Strap on the Sneakers!

Well, I got bit by the running bug and I think it's time to get into shape. Honestly, it's been something I've been wanting to do for a while now and some of my girlfriends are doing it too--so I'm going to snap out of it and slim down for summer. My goals are:

1. Work my way up to 3.0 miles a day
2. Eat healthier--this is going to be a family goal!
3. Lose 5 lbs.
4. Be more positive   :)


I'll keep everyone updated on how this is going. Wish me luck!

Waiting for sunshine

I know I should be used to this after so many years, but winter seems to be taking forever to end. The snow covered cars, the lack of sun, and the freezing temperatures are all becoming a bit too much to take. Even my kids, who love the snow, are getting sick and tired of having to bundle up every time they walk out the door.  I'm missing the days when I can wake up to sunshine in the morning.

To help pass the time, I've started spring cleaning a little early this year; moving the patio furniture to the front of the shed, going through the winter clothes, finding the spring decorations in the attic. When spring finally does arrive, I'll be ready!

New Year's "Resolutions"

Hello, all. I know I promised that I would be posting more frequently but, again, I've let myself become overwhelmed with my busy, day-to-day life. I know its a little late for this, but there are a few changes I'd like to make in this new year. I'm not calling these changes resolutions but, rather, just a few things I'd like to start doing more of in 2014.

#1 Get back into yoga

Being fit and healthy has always been something I strive for but, lately, things have been so hectic that I've let myself slide. On top of the physical benefits, exercise has always been a way for me to relax my mind and relieve stress. Yoga is a great way to do both, and can also be done without a gym or any expensive equipment. Yoga was a part of my daily routine until I became a mother, but with a little effort I know I can start again!

#2 Get cooking!

I know this is terrible, but my husband and I have not made the time to cook for our family consistently. More often than not we're buying pre-made meals from the grocery store which, while better than most fast-food, is still not the best for our health. We're both trying to take turns picking a day of the week to cook. With so many great Pinterest pages, there shouldn't be a shortage of recipes to choose from!

#3 Keep a journal

With so much going on, it can be hard to stop and reflect on things as they happen. I feel like so many happy memories just slip by without any record, and this is something I want to change. I am open to sharing a lot on this blog but, there are some thoughts that are better served by a physical book. I've purchased a journal and am making it a goal to write in it at least once a day. I have no restrictions on topic, but plan to use it as a tool for reflection.

                                         

Back in the Swing of Things

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted! I have been allowing myself to become distracted by one thing or another but, am making it a goal to keep this blog up to date! I've been so busy lately, taking classes, raising a family, and all the while trying to keep up with each of the hobbies that I love. As the year comes to a close, I need to remember how to slow down and just enjoy the little things in my life. I think this blog will be a good place to reflect and realize how lucky I am!    

Stay Tuned!

It's Looking Like A DIY Weekend!

The hubs would probably tell me that I should finish one of my many "in progress" projects before tackling anything new, but Pinterest definitely got the best of me this week and I have a few fun projects that I'm going to tackle over the weekend!

His & Her Sharpie Mugs

This is such a cute idea and I can't believe how easy it is! I'm planning to pick up some mugs and maybe even some dishes from the dollar store to experiment with.

Credit: http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2012/06/his-her-sharpie-mug-diy.html

DIY Workout Shirt
If you're at all like me, you probably have more than a few extra shirts laying around that could be used for a project like this. The best part is that if the scissors decide to not cooperate, I'll have plenty of new dust rags to use :)

Credit: http://rabbitfoodformybunnyteeth.com/diy-workout-shirt/

Tea Lights and Coffee Beans
Not only do these look great, but apparently the heat from the candle makes the coffee beans smell amazing.

Credit: media-cache-ec9.pinterest.com

These projects should keep me busy for a few days...are you doing anything crafty this weekend?

love,
Emma

Happy Birthday America!

I'm looking forward to spending a nice long weekend relaxing with the Hubs (and Jackson of course) celebrating the birth of our nation. I'm excited to see some fireworks and have no doubt that there will be S'mores involved as well :)

I hope that everyone has a fun and safe holiday!

love,
Emma

Searching for inspiration...

