously for no reason. I just feel like women need to forget the stress, not let these areas of weakness consume you and find an outlet to where you can keep being the fantastic woman you are. I know I am not the first woman to do it and not the last.. 

2) Dreams & Ambitions. For the longest time, and when I was growing up, I was blessed to have a Dad who loved me so much and made sure I knew it. He also prayed for me and as I got older, encouraged multiple conversations of what I wanted to do, what goals I had and what I wanted my life to turn out. (My Mom was equally incredible as my Dad).* Sometimes you just need people in your life who are willing to sit down and have a lengthy heart to heart. Everyone has passions and everyone has wants. I feel like its important to not only know yourself but to take those moments to really know what you have to offer and what you want to achieve in this life. One of my friends from college who tragically was killed in a car crash earlier this year, she was full of such wisdom and energy in her short life. One of the quotes I've seen over and over that she lived out -- was 'What will I do with this one and only life?' I encourage you to ask yourself this. Do you want to play it safe or do you want to get out and live?

3) Being that girl. That sounds pretty light and casual. But I know who I am, I have a voice, I am beautiful and I am blessed. I may not have the bank account of Donald Trump or the amazing closet of an A-list movie star. But I am writing my chapter(s) of success, romance, adventure and making fantastic memories as I go.  The best part about where I am in life is that my life is still being written -- everyday is a new adventure and I am  ready for the next chapter of starting my family. Until I get there, I have to help myself stay focused on the weight loss, my dreams & ambitions and no matter what -- being the best version of myself possible. :)

What things are you prepping yourself on? I'd love to hear from you.