Welcome to my table...

Welcome to my table... and my newest obsession. Sophie Conran for Portmeirion dishes!

Visitors at our house will now be eating off the most beautiful white dishes. Thank you  to everyone who got us these dishes as wedding gifts (and to those who gave us money to put towards dishes). I promise, the food does taste better when eating off these dishes.

I also love the green boxes. There may be a pile of them now on display in my dining room... you will have to stop by to find out!

One Dress... 2 ways

I recently picked up a great summer dress at Le Chateau for my wedding rehearsal. When we travel, I try to pack multipurpose outfits to save room in my suitcase for potential shopping finds! These options could be potentials for an upcoming trip!

dress - cardigan - shoes - belt

dress - shoes - belt

Tea Leaves

The morning after our wedding, I came down to the lobby of the Manteo Resort before the family picnic and discovered a wonderful selection of tea, hot water, and paper cups with lids. The tea selection provided was from a local company called Tea Leaves based out of Vancouver, London, Seattle, and Shanghai.

herbal spiced chai - lavender earl grey - tangerine - organic green darjeeling - pina colada rooibos

The flavors are excellent and the selection is more than I could ask more. I cannot wait to try more of this tea again someday.

Inspired

I am not very creative when it comes to my own fashion choices... although I am improving. One of the bloggers I turn to prior to any shopping trip (or getting dressed in the morning) is Jill GG at Good Life For Less. Although I have never met you, thank you Jill for all of your inspiration in the fashion area of my life.

I even emailed her one asking for fashion advice for engagement photos and she responded within 24 hours! Seriously! Considering she is a mom who contributes to 3 blogs, I was very impressed to get a response that quick.

 I am obsessed with two of her recent posts:
a consult and her outfit to a ball game

Maybe I am just obsessed with navy right now, although I loved navy before Kate Middleton single handedly brought it back with one outfit.

Some things on my shopping list for my upcoming trip to San Diego include:
a navy tank
sparkly TOMS or wedge TOMS
a mustard cardigan
chino shorts

last MAX class

Last night I attended my last MAX class as we have decided to bite the bullet and change gyms. The class was excellent but throughout class I keep thinking about classes at our new gym. I get excited for little changes like this because with change comes new challenges!

Last night's MAX class included: a warmup, squats, back, chest, triceps, biceps, shoulders, glutes and abs. I feel like I got a good workout and I was energized when I got home.

Depending on when we get to our new gym tonight to sign up for our membership, I hope to get in a workout. The workout will depend on the time as we have a few visitors stopping by tonight! Rumor has it the equivalent to MAX at World Health is Force. I cannot wait to try it!

C

Time For a Change

After a wedding comes changes... some small, some big. Since I cannot change my last name until we have our marriage certificate (thanks Canada Post!), we have been spending time integrating other areas of our lives.

 Our biggest project right now being where we workout. Previously B was at The U and I was at the YMCA. We always talked about getting a membership to workout at the same place once he no longer had a free membership and we were living together. So the question is, does he sign up with me at the YMCA or do we go somewhere new? Or is that really the question? After touring three gyms on Sunday, our question changed. Comparing prices, all three facilities were the same price +/- $10 so price is not a determining factor. Neither of is swim, so a pool is not necessary. I love classes... the new location must have classes I  like and a schedule that will work for me. I refuse to shower in public... private showers are a necessity. I would like a sauna. We would like individual TVs for each machine... always more motivating to go when you can choose you own channel. The location must be within a 5 minute drive.

Our determining question became : Where will we be most likely to achieve our goals?

So we have filled all of our necessities with one location, can we accomplish our goals at this location too?  Have I missed anything important when picking a new gym? Hopefully we will make our final decision tonight, can go sign up and do a workout!

We also discussed personal training at one of the locations. They recommended twice per week. Two times per week for 3 months is $1200 per person. That may have to wait while but could be an option at some point. We get two free sessions each if we sign up at World Health, that may help us make a better decision about this investment.

What the Truck ?!: A Review

On Friday night, we ventured out to What the Truck?!: a celebration of food trucks with delicious food! Though the weather was cold and windy, attendance was excellent and the vibe was positive. We attended with friends of ours E & T and ran into a few familiar faces.

I started off with a Brig's Hearty Breakfast Crepe (minus the bacon) from The Fork and Spoon Brigade while B enjoyed the Veggie chili (with my bacon) and his first ever dog from Fat Franks.

