Could I really like where I live?

Um, why didn't anyone tell Easter is Sunday?! I feel completely out of the loop!

As if the move and a competition wasn't enough stress, I had my very first apartment guest this past weekend! My bestie Kelly came down for a long-weekend.

but from the time Mark left last Sunday to Kelly arriving last Thursday, I thought I was going to lose my mind.

I had been posting on FB about not feeling well and then getting strange cysts on the back of my head (so gross!). They were SOOOO painful and itchy, and burned!

It turned out to be shingles. Gross!

It’s so frustrating when you do EVERYTHING healthy (diet, workout ... I have even been going to bed earlier and prepping everything the night before so my mornings are stress-free ... well as much as a morning can be) and your body fails. Granted it could be worse, but just knowing that there is no rhyme or reason for the shingle outbreak except an immune-system compromise, is annoying.

Last Tuesday was spent trying to find a walk-in clinic (since the one in front of our apartment complex was open, but had no doctor, WTF?!) when I should have been studying for a midterm, which happened to be the morning Kelly arrived. I was trying to finish the putting boxes away (finally my clothes are hanging ... my shoes ... are a different story) and get the guest bedroom set up by the time she arrived.

The Bestie Suite

Come Thursday afternoon, I was in desperate need of a drink.

… but I am still in competition training, so there is no fun bevvies for Miss T.

These classy bevs will just have to wait ...

Thankfully Kelly just wanted to relax too, so it was really a low-key weekend. Plus, I got to try new restaurants in my new city.

Mark and I always go out in Fort Lauderdale, but we usually go to the same places. We had a dinner and a lunch with some of Kelly’s friends/family that live down here, which meant a new restaurant on Las Olas and a lunch on Fort Lauderdale Beach (which was WAY more pleasurable than Miami Beach, even with spring break in full swing!)

On Sunday, I took Kelly for a ride on the Jungle Queen (a must if you visit South Florida). It’s a tacky-touristy river cruise. On it we past one of the major parks in Fort Lauderdale, packed with people. Apparently every first Sunday of the month the city holds a free jazz brunch.

And I found a place nearby that offers the Barre Method classes, something I have been dying to try! And down the street from me is a vegan/raw restaurant that I am itching to stop in (Seriously?! You can take the veggies away from a girl but you can't veggie outta her.)

… I might actually learn to like South Florida after all.

Bikinis and Boxes

Whew!

Happy Tuesday ya’ll. I can finally say life is somewhat back to normal.

Last Wednesday we moved, and with the competition this weekend, I hadn’t had a chance to unpack. Hubs has worked super hard to get the apartment to a box-less state, but my clothes are still packed away.

My competition went really well.

I met other Bombshell teammates, I think I looked the best I ever had, and I placed third …

… Out of three in my class.

Here’s the thing. During this training, I really tried to focus on God and the fact that He’s allowing me to do this. I asked and prayed he’d allow me to place in the top three in my height class, knowing that the top three get a bid to a national competition, and only through a national competition can you have the possibility of getting your pro card.

Is getting my pro card my ultimate goal? It would be fun and great if I did. But ultimately my goal is to go to a national competition, and guess what God did?!

He provided.

Of course, it's not without challenges, even the day of. I’ve blogged about my ankle pain, which is thankfully healed. But Saturday morning, I got up at 5 am to starting getting ready (Okay, I may have hit the snooze once). I plugged in my curling iron, which worked just days before, and found that it wouldn’t work. Since we just moved in, I still haven’t figured out which outlets work and which light switches turn on what, so after struggling for about five minutes I gave in to the fact that it was broken.

Luckily we lived across the street from a 24-hour Wal-greens. I had put my hair in curlers the night before, and tied my hair up with a scarf to keep everything in place. If that wasn't enough, I had been spray tanned the night before, and you can’t wear undergarments after being tanned, so in my PJs, bra-less, orange-skinned and hair tied up in rollers and a scarf, I walked into Wal-greens to purchase a curling iron and red lipstick at 5:20 on a Saturday morning. Let’s just say the clerk wasn't too chatty.

Hubs joined me for judging on Saturday night. This show was really cool because they had a wheelchair competition as well. These guys are such inspirations, especially since some of them have more severe conditions than being paraplegic.

With Hubs

The wheelchair competition

Afterwards, Hubs and I decided to eat, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with guacamole and fajitas. Sunday, I tried to stick with my diet, while I decided to take off exercise-wise.

