~Be a Dreamer~

I know you all have big ideas.

Huge ideas!

(via)

Do you write them down?

(Bursting with Brilliance (Teal) screenprinted notebook from Katie Blair Designs on Etsy $10)

Share them with others?

(wall art - print - dream big by Stella and Hodge $18)

Or do you hide them inside, ignore them, and move on?

If so . . . what's holding you back?

Self-doubt?

"Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.”

~Karen Ravn

(via)

So let's all reach high . . . and seek far . . .

Dream 5 x 7 Print by Lolas Room $17

And discover how it feels to really be a dreamer

(via)

Don't let anyone hold you down today!

Follow Your Dreams by Love in Letters $22

"As long as your going to be thinking anyway, think big.”

~Donald Trump

(via)

My Thoughts . . .

*I need to start a journal of all of my big, crazy, insane but fun ideas

My goals . . .

*Sign up for some fun creative classes to get me thinking outside the box

*To inspire at least one person today

My Dreams . . .

*To one day start a charity
*To own my very own successful business
*To travel the world

What are your dreams/big ideas/goals?

~Bring on the New Year!!!~

(source)

I don't know about you all, but I am sooooo ready and pumped to welcome the

New Year!

Bring it!

We had a fabulous 2010 . . .

~Went on an amazing trip to Europe~

~Started our investment portfolio together~

~I built my business/passion~

~We adopted LuLu~

~I started my blog~

~We turned a room into my office~

~Spent great time with family and friends~

etc.

Now onto a New beginning.

I decided instead of writing a long list of resolutions, I wanted a word for 2011.

(kind of like in Eat, Pray, Love!)

and my word is . . .

(source)

~Balance~

I am ready to forge forward in life, but also to find balance between everything.

2011 for me will be all about organization, sifting out some unnecessary things to make room for the fun and fulfilling, getting my life together, making sure to balance work with an adventurous life, and make sure to spend quality time and make many memories with my amazing husband, and all my loved ones.

(source)

I want to delve deeper into a few great friendships, and focus on quality, not quantity.

I will continue to work on my Day Zero Challenge, 101 goals in 1001 days and blog about our adventures.

(source)

We have TWO trips around Europe planned (loooove mileage reward cc!), and this may be our last full year to travel and only enjoy each other before we think about any additions (what?!)

So in 2011 I will balance all my craziness so that I can live a full, happy life.

What is your word for 2011?!

I hope you all have a fun New Year's Eve planned with the one's you love, can't wait to see pics, etc. in the New Year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR blog friends!!!

(source)

~Day Zero Challenge . . . Part Trois!~

For my regular readers you already know I am crazy, hee hee

and also I want to do everything.

So I am taking part in the Day Zero Challenge, which is pretty much

*101 goals to complete in 1001 days*

(937 days left!)

I'm totally a goal oriented person, so this is perfect for me and I'm all kinds of excited:-)

So if you are like me, you should do it!

Make your list HERE

(and let me know and we'll follow each other's progress!)

Previous blog entries for

~Part Un~

(1-20)

~Part Deux~

(21-40)

And now

Part Trois!

 

*Host a board game night*

*Go paintballing*

*Make a sand castle*

*Have a tea party*

*Go to Alaska* 

*Visit the San Diego Zoo*

*Re-decorate the bathroom*

*Take a photo of each task completed*

*Go without alcohol for a month*

*Make chocolates*

*Inspire someone else to make their own list*

 I've Done This! My good friends Allison and Editt! Started their list Sept 7th:-)
Check!!!

*Write a list of inspirational things, one thing for each letter of the alphabet*

*Cook risotto*

*Try a new recipe every month*

*Kiss in the rain*

*Visit Norway*

*Have a beer in Germany*

*Host a cocktail party*

*Ride a horse on a beach*

*Workout at the gym every day for a week*

. . .
Ok there's my list up to 60 . . . we're getting to 101:-)

If you can't do the challenge, but have a few things on your "list",

what are they???

Do share:-)

 

(Image sources: 1, 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)

Psssst the GIVEAWAY from Aya Wedding is over Friday!!!
Don't forget to enter HERE

Makeup and me :-)

Ok seriously a HUGE M.A.C. makeup fan here. 

For years!

 A. DDICT. ED!

They have the BEST eyeshadow in the world. 
LURVE all of the purdy colors. 

I mix and match like 3-4 colors daily, fun times!

Any others out there?  Let's start a 12 step program!

Anywho I have like twenty or more, but my faves are:

Forgery

Shroom

MY FAVE!!! Retrospeck

Ok and a BIG fan of dark purples now for smokey eyes (plum dressing and trax)

Paint:

AMAZING! Put it under your eyeshadows, and it lasts forever:-)

Lip glass in "posh it up"

AND they have a new line "Liberty of London"

with some fun colors, oooh can't wait!!!