For dessert, we waited in line for Eva Sweet. And it was worth the wait! The outside has a nice caramelized crunch to it, the whipped cream was real and melting all over the warm waffle, and the caramel sauce filled in all the cracks. I could not have asked for a better waffle.

The event was well attended as both Eva Sweet and Funky Pickle Pizza  ran out of food but were able to get more delivered! Hopefully there will be more of these events planned in the future. Maybe the next time we will have some sunshine to add to the good food. In the meantime, I will go to the gym and work off all of those calories from the waffle!

Have a great Sunday night.

C

Tone up with Katrina & Karena

I have been following the Tone It Up girls for close to a year now. I have learned many new things from them about exercise, health eating, and staying motivated. And now you can too!

Go here to follow the "Look Good in Your Swimsuit" plan by Self magazine and Tone It up!

You can also go here to see 30 challenges you can do at home!

Classy

Every week I get the GOOP newsletter that talks about things to make, go, get, do, be, and see. Gwenyth Paltrow is the voice behind this newsletter.


Today's newsletter was all about Derek Blasberg's new book CLASSY: Exceptional Advice for the Extremely Modern Lady.

Here is her interview with Derek all about etiquette at summer parties:

Q: I never know whether it's proper to serve a bottle of wine that a guest brings to a dinner party or to regard it as a gift and put it away. What's the polite thing to do?

A: “If I'm the host and the wine is better than what I was planning to serve, I'm going to pop the cork! But a host is certainly not obliged to serve what a guest has brought; after all, the host has no doubt planned their menu and given consideration to which wines go best with the meal. A polite guest should know this and not be offended if their wine isn't served. I have a friend who brings room temperature champagne as a host gift so the host knows there's no obligation to serve it.”

Q: I always assumed it was the host's responsibility to ask houseguests and dinner guests about their dietary restrictions in advance, but someone recently told me this wasn't the case. Is it the host's or the guests' responsibility to make a note of dietary restrictions?

A: “An extremely organized host will ask about restrictions before he or she has planned their menu, but it's ultimately up to the guest to alert the host—and only in cases of strict medical conditions or moral or religious convictions. Compelling a host to change the menu or whip up a special dish at the last minute because someone has recently started a gluten cleanse isn't justification.

Someone with dietary restrictions should let the host know with ample time to offer alternatives, as opposed to merely mentioning that they're a hardcore vegan as everyone has just sat down to a bone marrow casserole. Most people I know who are picky eaters have a little pre-supper before a dinner so they're not ravenously hungry. No matter what, it's nice to tell your host that you love the food, even if you don't plan on touching it.”

Q: Conversely, you've neglected to tell your host about a dietary restriction and your host has neglected to ask, and you've been served something you'd rather not eat. Do you say something about it, send it back, or hold on until the end of the course? What to do?

A: “The polite thing to do is move the dish around a bit, so it looks like you've eaten some of it, and then swing by a deli on your way home to pick up some chips. To say something when the food is served is rude to the fellow diners and will make a precarious, awkward situation for the host—and at the end of the day, these sorts of dinners are for conversation, friends and a jolly evening, not just culinary consumption.

If this is a larger affair, there may be a vegetarian option, which can be politely and discreetly requested as the meal is served. If it's a smaller fete and you're starving, feel free to discreetly ask for more salad or more bread, or whatever it is that you can eat. An astute hostess will notice if you haven't eaten any of the meat dishes, and would be happy to get you some more veggies from the kitchen. Remember to keep the focus on the dinner vibe and not what you're not eating; there's nothing more jarring than a girl who interrupts a good group conversation to announce she thinks cooked tongue is disgusting. (Even if I agree with her.)”

Q: Should mobile devices be allowed at the dinner table at home or at the restaurant?

A: “I'm of the mind that it's rude not to give your dining companion your full attention. But of course there are exceptions; phones can be excused during lunches (after all, it is a work day), and, if you have a pregnant best friend or a sick relative, by all means keep that phone (on vibrate, mind you) hidden in your lap at dinner. It's also important to remember the company with whom you are dining; if you're with a society grand dame who has never text messaged in her life, keep the phone out of sight. But if you're with a titan of industry or someone who considers a cell phone part of a table setting, it's fine to glance occasionally at emails. And if you're an obsessive new mother, mention that you are rudely clutching your cell phone just in case the babysitter calls—by acknowledging its rudeness, it somehow makes it less rude.