Hubs and I made a trip to IKEA, which was a terrible idea. Overwhelmed, overcrowded and just plain tired, we decided to head to Cheesecake Factory for a long overdue date.

And guess what?

I got drunk. Obviously it took less than a half a raspberry martini to get me tipsy, but I figured I’d have another … and some frozen yogurt after.

By five in the afternoon, Hubs and I were passed out in the apartment. We had every intention of unpacking and doing a little home improvement, but it was nice to be “normal” again.

I also may have splurged on the flourless chocolate chip cookies from Chocolate-Covered Katie, and I HIGHLY recommend them. They are soooooo good and super easy to make! (p.s. I used the chocolate chunks rather than chips. Also highly recommend.)

And while I started the weekend a hot-mess in curlers, I’m beginning the week the same way. I look like an Oompa-Loompa as the dark spray tan fades to orange and my drug-store, glue-on nails are popping off left and right.

But I woke up at 5 am to hit the gym for a few hours before class Monday and today (I think I like the two-hour early morning work out rather than at the end of the day. Who knew I'd be a morning person?!)

What I'm lovin' Wednesday

I haven't done one of these in a while, and I have been lusting after a few things. But with competition prep coming down to the wire all I can think about it is:

1. Getting to the gym

2. Getting down with cardio (bleh)

3. When can I eat?

4. Distracting myself from hunger

5. When can I nap?

6. Do I have to get up?

(Seriously, can't the dogs figure out how to walk themselves?)

Lace shorties

I don’t know if these are age-appropriate (I am closer to 30 than 25 … yikes!), but I am loving lace. Plus, I believe I can get away with anything living in Miami.

Some lace-spiration

And just because she's to die for:

Colored Jeans

I am a total jeans girl. Seriously, even when I was corporate, I think I had two pairs of black pants I would wear everyday. I didn't want to spend the money on non-fun clothes. But unless I need to run to the store quickly, I refuse to go out in sweats or yoga pants. So how perfect are colored jeans? It says I want to be formal, but I'm still here to party.

(name that movie quote, anyone?)

Loving the cut, Old Navy.

Love the rose color, Gap.

p.s. Gap and ON are having a 15% off online-only sale in celebration of Leap Day.

Head and Shoulders

I have extremely limp and dry hair.

It’s taken a beating since I did this a two years ago:

If there is one thing I spend money on, it’s expensive shampoos and conditioners. But I ran out of my fancy stuff while showering, so I was left with the hubs pick:

HEAD & SHOULDERS CITRUS BREEZE = SILKLIEST & SOFTEST HAIR EVER!!!!

Seriously, I can’t get over it. I’m in love with my hair again. It's a 2 in 1, and I do condition my hair after I use it as a shampoo, so maybe that helps. But I don’t think I will ever go back to the expensive stuff … EVER.

Chocolate-Covered Goodness

I found this site at the worst possible time, with just weeks until the comp. But you better believe that I will be baking these Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies the Friday before the show in anticipation of a sweet treat (hopefully to celebrate a good placing!).

From Chocolate Covered Katie

Bethenny Frankel's Style

Always a fan, but this season on Bethenny Ever After, I loving her easy-breezy, every day style (totally doing the "hot" pink pumps with the green shorts or the white jeans with simple blue tank?!). I tried to find a photo, but couldn't so you'll just have to watch on Monday nights on Bravo.

I die for this dress too. ... and Nick ... and their falafel tour. :)

Careful what you wish for ...

You know that old saying,

“Be careful what you wish for?”

Well I believe if you look below, I was wishing for some sort of change.

It happened.

Two Fridays ago, I got a call at 8:30p from our landlord’s realtor saying that the bank approved the apartment for short sale, and once they buy it we have 60 days to vacate.

Of course I panicked.

Mark is in the Caribbean until mid-March, and let’s face four weeks out (now three!) from my competition, I am a bit emotional and unstable.

This whole past week I have been a wreck. I don’t know if it’s the impending move, the fact I have to look at apartments by myself, the competition, my bum ankle (oh, yeah three weeks out and I can barely walk on my left foot, let alone run five miles everyday) or the lack of carbs in my diet.

… I think I have school in there somewhere, too.

Like I said before, when I get stressed I clean, I make lists, I get organized.

I don’t study however.

Nor am I any good at making decisions (sans deciding whether a piece of paper is important or junk).

I made a call into a realtor in Fort Lauderdale, and of course she was out of town until Monday. I am hoping to view a few places this coming week, which is also when we will hear more definitely from the bank.

Until then I will be purging my closets and drawers … at this rate we might only have one box to pack!

