Being Creative is Fun!

So I tried my hand at several things over the past couple of weeks.  With being so wrapped up in Finals and a Wedding in which I coordinated, officiated, did all the flowers for the 16 member Bridal Party (including the Bride & Groom) created the wedding programs and MC'd at the Reception, I actually found time to 'relax'.  My way of relaxing that is.  By experimenting.

Here's the first thing I played around with:

 Earrings.

Cute Dangling Earrings.

The ones above are solid black and the ones below are crystal looking.

While I'm no master at Jewelry Making by any means, I am quite proud of these two pairs of earrings.

Here's another one of my DIY projects I made:

A Birthday Banner for the Hub's upcoming Beer Tasting Themed Party!  

Not bad for my very first banner ever!  Needless to say, I have had a few requests for these!!!  So, to my Etsy Store this went!!

And here's a yummy treat I experimented with:

Cake Push Pops!

Adorable huh???  These happened to be French Vanilla with Strawberry Filling.  Yummy!!!

I have a few tweaks to work out before I add these to my Etsy Store, however, I have already received an order for these!!!  So exciting!!!

And the wedding...well, the wedding was what it was.  Here's a few photos.
(Disclaimer:  I didn't realize how fat I actually looked until I saw these photos!!)

(Notice the big pooch in my belly)

I have to mention, not only did the Groom wear his this Baseball Cap on backwards the entire ceremony, one of his Groomsmen had on an Oakland Raiders Cap on.  Yes, seriously.

Anyway..... check this out:

I finished today ~ my first day ~ back on my weight loss journey, with 316 calories to spare!

GO ME!!! 

I would have had more, but I didn't do a complete work out today.  But tomorrow's another day!!!

And so it begins.........

Yes, I'm re-starting my journey in losing weight and eating healthy.

(I wanna look like this photo)

Yeah right, but one can hope!!!  In all seriousness, I've been gearing up to start watching my eating habits. I'm back to 1200 calories a day!!  I'm also back to my daily workouts (thus burning more calories to add to my daily calorie intake!!)

This is one of the reasons......

Do you see that??  Do you see what that says? 

OVERWEIGHT. 

O.V.E.R.W.E.I.G.H.T.

Yikes.  That right there, in addition to my ever present MUFFIN TOP. 

It kinda looks like this:

(Source)

So, in the last week, I've been preparing myself for going healthy!  I've got my menu planned out for the first 15 days of June and have a daily exercise plan in place.  My goal is to lose at least 14.5 lbs. but ideally, I'd like to lose 19.5 lb. total.  Honestly, losing the weight would be wonderful, however I'd like to lose major inches around my waist and the flab in my arms. 

(source) 

I belong to a wonderful website called My Fitness Pal which has a number of tools to help me track my daily calorie intake as well as calories burned thru excersing!  It has a HUGE data bank with a variety of foods which accurately lists calories, fats, proteins, sugars, etc. for everything!

I absolutely love My Fitness Pal.  Check out their website, and join me on this journey!!  I officially start tomorrow, June 1st!!





The Semester is *Almost* Over!!!

While I've been neglecting this blog for just about the entire Spring Semester of classes, I can tell you all that I'm one week away from finally getting to relax for the summer!! Woot Woot!

I'm taking the Summer Semester off and will be able to catch up on my blogging - sharing with you all things that have gone on the last 5 to 6 months, as well as any of our Summer adventures!

With school and business booming a bit, I've hadn't had a great deal of time to devote to blogging as I used to (and like to), so I'm going to re-prioritize my days here in the next week or so and make journaling something daily here!! :D

With that being said, I'm hoping you all have been doing well and I'm going to go catch up on all of your blogs now!!!

Have a GREAT weekend!!!!

One Year Ago Today.................

This was me on the Carnival Elation making my way to the tender that would take me to Catalina Island where...........



Brian was waiting patiently for me!!

Beer Tasting Themed Party

So, with Brian's big FIVE-ONE coming up here in June, we're having a big shin-dig to celebrate! Last year we were in Minnesota for our AHR so we weren't able to celebrate with a lot of his friends here in California so they asked me to make sure we did something for him this year.#

I've decided on a 'Beer Tasting' theme! I got the inspiration from a fellow DW Bride, who shared this blog with me. I love everything about how she hosted her party and I'm getting tons of ideas from her!!

Here's the invites I did:

And what I'm going to put on tiles for coasters:

I also wanted a Happy Birthday Banner and found this on Etsy:

But in these colors perhaps:

I don't know if I should give it a whirl at making the banner myself, or just breaking down and spend the $30. ($27 plus $3 for shipping). Hmmmm.

For now, I'm wanting to create a Save the Date though so people keep that Saturday open. I know it's the day before Father's Day, so I need to get the word out NOW! You would think I'd have thought of the Save the Date BEFORE everything else, but nope. Not me. I tend to do things backwards.

