(diva)logues

Fri-yay...

 

So I mentioned that I finished some pages for the scrapbook recently.  What I didn't mention is that I printed almost 1,000 photos last month that have been taking up space on my phone.  Not that I don't have probably 1,000 more that still need to be put onto pages, but just looking at that stack of photos alone makes me feel so far behind.

My own fault.

I used to be so on top of all our photos + telling stories while they were fresh in my mind.  So much detail in old scrapbooks that I would've never remembered years later, had I not put it onto pages soon after it happened.   But that was also prior to working outside the home again.  And while I don't work full-time, I do spend a lot of time outside of class preparing for it... memorizing, trying to come up with new stuff to keep my classes fresh, not to mention Bryn's busy schedule that I have to keep up with.

For some strange reason she's no longer content to sit & play in my craftroom while I'm playing with photos.  Miss those sweet days.

Anyway... slowly but surely I'll catch up.  If one can ever really "catch up" when it comes to scrapbooking. 

 

Here's some of what's been completed recently.  Working with bright colors &/or summer photos makes me wish for slightly warmer weather, I have to admit.  Love looking back at photos though & reminiscing.  I could spend hours looking at old photos... and sometimes when I'm on Facebook that's what I'm doing... looking at old photos & smiling about good times... or sometimes just shaking my head too...

 

And here's where all of this happens.  Just a small spare bedroom turned into an office.  I kept the walls white because I wanted the zebra print rug to take center stage.  Also really into gold lately & wanted a feature wall that didn't compete with the rug.  So I went with self-adhesive/removable gold polka dots.  They were so easy to apply... lots of sizes & availability on Etsy...

And that shelf is a story for a whole other day.  I repainted a total piece of crap brown shelf I found on a local online buy/sell group.  Many thanks to a bestie for going with me for that purchase, as I may have turned around & gone back home without it had I not had someone else with me concerned for my well-being...  LOL

Random other things are in the room that inspire me... like Bryn's artwork of herself from 3rd grade that I put in a frame... some bling (found the sequined XO in the dollar bins at Target)... some fur (purchased recently from Home Goods)... a dress form wearing an old Zumba tank top... and of course a big piece of pegboard on the wall for additional storage & organization in the room.  It's cheap & easy to hang.  Directions for hanging it found here.  I purchased my pegboard & hooks from Home Depot, but I'm sure any major hardware store has it available. 

I found the ribbon holders at Michaels and I got the clear bins several years ago from Target I believe.   So many things you can use pegboard for.  Search for it on Pinterest & you'll find lots of inspiration!

 

TGIF tomorrow!  Looking forward to starting my morning with my awesome Friday Zumba friends!  Always a BLAST!  Also looking forward to doing conditioning/Zumba at a local school for a girls swim team in the afternoon!  So happy to have the opportunity to give those girls a fun break from the pool & hopefully turn them into Zumba lovers like the rest of us! 

Love love LOVE my job!

Have a great weekend, everyone! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#sorrynotsorry

 

 

 Been awhile since I had a hashtag post, so here we go again...

 

Randomness in 2016

• No matter how busy Bryn is with school, volleyball, cheer & her friends... she will always manage to find time to go shopping with me.  #shockingiknow
• A can of gold spray paint can totally change the look of an old piece of furniture.  It can also add permanent visual interest & pattern to your car tire when you accidentally back up over it in your garage & it explodes everywhere, including the piece of furniture you just painted blue.  #onegoldtireistrendy
• Buying concert tickets on StubHub is crazy, and yet I continue to do it for some illogical reason.  Spent way too much money for Justin Bieber tickets, but it did put tears in Bryn's eyes, so that Christmas gift was worth it.  Plus, she has to take me as her date so technically it was Merry Christmas to both of us, even it was stupid to pay that much money.  And the Latino version of Sorry has been one of my fav Zumba songs for awhile too, so maybe he'll pull me up on stage for that one... like umm all the way from the nose-bleed seats. #mightneedbinoculars
• On a related note... have you seen that pic of him in Bora Bora?  #sorrynotsorrybigboy
• Is it strange that a Beta fish can become your buddy?  I mean... I can't pet him, he doesn't make a sound & yet when I come in the room, he swims to the side of the bowl to see me.  We totally have chemistry.  Or maybe it's just that he knows I have food.  Whatever.  #youremyboyblue
• Hard to believe... but I actually finished a couple pages for the scrapbook over the weekend.  Annnd... I have a couple more that I finished a few months ago, but never posted.  I'll post those this week for those of you who are into the crafty stuff like I am.  #creatingistherapeutic
• Although Zumba will always be my therapy too.  I love them both equally.  Which is good considering that scrapbooking is a very sedentary hobby. #notmanyfitbitstepswithpaperandglue
• In fact, I think that should be my New Year's resolution... more scrapbooking this year.  Maybe I'll just get a dog so I can put my Fitbit on him & sit on my ass while he runs around all day getting more steps in for me.  #onlyworkweekhustlepeepsunderstandthestruggle
• And a more blogging resolution too.  There really is a lot more I'd like to say besides how much I love scrapbooking, teaching fitness classes & helping others with AdvoCare.  This blog has been in existence for 8 years as of next month.  And not only was there more honesty about my daily life, but there was definitely more regular, if not daily, posting on here.  But that was before I had more than just the "scrapbooking world" following.  So... it gets tricky on where to draw the line when it comes to putting thoughts on life out there involving family & friends.  But I can assure you this head of mine is full of witty, sarcastic, sick, bitchy, loving, positive, happy, inspiring, real things to say.  Like it or not, it will get real again.  #itstrickytorockarhyme
• I love when boys come in to take my BodyPump class and ignore my strong suggestions to keep the weights LOW, as we have at least 800 reps in an hour.  So... they load up their barbell & I smile.  See ya in the bottom half, brother, because shit's about to get real.  And then they struggle.  And lower their weights when they come back next time.  #imnowimpygirl
• While others are rushing out to get bread & milk when it snows... or in one case I saw I guy with an entire cart full of toilet paper (Issues there, dude?)... I only had 4 things on my grocery list: spinach, chicken, popcorn & wine.  And unlike the bread & milk... none of it was sold-out.  #winning
• Speaking of snow... roads are just fine.  Already taught a BodyPump class this morning & I'll be ready to rock it out in Zumba tonight.  Dancing is the best cure for snow day cabin fever so I hope to see all my local friends in class!  #werock 