Valentine's Day Restlessness

I've been feeling super "nesty" lately.

No I'm not pregnant.

I'm SUPER restless, and a lotta stressed.

I am in my final year and I am just itching to get done and get outta Dodge. Our landlord is selling our apartment as well. We are hoping it's to an investor who will allow us to stay until at least next spring, but there's a fear that it won't end up that way and/or she decides it's best to sell the property sans tenets all together.

I just want my own place and not have to move again for at least five years.

In the past, when I get restless and stressed, I get crafty.

(Seriously, I repainted my bedroom three times in 48 hours because I couldn't get the perfect "gray" color ... it's still not perfect, but it was called to my attention I could be on the verge of severely OCD, so I put down the brush and had to step away from the paint can.)

LUCKILY, Valentine's Day is around the corner.

Holidays were always a big deal in my family. My mom would go all out. We had decorations for everything, candy, cookies, big meals, etc. We use to get together with out crafty neighbor and make T-shirts or sweatshirts with holiday iron-ons for EVERY holiday (remember when those were popular? Or did I just think they were?)

With Mark working most holidays, they have sort of lost their significance on him. And a bit on me. Last year was the first Valentine's Day we spent together in our four years together. We've spent two Thanksgivings together, but one was off the coast of Turks & Caicos with a rolly boat (ie a seas-sick wife) and no food (seriously, I think we had crackers and cheese). Last year was the first Easter we spent together. We have always been together to Halloween and Christmas, so we go all out on those.

Usually when we do spent hoildays together it's super last minute, so it's pointless to decorate just a few days before the celebration. And I felt stupid decorating just for myself.

But this year is different. My restless (and maybe an obsession with Pinterest) took over.

I saw this:

and this:

And make my own for literally less than five dollars:

Ribbon: Michael's, Red hearts: Michael's, paper hearts, paper from Target ($2.50 for a pack)

I also saw this wonderful cookie recipe and was DYING to bake them.

Much to the hubs chagrin, I cook around my laptop.

Cookie cutters, Target

A dieters worse nightmare = brown sugar and butter ::sign::

But I was good and ate my sweet potatoes and fish. ::grr...::

I've never baked cookies in our oven before, so the first batch was a little overdone.

And I was afraid they'd taste a bit bland, so I also made some royal icing, with a hint of vanilla added (seriously, easiest recipe ever!)

And while my husband enjoyed a plateful over the week he was home

I did pack and send some to my parents, brothers and Grams.

I also crafted a special little gift for the hubs. I'll post later since I instructed him not to open until Tuesday.

Any other creative decor or gift ideas out there?

Easy, Healthy, Fit

Holy hell. You know when you get so overwhelmed that your mind just turns off? That is me sitting in class right now. I’m in my Oriental Medicine, Internal Medicine class and it’s great as it’s a review over EVERYTHING! we’ve studied the last two years. It’s just slightly overwhelming, and I feel like I’ve been bitch-slapped upside the head with the textbook.

I know I have to go home, pull out my Point Indication notes and Herbal Medicine notes (5 classes worth!) and lay it all out so I can reference everything.

Although, this is a better representation of what my study session will look like ...

Worst part, we are sitting in class, reading straight from the book, and no new information given. It’s mind numbing.

… So I decided to blog.

Since joining my new training team, and the now three hours I put in at the gym daily, people have been asking me fitness questions. While I do have my personal trainers license, and I one day hope to use it, I have not trained anyone, nor do I consider myself an “expert.”

However, maybe that makes me more credible in giving these SUPER EASY stay-fit tips (Who would you listen to more: someone that struggles with a yearn for peppermint ice cream with chocolate sauce and sprinkles or someone that is completely happy eating asparagus everyday?! Skinny, lying betch!)

Be Prepare

I’ll talk about food prep in a minute. For now it’s prepping for the gym.

If you are working out the first thing in the morning, either wear your clothes to sleep or set them right by your bed. You have no excuse when you can literally pull your foot from under the covers and into your gym shoe. I also make sure my water bottle is full and in the fridge waiting for the morning.

They're waiting ...

If you are planning on working out later in the day, pack your bag the night before and set it by the front door. As I would leave work, I use to make a pit stop in the bathroom to change into my gymmies. This was really helpful on days I really didn’t want workout. You don’t want to feel the guilt of skipping the gym when you are already all dressed (trust me!). Or, when I use to workout at home, my gym clothes greeted me on my bed. I had no excuse for not working out; it was staring me in the face

Laying out clothes or packing a bag also mentally prepares you.