If you do get an important message, excuse yourself from the table and take it to the restroom (as opposed to the dinner table) especially if you need to compose a novel of an email in response. Finally, if you're dining in someone's private home, there is no excuse to leave your phone on the table. Ever.”

Q: When is it OK, if ever, to Tweet about a private, invite-only event?

A: “ To Tweet or not to Tweet, that is the question in these modern times. My rule of thumb is to take a cue from the host: If they're the sort of person who is into social media and has already Tweeted about the fete, go for it. But if the host is the sort of person who abstains from Twitter and Facebook, keep your cameraphone pictures to yourself.

There are definitely people who would rather die than have the world know who was at their house for dinner and what they were dining. (In that case, the host should feel free to lightheartedly mention to a particularly active Tweeter to refrain from mentioning the details.) On the other side of the spectrum, there are the sorts of hosts who love the attention—in fact, a prolific Tweeter may be been invited to a party solely to Tweet about said party!

My suggestion: if you have any doubt, don't Tweet. Once it's on the internet it's impossible to take back. Besides, if the invitation was so fabulous you wanted to Tweet about it in the first place, you want to make sure you don't offend the host so that you get invited back.”

Q: Is an email thank you note ever appropriate, or is it better to just stick with the traditional handwritten thank you note?

A: “I've always said that handwritten notes on personalized stationary are the hallmark of a lady, but these are modern times and timely emails can be just as gracious. In our instant gratification culture, some hosts prefer a drunken text from the car ride home saying they had thrown a fabulous party more than a handwritten note a week later. (I send an email the night of—before the bloom is off the rose, or rosé, so to speak—but will follow up with a written letter if something was particularly fabulous or personal.) But for gifts, like those given at a wedding or birthday party, when a person has time to respond, only a handwritten note will do.”

Q: How do you make it clear to the guests you've invited for a get-together that you'd like them dressed in a certain way if there's not a written invitation?

A: “Generally speaking, if there's no written invitation, you've either called or emailed the details, and it's appropriate to follow up in the same manner. My suggestion: Ask a few of the more sartorially obsessed attendants what they're wearing, and readily offer your own look. They'll clearly understand the party's tone if you tell them that you're wearing, for example, jeans and a blazer, or your to-die-for, over-the-top YSL Moroccan tunic and metallic espadrilles. Then they'll pass this info on to the others as they scramble to find their own vintage kaftans.”

Q: You've been invited to a friend's house and you absolutely cannot find a sitter. What's the polite way to ask if you can bring the kids along? Should you cancel, explaining why, and wait for them to ask you to bring the kids as well?

A: “The reaction of a host will depend largely on if they have kids or not. If they do have kids, they will understand completely—and if their kids will be at home, probably readily ask you to bring your kids too. But if they're not parents, they may very well tell you that they've organized a dinner party, not a daycare.

The polite thing to do is tell the truth and say you're extremely sorry to have to cancel at the last minute, but you cannot find a sitter—and you'd love to make it up to them at a later date when you know you'll have a sitter. Like when a relative comes into town—they're the only reliable sitters nowadays.”

Q: If you have a friend staying with you who hasn't been invited to an event you were planning to attend, and they're wanting to come along, what's the best way to tack them onto the guest list? If it's not possible to bring your friend, do you leave the friend at home while you go out?

A: “Unless it's a wedding or a funeral, there is no excuse for a polite host to exclude their guest from a function they're going to. However, if you know about the fete when you invite your houseguest to stay with you, tell them in advance you have a prior commitment on that particular night, which will encourage them to make other plans as well. If you are invited to an event after you have invited your houseguest, then you must decline the invitation unless it's extended to your entire party. (Declining the invitation will probably force the organizer to inquire why you've declined, which is precisely when you'll find out if the party is open to additional people—and how badly the organizer really wants you there in the first place.)”

Q: What's the best way to cancel a date you've made in advance?

A: “The polite thing to do is call and apologize profusely. The easy thing to do is send an email to reschedule.”

Q: When do you kiss hello and when do you shake hands?

A: “It depends on the person, and the person's country of origin. Broadly speaking, Americans shake hands and hug, and Europeans kiss and embrace. If the person is older or more distinguished looking than me, I defer to their greeting. But if they're younger than me, I make the first move, and I usually offer a girl a kiss and a man a firm handshake. (But I'm very friendly!)