~Makeup Tutorials worth checking out~

OK now for the important stuff:-)

Soooo I'm a bad bad girl . . .

One of "THOSE" girls, and would do my makeup while driving to work!!!

(Don't judge!)

EVERY day.

For years!

Yikes

Sooo bad.  I guess I just was always busy busy busy.  It started when I was in college AND working full time. 

There was never enough time! AND my commutes were long so I tried to "maximize" my time. 

STUPID!

And then it just turned into a habit.  I thought I was a great driver and could multi-task just fine.

I'm a changed woman starting this last Monday

thanks to this article in Women's Health from this March

(btw HUGE fan of this mag! Amazing!)

So the article is called "Driven to Distraction"

(if you have a few minutes you should read it!)

*Your brain activity decreases by 50% when a driver is distraced*

*car crashes are the leading cause of accidental death among otherwise healthy young women*

*Up to 56% of all fatal crashes have involved distraction*

"Why do so many intelligent health-conscious women risk injury or death  by multi-tasking at 60 mph?"!

(photo from Flickr Claudio Capucho)

I'm not alone:

*One in five women say they beautify in the driver's seat*

It all boils down to this:

"It might help to take a look at your life and ask yourself if you're

REALLY so over-scheduled

that you need to eat, PRIMP, and live your entire life in your car. 

"You have to prioritize"

And that just might prove to be a good thing on and off the road"

So next time you text, eat that burger (ew lol), or put on your eyeliner in the car . . .

remember that you're not invincible.

Time to be responsible:-)

If I can do it, you can:-)

Happy day-before Friday!!!

~Tamara Nicole~

My very own fitness challenge

So.  Some background about my "fitness". 

I have always been somewhat active. 

Back in school days (wayyy back in the day!) I was always playing sports year round.  I grew up as the skinny girl and could eat anything at all, no worries.  I think at lunches I ate pizza and fries (ewww yuck! Talk about healthy eating.  Now I'm a nut about it) with out a care in the world.

Then I stopped playing so many sports b/c I went through a phase that I was "too cool". Weirdo! Ha ha

So when I started going to college I was still in pretty good shape.  I've always had a gym membership since I was like 16.  BUT we all know that as we get older our metabolism slows. . . and it's not just over night, it's gradually. 

Like a thief in the night it snuck up on me.  I'm like 5'8.5" (yup gotta count every little bit! I used to round up but now I've come to terms:-).  I think over 4 years of college I had put on almost TWENTY pounds.  I wasn't fat at all, I didn't even notice any difference.  My jeans sure did!

eww

Sooo there's a happy ending!

Funny how things work out.  During that time, I was:

1)A little unhappy

2)In not-so-good relationships

3)Digging myslef deeper into debt

4)Going through the hard journey of finding myself

and

5)Working full time WHILE taking a full load of college courses at UW.

 We all know life can get hard at times, but it took a toll on my body.  Cramming for exams all night with coffee and sugar to keep me up.  No time (or $) to make healthy choices . . . or so I thought.

So . . . one day I decided to change things around.  I was unhappy in my bad relationship and decided I wanted more.  I joined with several ladies at the office in a "detox".  It worked GREAT! Not one of those dumb diets that you starve, and then gain it all back.  This detox jump-started my system. I lost 8 lbs the first 2 weeks.  Wooo hoo! So I continued for 2 more weeks, and then went back to a normal diet(with more healthy choices).  It taught me self control and some other important helpful diet pointers.

NEXT: I met Andy

Seriously like a month after my detox.  I swear that first 6 months of us dating flew by, I was on cloud 9.  It's funny how when you're happy; you don't need that extra serving of ice cream,  you don't need to snack while you're bored, you are more motivated to work out.  Hmmm funny.

So since then (geez it's been 2.5 years) I've dropped most of my fatty weight and have been back down to how I was in high school, you know like 9 years ago! Lol

Sooo yes I'm on the slender side, from super healthy diet choices, BUT I have this muffin top that I can't shake for the life of me!

THE GOAL

I took my measurements Sunday. My goal is . . . not to lose any weight . . . but to lose inches around my belly button.  To tone up. I hide it well so everyone thinks I am crazy, but come bathing suit season I finally want to be comfortable and not cover up my mid-section.  I am ready to be in the best shape of my life! Before we have babies I want to finally have that! Soo my motivation:

A NEW OUTFIT

and THIS cute jacket

and THIS tank

May be an expensive outfit (for me) BUT I'll deserve it once I get there!!!

I'll keep ya'll posted. 

Ready.

Set.

Go!!!