While trying to come up with an idea for my latest blog post (and having a serious case of writer's block at the same time!) I realized that my search for inspiration could pull double-duty. I started jotting down things that inspire me and here is some of what got me motivated to start writing:

• The Hubs - This one is pretty obvious, he supports me in everything that I do and truly is my best friend. I have a habit of over-thinking things and more times than I can count, he has reminded me that sometimes by focusing on a few small things, the bigger picture becomes clearer.

• Family and Friends - Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to be surrounded by so many interesting and caring people. Each of them has a unique perspective on life and when I sit back and think about it, any one of them could give me enough inspiration to write for days!

This list might not be very long, but it covers the things that are most important to me and it was all that I needed to get motivated! So who or what inspires you?

love,

Emma

New Blogging Buddy

As I'm getting my feet wet in this whole blogging thing, I've managed to make some great connections with fellow bloggers that come from many different walks of life. Rachel from My Wholesome Home is one such blogger and I thought it would be nice to share her story.

______

Hey! My name is Rachel. I blog over at My Wholesome Home  (http://www.mywholesomehome.com) where I document my journey to a healthier body, mind, and spirit for my home and family. I also write about my daily life and being a military family.

The key to healthier body living for me came in January. My hubby and I watched Hungry for Change (http://www.hungryforchange.tv/), a documentary that talks about what is in the food we eat. We almost immediately switched to all organic foods. It's a bit spendier, but worth the flavor and health benefits. I post recipes every week and I'm loving trying old favorites with organic ingredients.

I am just beginning to like cooking, so using organic ingredients helps. The flavor makes each meal so much better! I find that I don't have to use as much milk, butter, salt, or pepper for seasonings because the food itself is so tasty.

My hubby is currently deployed, so, I'm taking the opportunity to try lots of new recipes and perfect them without his judgmental “eeeeew” and then refusing to try it again. (Which has definitely happened!) 

So that's me in a nutshell. Trying to live healthier and blogging about it. 

______

I really enjoy reading Rachel's blog and encourage you to check it out as well!

love,

Emma

Dreaming of Summer

The lack of sunshine and warm weather over the last few weeks has me desperately hoping that summer will arrive soon. To help pass the time until the season of cookouts and cocktails is finally here, I’ve been looking for some fun new recipes to try and came across these great ideas:

Chicken Burger Sliders

Wild Arugula-Quinoa Salad With Cherries

Electric Lemonade

Peach, Rhubarb & Ginger Crisp

Maybe if I whip a few of these up this weekend, Mother Nature will take notice and send some nicer weather my way :)

love,
Emma

Memorial Day 2013

I was gone over the long weekend without internet access.... so here is my post one day late...

To all of our past, present and future service members... Thank You.

Thank you for:

• your courage
• your dedication
• your selflessness
• your strength
• your family's sacrifice
• your patriotism
• your bravery
• your persistance

and for all of the people who don't thank you on a regular basis. 

love,

Emma 

A little perspective

Life's been busy and I've not been doing the best at keeping up with blogging on a regular basis. I promise to work on it.

Sometimes I find that we get so caught up with the busy-ness of life that we forget to take time to look around and appreciate all the things that really matter to us. I came across this video that has gone viral over the past week or so, and it brought tears to my eyes (numerous times) as I watched the life of this wonderful boy and the beautiful way in which he views life, embraces it, and gives himself to others in so many ways.

If you haven't had a chance to watch the video about the life, and death, of Zach Sobiech, I highly suggest you grab a box of tissues, curl up next to the one you love, and get ready to see the life of someone who, even in the face of his own impending departure from this world, lived life to the fullest and passed profound life lessons on to everyone he knew.

Zach says "Life is really just beautiful moments, one right after another," and he ends the video with "I want to be remembered as a kid who went down fighting, and didn't really lose."

Life... is about perspective. It's about the ability to recognize and appreciate the things in life that really matter. The things that motivate you to keep going, and the people in your life that love and support you.

Life is just a moment in time. We don't know when our time is up, and in just the 17 short years Zach had on this earth he was able to leave behind lessons that will touch those around him -- and around the world -- for the rest of their lives.