Speaking of bags ...

Brown Bag It

Your budget and waistine will thank you. Even before my crazy competition diets, I ALWAYS packed a lunch. I am a bit OCD and a vegetarian, so I really like to have control over what goes into my food.

Find healthy recipes, with lots a protein, a little bit of carbs and a little bit of fat, and lots of veggies!

(Try Clean Eating Magazine or Cooking Light for great recipes).

If you eat healthy, you can have brownies, right?

Especially if they made from Sweet Potatoes ... sweet potatoes are healthy, right?

I have a couple go-to recipes, I make a whole batch, divided them into Tupperware and have at least half-a-week worth of healthy meals ready to be chomped.

Now that I’m on a meal plan, I always prep my meals up until dinner for the next day.

(Some of my Bombshell sisters prefer taking a few hours on Sunday to prep for the entire week, but it's easier for me to diet with fresh food. I do shop for the week and cut up the food on Sunday, so everything is ready & waiting to be cooked. Plus less trips to the store means less opportunity to buy crap food.)

Prepping ensures that I have food waiting for me, and leaves little thinking about what to eat (thinking = craving = bad for you foods). This also means that as I’m rushing around in the morning, all I have to do is grab a couple Tupperware dishes and throw them in a cooler without any thought.

Prepped for the day

Also pay attention to serving sizes, and measure! You can ruin all your hard work by overeating.

Set small goals, take one day at a time.

If you want to lose weight, set smaller goals (Also, while the scale is important, take photos every week or every other weeks. Trust me! You'll see how far you've come when that number stops budging, and it's better motivation to continue.)

If you want to get to the gym more, set the goal for two or three days a week rather than five (you can always go more if your schedule allows).

If you want to eat better, try to bring your lunch or have a home cooked clean meal two or three times a week (not too hard if you follow #2).

Don’t set yourself up to fail. If you aren’t a runner, don’t make running three times a week a goal (unless you want to overcome your aversion). Find a class, a boot camp or make a lifting plan that includes some cardio. You’ll be more likely to accomplish your goals if you start with things you like to do.

Treat Yo’self

(Parks and Rec reference … anyone? Anyone?)

Once you set your small goals and hit them, give yourself a reward. While us crazy competitors are allowed cheat meals, try to not to go overboard (especially if your goal is to eat healthy!) Try for something else, mani/pedi, massage, new clothes, a trip, a cheat meal, new shoes or athletic gear, a book or movie … you get the idea. You deserve it.

Maybe a whole day of pampering?

The Five: Refreshers

I have been absent due to the high demand my school work and competition prep has taken. With late-night studying and AM cardio sessions, here are some things that help me feel refreshed and get me through:

Optimum Nutrition's Essential Amin.o Energy

1. I LOVE this stuff. It gives me the energy & pick up I need without the shakiness that Red Bull & coffee can cause. I usually take a heaping scoop around 1p, to get me through my afternoon work out and to focus into the evening. And it taste so YUMMY, like healthy Kool-Aid! I prefer the grape, but it comes in orange, fruit punch & blue raspberry.

(You can get it at any Vitamin Shoppe or GNC) .

2. JASON Lavender Body Wash. The hubs bought this before he left a few weeks ago. Usually I like something more creamy (e.g. Dove) since I have super dry skin, but hubs is trying to go more organic, so I support him (except with the "healthy" toothpaste ... yuck!).

This stuff smells so good and calming, AND! the smell lasts so you feel clean all day!

3. I attempt to drink a gallon of water a day (I know, crazy, but when you work out for two hours a day, it's actually not that difficult). I really love water, but it does get boring. So here's a fun little recipe for water that not only tastes good, but can help you with digestion issues:

Sassy Water Recipes

(from the Flat-belly Diet)

~ 8.5 c. water

~ 1 TSP. grated ginger

~ 1 medium cucumber, sliced

~ 1 medium lemon, sliced

~ 12 spearmint leaves

Combine, let sit overnight in the fridge and enjoy!

4. I lost my face cream while traveling a few weeks ago. I used to have pretty scary and scaring cystic acne, and much to all skin care professionals dismay, I have to use a cleanser with 10% benzoyl peroxide, so I stick to drug store brand moisturizers as well. This is from the Yes! to brand. Who knew tomatoes can help your skin? It feels a little greasy (maybe heavier than I'm use to?) going on, but my skin stay soft and un-scaly all day. I might have to try their Acne Daily Pore Scrub.

5. And of course, these guys:

Martini-dog!

Morgan