Motivation for Monday

I am kicking it into high gear! Ready to get back to eating healthy and working out every day.  I went through my Health board on Pinterest for a little inspiration and motivation.  Here are the favorite things I found. . .

Lust List (4/26)

Here are a few things that I am dying to have...and would buy in a heartbeat if I wasn't living on a teacher salary (or had a rich doctor husband).

Monogrammed Norts... aka Nike Shorts....

Perfection.

The entire OPI NYC Ballet Soft Shades collection...

So dainty! My kind of colors!

Queen Audrey

“Some people dream of having a big swimming pool. With me, it’s closets.”

—	Audrey Hepburn

23 is MY Year

Today is my birthday... and let me tell you, it has been wonderful.

I'm not going to lie, I was a little bummed that this was the first birthday I was spending away from my close friends.  Think about it- I have been in school for the past 19 or something birthdays and was always surrounded by my friends on this day.  Now, I am living with my grandparents and aunt on the commune (we jokingly call it that..it seems like everyone in my family has at least lived in this house at least once!) working a big girl job as a teacher! So there's no more coming in to a decorated locker, like in high school, and there is no going out to the bars tonight, like in college.  I was not sure just how this birthday was going to go...I was pleasantly surprised :)

I woke up, got ready for work, and came in to have breakfast with my Grandmother.  There sitting on the table was a grapefruit (I always have a grapefruit for breakfast) decorated for my birthday.  I seriously laughed out loud.  I knew my loving, creative, and eccentric aunt was up to that.  It was so cute!  And then I was called into the living room by my Grandpa, who is in a hospital bed in there, so he could sing happy birthday to me.  I don't know how many birthdays of mine he will see so I really cherished this.  I had already been so surprised and I hadn't even left for work yet!

My birthday grapefruit!

When I got to work, all my great co-workers came in to tell me happy birthday.  And then my boss came in and said she would order lunch for me!  Anything I wanted (well, in my town that means Dairy Queen, Subway, or the local Mexican Restaurant)!  So I had a great subway lunch on her.

During lunch, the secretary came in and delivered flowers my dad had sent to me.  He sent me a dozen tulips- because tulips always remind him of me because they were blooming outside the hospital the day I was born.  Best Dad EVER!  I will post a picture of the flowers as soon as they bloom!

Throughout the day, I got probably 100 "Happy birthday, Miss Farmer!"s.  The fifth grade even came and sang to me!  And my sweet 1st grade religion class all made me birthday cards.

When I got home from work, I was so surprised.  There were birthday balloons tied to the mailbox and onto a big pot of flowers half way up the driveway.  I was so excited I pulled over and took pictures of both!  And this may seem strange but my driveway is a quarter mile long, so there were lots of places to put balloons.

Balloons on the mailbox!

And more halfway down the driveway!

And when I came in, my Grandmother and Aunt had the table decorated for my birthday and a Mexican feast in the works.  And more balloons inside too :)  There even was a chocolate cake...my favorite!  The food was amazing and the cake...to die for!  I think I might even go get another piece.

Make a wish!

After dinner, I walked to the mailbox to get the mail and cut down my birthday balloons.  Inside I found a great card from my best friend, Chelsea (btw..if you don't follow her, you are missing out)!  It is friends like her I miss the most on days like today.  But I know we will be reunited in Chattanooga soon for lots of karaoke and drinks!  She wrote this blog post for me today.  Almost made me cry at work!  Check it out.

These guys all came over to wish me a happy birthday on my walk back to the house.  I am pretty sure they thought I would feed them, but I'll pretend they were singing happy birthday when they were mooing.  I'm telling y'all, I live in the sticks!

"Happppppy birthday to Mooooooo!"

So with wonderful friends, family, co-workers, and students, I have had an amazing birthday.  This birthday has far exceeded my expectations.  I am so blessed.  More to come about my celebration in Nashville with Mom and Dad this weekend.

So What Wednesday!

• So what if just at a honey bun for my snack..it's my birthday!
• So what if I am going to have pre-made margaritas at home with my grandmother on my 23rd birthday night...I have plans for a big birthday weekend!
• So what if I spent $125 at a monogram party two days ago...it was for a good cause :)
• So what if I didn't shave my legs today!

What are you saying So What to!?

Wordless Wednesday

Lover.