If you have a person you want to tell something to, tell them. If you have a place you want to visit, go. If you want a certain job, get it. And if you want to live life for all its worth and all you can while you're here, embrace it.



love,
Emma


picture credit: http://images.christianpost.com/full/60832/zach-sobiech.png

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yep, that's right folks! My birthday was last Sunday -- which means I am officially on the "back half" of my 20's......

But hey, 30 is the new 20..... so I'm feelin' pretty OK with this. I'm in a great place in my life and I have to say I am feeling like a pretty lucky girl to be 26, be married to my best friend, and creating our own little life together. Life is good!


love,
Emma

The RIGHT Kind of Yoga for YOU

I saw this great article on the Women's Health website and it really hit home to me. It's not a serious issue, just one that really resonated with me because I have totally been where the article is talking about -- sometimes I still feel like I am there.

The article discussed how there are so.many. kinds of yoga that it can seriously be overwhelming for a beginner to really know or understand which type is the best. The article does such a great job of explaining the different types -- in a brief and easy-to-get way, and also aligns that with what people are looking to get from their yoga experience.

Dynamic Flow & Power Yoga
This just sounds fun! These types of yoga are mostly concerned with moving quickly through the class and get slim (hellooooooo power yoga!). They tend to include lots of upbeat and modern music to keep you feeling energized and motivated to keep with the fast pace. This is also the type of yoga that people do when they start getting crazy creative with their poses and sequences of moves.

Yeeeeeah, this will definitely take me a while to make myself into a human pretezel! But let's face it, if you want great strength and slimming results to your body, this is definitely a way to go! Plus, it's a great way to get a heavy cardio workout in, without having to gear up for a killer kickboxing class. 

Bikram Yoga

Bikram is the type of yoga that will still give you a workout that will have you breathing hard and have your blood pumping fast, but it is a bit more traditional when it comes to the poses. Bikram actually same poses each time you practice it, however, this is done in super hot studio  -- with some studios going up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit! I like the warmth, but this one is a toughy for me, especially if I haven't hydrated well enough before class! Don't let the heat deter you -- just make sure you hydrate and are prepared for a class of this nature. Bring a towel with you, and always make sure to go at your own pace and take a rest if you need to! 

Vinyasa-based Yoga

If the heat is a bit too strong in Bikram, you can always try a vinyasa-based yoga instead. This type of yoga moves through various positions at different types of speed, but is also more instructor-based. In

these types of classes, instructors are  more likely to actively adjust your pose throughout the session than to just call out the different poses they want you to perform. This is a great type of class for beginners, as you will be able to understand the correct form for each pose, with a hands-on approach be your instructor.


Ashtanga/Mysore Yoga
This type of yoga will still give you the great benefits of getting toned and burning calories, but it is much more heavily based around being more "zen." This is a serious practice, with many people attending classes 5-6 days/week, in the early hours of the morning, in a completely silent room.
Instructors will have you go through simliar poses ("asanas") each day, but your main focus will be on your breath, your movement, and remaining disciplined. This type of yoga really focuses on building mental strength and serenity, and is a practice that will probably not be the best type for early beginners to jump right into.



So there you have it. The article in a nutshell. Although I don't consider myself to be an expert yogi by any means, it was still great to be able to read such a thorough, yet simple, description of different types of yoga. I remember when I first started and I didn't know the different between any of these types -- just that there were a lot of words I didn't recognize!  My personal preference is still the vinyasa-based yoga. I am at the point in my practice where I am not quite ready to leave my instructor giving me hands-on assistance, but I am slowly moving toward a bikram yoga hopefully in the semi-near future. I would like to get into power yoga within the next year, so I am shooting at that as a goal!

How about the rest of you? What type of yoga do you prefer??



Photo credits:
pic 1: http://www.atlyogascene.com/
pic 2: http://yogagirlsorlando.com/
pic 3: http://www.yoganonymous.com/
pic 4: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/
pic 5: http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Rise.Yoga.Studio.916-764-4388/picture/gallery


love,
Emma
               
             

It's time to WAKE UP!