 

 

 

 

Lean in Sixteen...

 

 

 "It's suspended there to remind us before we pop the champagne and celebrate the New Year, to stop and reflect on the year that has gone by. To remember both our triumphs and our missteps - our promises made, and broken. The times we opened ourselves up to great adventures - or closed ourselves down, for fear of getting hurt. Because that's what New Year's is all about: getting another chance. A chance to forgive, to do better, to do more, to give more, to love more. And stop worrying about 'what if' and start embracing what would be. So when that ball drops at midnight - and it will drop - let's remember to be nice to each other, kind to each other. And not just tonight but all year long."

~ Claire from New Year's Eve the movie

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New year.  New chances.  New beginnings. 

 

How about the chance to love YOURSELF a little more this year too?  Maybe put yourself at the TOP of your priority list? 

It isn't a selfish thing to do.  If you're healthy, happy & have more energy... everything else in your life tends to fall into place.  The people around you tend to be happier as a result. 

You've all heard the saying... if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.  It is very true. 

 

 

There are a few tried & true ways you can love yourself more this year...

1.  A group exercise class...  I cannot tell you how many times I hear people tell me the same thing over & over again.  How taking a class (usually Zumba) has changed their life.  I can tell you that taking classes honestly changed mine long before I was teaching.  Getting 1 hour to myself when Bryn was a baby & growing up along the way... was so important to feeling like myself.  Not someone's wife or someone's mom.  Just me.  Even if for only 1 hour a few times a week.  And not only that... but I can't even count the number of awesome friends it has brought into my life just by finding a common interest with people.  Zumba, specifically, is a PARTY... minus the booze & bad pickup lines.  If you do nothing else different this year... trust me on this & try a class.  Try mine if you're local!  Promise you'll have fun AND burn quite a few calories.
2. Hang out with positive people... people that encourage you, inspire you, make you laugh, make you a better person.  The people we surround ourselves with... have a great influence on our own attitude... good or bad.  Keep your circle of influence encouraging to keep your own light shining bright!
3. Change your eating habits... I've blogged on this before.  Eating habits are learned... and quite frankly they are just that... habits.  Sometimes we just haven't learned from our parents or on our own just HOW to eat more healthy.   You can read more about how I typically eat on this previous post.  Junk in= junk out.  When you change what you're feeding your body, everything changes... your skin, your weight, your energy levels... all positives.  
4. Cleanse... in every form.  Cleanse your body of alcohol, sugar, refined carbs... cleanse your soul of drama & negativity.  A cleanse is a great way to get to a new starting point in every sense of the word.  I like AdvoCare's cleanse the best because I still eat real food while I'm doing it.  Homey don't play that liquid diet thang. 
5. Break-up with your scale...  Just say..."it's not you, it's me. We've had some good times, but lately you've made me cry a lot & I need to move on."  Too much emphasis is usually placed on seeing a certain number on the scale, when noticing how your clothes are fitting differently is a much better gauge of where you're at.  Being overweight doesn't necessarily mean you're not healthy... and being thin doesn't necessarily mean you are! 
6. Smile more... The energy you give to the world, comes back to you.  Whether you're in the best mood or not, smiling at others does change things.  And that's not to say there won't sometimes be things to cry about or feel angry about.... but tell yourself you get 5 minutes to be emotional & then you gotta be a gangsta.  BOOM. SMILES. SHOWTIME!
7. Change your hair... It is, in fact, just hair.  It grows.  But it can change everything about you.  How long has it been since you changed your hairstyle?  Give your hairstylist the reigns & ask them what they see on you.  Look for inspiration on Pinterest. 
8. Say NO... it's a hard word to say sometimes.  So much easier to go along with the crowd & say yes to something you really don't want to do.  Or feel resentful later that you wanted to say no, but said yes instead.  NO is a complete sentence.  You don't have to give reasons why you're saying it.
9. Say YES more often too...  Say yes to things that scare you, things that make you step outside your comfort zone.  It's only when we're willing to get uncomfortable that we change.  In life & in our workouts.  If it isn't challenging you, it isn't changing you. 
10. Write yourself a love letter... and then hang that bad boy up where you'll see it every day.  You are beautiful, you are strong, you matter. 

 

There are many more ways to love yourself more this year.  These are just a few things that came to my own mind.

 

I hope you have an amazing 2016... full of much love, especially for YOURSELF!  

 

If you'd like more information on starting the year off with a nationwide ALL IN 24-DAY CHALLENGE, message me for details.  It's a great starting point for health & wellness...  involving a cleanse, better eating, exercise AND likely shedding a few pounds & inches.  Last day to get all the FREEBIES is Monday, Jan. 4th.  Let's get LEAN in '16...