Bride Book

For my best friend's wedding, I decided to make her a "Bride Book."  I adapted this from an idea that I saw on Pinterest a while before her wedding.  I loved the idea and I think it is something that she will be able to keep and cherish forever.  

I started by making the cover.  I used an X-acto knife to cut out her new monogram.  I put this on with some double sided tape.  

I then went through and did a page for all of her bride-to-be events.  I did a page for both of her bridal showers as well as a page for each of her bachelorette parties.  

I then did a page for each person in her bridal party.  I asked each person to send me a picture and a letter for the bride.  I took these pictures and letters and made a page for each special person.  I attached the pictures to the scrapbook paper using a different, but coordinating, paper as a mat for the picture.  I then made a little "envelope" to slide each letter in with the same paper I used as the photo mat.  I did this for each bridesmaid or attendant.  

I used the same paper for the back as the paper I used for the cover.  On the back cover, I put a little "made with love" not for her and a picture of myself and her. 

I punched holes in all of the pages and tied them together with a piece of twine.  I probably would have put it in a scrapbook binder, but I was on a budget :)

So basically all you need for this is:  

• lots of coordinating scrapbook paper
• double sided tape
• pictures and letters from bridesmaids and attendants
• X-acto knife
• hole punch
• string (or scrapbook binder)
• scissors
• 3-4 hours

Cover with her new last name initial.

Page for her Bridal Shower in Chattanooga.

Page for her Bachelorette Party in Chattanooga.

Bacheclorette on Beale page.

My bridesmaid page.  Pictures and my letter to her in the home-made envelope.

Back cover of the book and dedication.

Teacher Tuesday

Get Fit

I have been "dieting" for about 4 months and have lost around 25 pounds.  I was doing weight watchers online and to help out with my budget, I canceled my subscription.  There was nothing wrong with the WW way, I just dropped it to save about 20$ a month.  I lost 20 pounds with WW and I highly recommend it.

Since I was trying to be frugal, I decided to look around for a free calorie tracker that I could use with my iPhone.  A friend told me about My Fitness Pal and I am LOVING it!

Basically, you enter all of your information and it sets a daily calorie goal for you based on how much you want to lose.  Mine was set at 1,200 calories which seems about right for weight loss.  Then, each day you log what you eat.  The great thing about this is that you can do it on your phone OR online!  Mine is set up for both.  So if I'm out and about, I will use my iPhone.  But if I'm working I will log on on my computer.

You can also add friends who are using it online!  You can send each other messages and see how everyone is doing.  So if any of you have a username let me know and we will friend on that!

The greatest thing about this program is they have EVERYTHING in their database of food!  I have yet to enter something that I was not able to find.  And a really cool feature is that you can scan a bar code on something and it automatically enters it for you.  I LOVE TECHNOLOGY!

I really, really am trying to get back into the diet thing.  I kind of fell of the wagon when things started getting so busy in my life.  But I am committed to hoping back onto that horse..... Cruise to the Bahamas in two months is my motivation!

Also, I am really want to get going back to Zumba.  If you have never tried it, you must!  I loved going when I used to and it is an AMAZING workout.  I would usually burn about 600 calories in the hour class.  It is fun and upbeat.  And a lot of instructors use songs that you hear on the radio and they really pump you up.  I have 20 days of school left and I will be back in that dance studio Zumba-ing my butt off by then!  I have the set of DVDs at home but they're not as good.  It is so much easier to wuss out half way through and quit when you are doing it by yourself.

Do y'all have any suggestion how to get back moving and in the swing of things?  I am in desperate need of thin-spiration!

YSL

Missing my friends..

I hate feeling like this, but I sure do miss my college friends.  I am so lucky to have such a great job here in McEwen and I am very thankful for it.  But I would love to still be able to run out to the bars on Market Street, have dollar beers, and sing some karaoke.  I miss that!  I guess I am still trying to adjust to this new life 200 miles away from my friends and home for the past 4 years. Struggling tonight :(

Sweet Tea: The House Wine of the South

Who doesn't love some Sweet Tea?? Only people in Europe who don't know what sweet tea is I'm thinking (seriously, never order sweet tea in Europe...they bring you hot tea with sugar.)