I love this. It's up to US to make our own dreams come true, not wait around hoping they do! Get out there and do something about it! <3



love,
Emma


photo credit: http://www.66quotes.org/

Prayers for Boston & West, Texas

I've never run a marathon. I run to get in shape, but I've never been fond enough of running, or felt the need, to run 26.2 miles. But I think of all those people -- all those that were either in Boston to run -- some for fun, some running for a cause-- and all the people standing to watch and cheer the runners on, and my heart just breaks.

It breaks for the runners who were in the race. It breaks for the innocent bystanders who lined the streets to cheer on their friends, family, and even strangers. But my heart also breaks for the horrible person/people who caused this. What must go through someone's mind when they decide to set off bombs to hurt innocent people -- people who are doing nothing bad, harmful, whatsoever? What kind of person needs to hurt others for the sake of hurting them? They must also be hurt... broken, and that's why my heart breaks for them.

My heart is with Boston and all those who suffered in West, Texas as well. What is our world coming to?


love,
Emma

*photo credit:Badass Fitness

Running

I will NOT give up! 

This is my inspiration that I read through each day to keep me motivated to run and work out. I'm not a big fan of running, but I know it keeps me healthy. I tend to slack during the winter months since it's so cold outside, but The Hubs went and bought a treadmill at Christmas this year so I don't have much of an excuse not to be running. Plus, if I want to keep up with Jackson this spring when I take him for walks (which usually turn into runs -- with him leading and me chasing after him...) then I better step it up a notch! 

love, 

Emma 

Spread the love

Happy Valentine's Day friends! What are you doing for your special someone?! 

love,

Ema 

"You're not 22 anymore..."

The hubs literally told me the other morning, "Babe, it's not like you're 22 anymore..."

WHAT?!?! Now, I know I'm not 22, but it's not like he had to remind me in that way, with that handsome goofy smirk on his face. I know I'm not 22 anymore thankyouverymuch! You don't have to rub it in my face. I'm still in my 20's, shouldn't that count?!

We went out for NYE this year. Since the Hubs and I were back in our dating days we have had a great variety of NYE celebrations --- everything from the all-out NYE bash where we paid wayyyy too much money for party in a hotel, to a friend's house for a party, to just the 2 of us enjoying a bottle (or a few....) of wine within the comfort of our own home. Since I am not in my mid-20's, we decided to get out with the masses again this year, drink too much, laugh all night and just have a rockin' good time.

Well, we did. We went. We partied. We conquered ... at least, I thought we conquered until the next morning when I woke up with a pounding headache and upset stomach. Needless to say, I spend the whole day of the New Year cuddled up on our couch, with Jackson sprawled over my legs as if he owned the place.

The night was fun. The aftermath? Not so much.

I think next year we'll stick to one of our "mature" nights in. Because you know, it's the "adult" thing to do....



love,
Emma

A holly jolly Christmas

December is here -- which means Christmas is coming upon us! I love Christmas. Well, I love holidays in general, but I love Christmas. I love the music, the movies, the decorations, the "cheer" that I feel because of all of these things.

Here is what I am loving this Christmas season:

DIY yarn snowman

glittery table decor

intimate table. love. 

Christmas lemonade! 

glittery trees for table decor       

if I lived in the far-out country

Thanksgiving dessert! YUM!!!

In my last post, I talked about how how I love decorating for holidays, and I discussed what this year's Thanksgiving inspiration was.

This time, I want to discuss food. Well, dessert to be more specific. I love food, but I loooooove dessert. The Hubs is always having to help me with my portion control because honestly, who can have just one slice of pie or cake? Who can have just one cookie?! Not this girl....

While I normally like to make my traditional pumpkin pie and pumpkin bars every Thanksgiving, this year I wanted to try and switch it up a bit and try a couple of desserts that are Thanksgiving-ish, but also a bit different too. While perusing pinterest, I came across this and decided to give a few of these a try.

I've decided I still want to do my regular pumpkin desserts, but I am also going to make:

Pecan Cheesecake Pie

Sweet Potato Cupcake w/ Marshmellow Frosting

Mini Pumpkin Cakes

Don't these all lok delicious?! I can't wait to make them! 

What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving desserts to make -- or just to eat?! 

love,

Emma