I am also in the planning stages of my daughter's Sweet 16. It's not for another 18 months, however, I'm a planner, and this is going to be a very special occasion so...... I'm planning away!!! Wait till you see what I've found so far!!!

Happy Sunday!

Vote for Hines!!!

Vote for Hines Ward on Dancing with the Stars!

It goes without saying that I absolutely love the Pittsburgh Steelers. No doubt about it. However, as with everything in the sport of Football, there seems to be a time where every once in a while, a player comes along who embodies the personality and character of the organization he represents. Hines Ward is one such player.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been known as a blue-collar team. They win games by grinding it out the old-fashioned way, and they don’t put up with diva behavior. Hines, who has a resume worthy of future induction into the Hall of Fame (To date he has on record 11,702 receiving yards and 83 touchdowns), is as blue-collar of a player as there is.

In a league full of wide receivers who think that their individual statistics are more important than the numbers in the win/loss column, Ward has remained refreshingly humble and continues to play hard on every down, whether it’s to receive, block, or be the moral leader. He never stops smiling and isn’t afraid to sacrifice his body in order to take or dish out a hard hit.

In addition, his active involvement and dedication to the Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation is commendable. In 2006, after a trip to his birthplace of South Korea, Ward donated an initial $1 million to the foundation “to help mixed-race children like himself in South Korea, where they have suffered discrimination.”

During a press conference before he returned home, Ward said, “I will make the struggle to end bi-racial discrimination my chief cause, for which I will devote my time and resources, both in the United States and Korea.”
His Helping Hands U.S. Foundation “focuses on improving literacy among children and will provide programs and services to better equip them for achieving and handling success in life.”

Thus, I have decided to sponsor VoteforHines.com in honor of his appearance on “Dancing with the Stars”. Ward has long been one of my favorite players on the team; I hope every Steelers fan feels the same way and participates in the voting process.

Ward agreed to compete because “it looks extremely challenging” and said, “I am always up for a good challenge and would love to see what I can do in a field completely foreign to me. Besides, if Emmitt (Emmitt Smith won in Season 3) and Jerry (Jerry Rice finished second in Season 2) can do it, so can I.”

Ward has already shown off his dancing skills with a fantastic rendition of the John Wall dance after a catch on Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals last season.

Please support Ward throughout the show so we can help him make that final push for victory by calling 1-800-VOTE403 or registering to vote online at ABC.com. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter @mvp86hinesward and tweet using the hashtag #VoteForHines.

Getting In Shape! (For reals!!) Physically and Mentally!!

So, sometime last year I went on a 30 Day Shred kick.

I was totally inspired by a fellow DW Bride to be who was in the process of planning her wedding the same ime I was. 

 The picture on the left was taken around the time she started to do the 30 Day Shred on a daily basis.  The picture on the right was three weeks later.  Big difference in three weeks wouldn't you say???

 And this is a more recent picture of her over a year later!!!  She looks absolutely fabulous doesn't she??

Yeah, well my 30 Day Shredding days was very short lived.  I'd say it lasted several weeks and then I gave up. Don't get me wrong, it was very difficult!  I think I was able to get through Level 1, but when I attempted Level 2, I absolutely threw in the towel!  It was kicking my behind BIG TIME!!!

Soooo........ after taking the last oh.......11 months off of any type of real exercising, I'm going back on my fitness regime!  Yes I sure am!  I have a Yoga CD that I've tried a few times which I'm going to start back up with along with the dreaded 30 Day Shred!  This is gonna start TODAY!!  I'm gonna be Jillian's B**CH for the next 6 months or so!!!

Along with  working out / excercising, I'm going healthy all the way around including eating!!!  I know I've said that cooking healthy was one of my Goals for the year and well....there's nothing wrong with getting a late start!!

I recently came across a few blogs that have great meal planning tips and recipes.  I'll be sure to share any of the recipies that I try.  I'm also going to try something a little different as far as my meal planning goes.  Currently I plan my meals on a weekly basis.  This seems to work perfectly fine, but I'm gonna try to plan meals on a monthly basis!!  I know, I know.....some of you may think this is crazy, but for some people it actually works great!  This will also save my household a little bit of $$$$ as I'll be able to stock up on ingredients if I see them on sale even though the meal I'd be using it for is a week or two out.  Plus I'd be less likely to have repeats.  :D

Stay tuned for tips and suggestions on Meal Planning!!!!

Here's a random photo of my me with my oldest and middle child!!  This was at my daughter's 21st Birthday Dinner. 



Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!!!

Yesterday I spent the day just lounging around the house. I didn't have any classes, no errands that I *HAD* to run, so I slept in and just had a great morning. 