So, if you are like any southerner, and you like sweet tea, you will also love Jess at Livin' on Sweet Tea!  (And you don't just have to be southern to love her! Heck, she married a yankee after all!)






She is having this awesome giveaway.  RUN, don't walk, and register for it! It is over tonight!  She is giving away either a $25 Target card or a $25 Starbucks card.  Holy moly, I want one! If I win, it is just another reason to feed my addiction!

So, check out her blog, sign up for this giveaway, and while you are there read her So What!? Wednesday post.  It's hilarious, and all true for me too.

Wordless Wednesday

I survived Catholic school uniforms for 13 years.

So What! Wednesday

I am linking up with "So What Wednesday" over at "Life After I Dew!" This week I am saying so what to:

• My shoes being all over my bedroom floor!
• That I am still not back in the full swing of my "diet."
• That my classroom looks like a hot mess half the time.. "Sorry for the mess, we are learning."
• I took a 2 hour nap after work the last two days... I don't feel too good.

So what!

What are y'all saying so what to this week?

Words to live by....

"Only chase two things:

your drinks

and your dreams."

All Y'all Better Take Note!

My Weekend in Instagrams

This weekend, I traveled to Jackson, TN for my best friend's wedding.  You can find her blog here- The Life and Whereabouts of Chelsea.  Here is my weekend via Instagram :)

My go to comfy shoes. Love them!

Painting I did that Chelsea had put in front of the church.

Melissa, me, and Sue out at the Jackson Tavern after the rehearsal dinner.

Bridesmaid dress hanging on my gift from the Bride.

Breakfast in bed the morning of the wedding!

Takes a lot to get ready for a wedding!

Chelsea's bouquet.  It has a piece of her Sigma Kappa initiation dress wrapped around it and she used my badge as her "something borrowed." I am most definitely doing this when I get married!

Myself and the beautiful bride. I love her to death!

Probably my favorite picture from the day.

All of my sisters! Sisterhood lasts forever <3

It was such a wonderful weekend.  I can't wait to share some more pictures our wonderful photogropher took!

Happy Monday, yall!

The Liebster Award

I was pleasantly surprised when I logged onto blogger this morning!

My wonderful friend Emily has passed on the Liebster Blog Award.  Thanks Emily! And for those of you (like myself) who didn't know what "Liebster" meant have a new fancy word to throw around!  It means darling or beloved.  So sweet :) 

Here is the Liebster Blog Award criterea:

The Liebster Award is for up-and-coming bloggers (200 followers or less) that you think deserve recognition for their fabulous blogging abilities.

Here's how this award process works...

Each nominee should:

• Choose blogs to give the Liebster Award to.
• Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
• Post the award on your blog.
• List the bloggers you gave the award to with links to their sites.
• Leave a comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award. 
• Share five random facts about yourself.

 Who I am passing on the Liebster Award to.....

Chelsea at The Life and Whereabouts of Chelsea

Lauren at According to She Designs

Danielle at Being Mrs. Curtis

Sarah Beth at Here Goes Nothing

Check out these blogs.  They are a few of my favorites!

My Five Random Facts...

1. I love to paint.
2. My Starbucks order is a Triple Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte.
3. I live on a 100 acre cow farm.
4. I have 2 tattoos.
5. My wine of choice is St. Urban Riesling.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Wordless Wednesday

http://www.etsy.com/listing/70098299/dachshund-print-vintage-dog-poster-dog?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share

Always Remember...

Friday Favorites

Here is what I am loving this week!

Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer

I have tried the Natural Glow lotion and it didn't work with my fair skin.  Even the lightest color left me streaky and un-natural looking.  I thought I would give the foam a try after I stumbled across it and it was on sale.  This is much lighter,  not as dense as the lotion.  I think that is why it is making my "glow" more natural.  It also does not have as bad of a "self-tanner smell."  It takes much less time to soak into your skin and dry.  I usually use it right out of the shower after exfoliating.  Make sure to wash your hands after with soap to avoid the oompa loompa look!  I am going to keep this routine up and hopefully I will look good for Chelsea's wedding! 

Colgate Advanced White Toothpaste

I have been using this toothpaste for about 3 weeks and have seen great results.  My teeth are noticeably whiter.  I am pretty picky about whitening toothpaste because my teeth are so sensitive, so when I tried this and didn't get that feeling, I was hooked.