I did, however, decide to get up and bake.  I baked a variety of Cut-Out Cookies.  :D  No particular reason, I just felt that I needed to have a stress free day!!  And here are the results......... please keep in mind that towards the end of the decorating, I was getting pooped out.  So little details were left out on purpose.  Like I could have put an Olive in the Martini.....I could have put a colored sash on the Wedding Dress, you know....little details of that nature. 

Just a little 'mental' day since the weather here in "Good 'ole Sunny California" has been nothing but wet and windy!!  I had fun, got all my baking bugs out and I get to spend the day making a Tu-Tu with my 14 year old!!  Then, it's doing research for a 2 page paper that's due in Biology on Monday by 4 p.m.  Wish me luck people!!!!!

Spring Forward!!

It's that time of the year!! We lose an hour of sleep, however we gain an hour of daylight!!

It didn't really make that much of an impact on me last night. I woke up this morning feeling refreshed despite the fact I lost an hour of my beauty sleep. :) AND... I was suffering from insomnia yet again so I didn't get to sleep until well after 2 a.m. Ugh.

With Spring, I get to look forward to the pretty, beautiful flowers, nice Spring colors, and my stupid, ugly, darn, dumb ALLERGIES!!! And I get them really bad! Really bad where my eyes are constantly red and puffy; my nose leaks all the time.

This is what I look like:

Source

Despite the fact that during the Spring/Summer, I'm always sniffling and sneezing, etc., I'm so looking forward to the next several months!! We just had Brian's best friend come visit for a week from Minnesota and in about a month Brian's brother and sister-in-law will be coming from Minnesota for a week as well! We have so many fun things planned, I'm so excited!!!

Ironstone Vineyards is one place I've never been to and am excited to be going to when they come out. Here are a few pictures from their webiste:

It's so beautiful there! They also have a picnic area down by the lake where I can't wait to have a nice little lunch! :)

Another place we're going to go for sure is Shadowbrook Restaurant. 

It's one of my favorite restaurants ever!  Brian's brother is going to be treating us for our one year anniversary a week early and this is the restaurant he chose.  He knows it's my favorite!  Here are several pictures from their website:

And since we're going to be there on a Friday night, check out their Happy Hour Specials:

Here are few pictures of Yosemite; we may take a trip up there as well:

Happy Sunday everyone!!  :)

Woo Hoo, It's Friday!!

How yummy do these Cake Pops from Starbucks look? This is the Rocky Road one and I'm going to get me one of these babies this afternoon!!

Thru tomorrow, you can get a free Cake Pop if you order a drink anytime betweet 2 and 5 p.m. at participating Starbucks! I missed out yesterday, so you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm going to get one today! That's for sure!!!

Remember my list of 'Goals' I wanted to accomplish in 2011? Well, for those of you who missed it, you can view it here. I was on such a good roll until classes started! In the beginning I thought to myself, 'oh, it's gonna be like this only until I get a routine down then things will be back on track'. Yeah right. Two monnths later, I'm still as discombobulated as the first day of classes!

Here's what my list looks like today:


Lifestyle Goals ~ 2011

Take time to stretch and work out every morning
Cook and Eat Healthier
Stick to my weekly menu planning
Read the Bible in 90 days
Read 125 books
Blog on a daily basis
Keep in touch with family more often
Create & Stick to a Daily Household Chore List
Continue to pursue my BA
Take mini-vacations with Brian more often
Continue our Date Day Thursdays
Purchase at least one Christmas gift a month
Stick to my Word of the Day
Attend and get involved with Church
Put $20 away a month in a "pickle jar"

Around the House Goals ~ 2011
De-clutter the DenGet the Den cleaned and organized
Get my Clever Confections business supplies organized
Re-theme the bathroom
Re-organize kitchen cupboards 
The highlighted items are those that I've accomplished and/or am on pace with. Not too exciting huh? Well, it's a start.

Can I just share with you guys what I just purchased the other day? I'm so excited and can't wait until I get it in the mail!!!

Isn't this so cute?!?!? I can't wait to make these cookies!! I have several weddings coming up, so I may have to make these as a surprise for my brides!!! I wish I had these!!!

On another note....We finally got our Desk Top up and running so now I don't have to fight with the hubs over our little Netbook. :) It's amazing how much of a difference just the monitor alone makes!! That and the fact that I can type a whole lot faster on a regular keyboard than that itty bitty one on the Netbook. I personally like the Netbook because it's so small, handy and convienent for me. Yes, I have to squint sometimes to read certain things, but all in all, it serves its purpose just fine.

Anyone have exciting plans for St. Patrick's Day? Other than making a gazillion Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes, we don't have any real exciting plans this year. I think it's because we have so much going on for the rest of the year, we've been too busy to even think about it!!!