I will say this: once you commit to the kiss, you have to go for it. No pausing or hesitating mid-pucker, or else it can get super awkward. If you go for the handshake while the other person is going for something more familiar, keep the hand going, pull them in for an embrace and an around-the-back pat—and maybe even a peck on the cheek if you're feeling frisky. (Please note: The Swiss prefer a triple kiss, so expect long, intimate farewells if you're ever in Zurich.)”

Q: At what point in a conversation with a person you've just met is it polite to ask what that person does for a living (if it all)?

A: “For us Americans, it's almost always one of the first questions someone asks, which can be a touch brutish. (I've met people who care more about a person's occupation than their actual name, which is extremely gauche.) I say it needs to enter the conversation naturally, even if that means you steer the conversation in that direction; for example, if the person is talking about a recent work trip, then it's fine to ask what they do. It should never be the first question, or anywhere near the first one, and it shouldn't be a forced inquiry. But, overall, work is fine to talk about. Particularly if conversation is getting boring, talking about what we do can open up a whole new series of topics.”

Q: Is it OK to take a work phone call/email when you're out after work with friends? What's the best way to manage if you absolutely have to take it?

A: “You should say something to your friends before you take the call, so they don't think you're rude when you wander off when your phone rings. And add a bit of color: ‘That's my boss, I guess she misses me so much.’ Everyone will understand—we've all dealt with insane coworkers at one time or another—but it's best to acknowledge that yes, you know this is personal time with your friends and you're doing work, and that yes, it sucks. Also, take the call away from the group; just because you're talking about work doesn't mean your friends want to be reminded of their own professional responsibilities!”

Q: I asked one of my very well mannered friends the following: Is it essential to bring a gift if you are staying the night/longer at a friend's house? What would a good gift be? And here's her answer:

A: “It could be a small bunch of hand picked wild flowers, some fresh strawberries from the local farm stand, an L.L. Bean beach bag emblazoned with your host's initials or last name, or a cashmere throw but yes, a little token of appreciation is a must if you are staying over.”

I hope you learned something new that will add some class to your adventures this summer!

Rue La La

Have you ever heard of Rue La La? It is the destination that delivers everything for a life of style - at private sale prices. Members discover new offerings daily - each available only for a short time. You're in.

What to wear: street food date!

As mentioned previously, tonight we will be going to What The Truck!? There will be street food including Eats by Eva Sweet (liege waffles), Carnival Cravings (cotton candy, mini donuts, pretzels), Fat Franks (hot dogs, smokies), Filistix (pulled pork, green onion cake), The Fork and Spoon Brigade (egg on a muffin, veggie chili, breakfast crepe),  Funky Pickle (pizza) and The Lingnam (spring rolls, kung pao chicken, dry spicy chicken)!

I am thinking I want to try The Fork and Spoon Brigade and Eva Sweet.

Friday nights are usually quite casual for me. Here is what I may wear:

romper - tank - belt - sandals - bag

Push Yourself!

I got an email from Woman's Health this morning stating the following: 

Want to lose pounds fast and spend less time working out? It's possible—but only if you push your body to its absolute sweat-dripping, out-of-breath max. In other words, up the intensity. "Our experience of pain is connected to our perception of it," says Carrie Cheadle, a sport psychology consultant in Petaluma, California. "If you decide the pain is unbearable, your tolerance for it will be lower than if you think you can handle it." So give yourself a mental pep talk before you hop on the treadmill. Remind yourself of how strong and capable you are. After all, if women can endure bikini waxes, tattoos, and childbirth, you can survive a full-throttle workout.

Doesn't this quote make you want to go workout? What's your workout of choice? 

This weekend I plan to go to hot yoga, go for a walk outside, MAX'd out class and do a Bodyrock workout!

C

Engagement Photos

B & I had our engagement photos done in Kelowna in April when we were out completing wedding plans. The day was beautiful, the location was surprising, and the photos turned out amazing!

I cannot wait to get the wedding photos back to post!

C

Starbucks...

I want to say thank you to the baristas at South Park Starbucks for a wonderful bevie this morning! I love iced coffee with nonfat milk and sugar free hazelnut syrup!

Summer Nights

I love sitting outside on a summer evening, drinking a glass of wine, and chatting with B. We talk about our day, our plans for the weekend, or something we heard on the news earlier that day. Okay and maybe about trashy TV shows that he will not admit to watching!

I feel as though this would be the perfect outfit for one of these dates:

sweater - shorts - turquoise necklace - TOMS

Sharing Dad's Day

For those of you  who don't know... I am getting married today. Today is also Father's day. Being a daddy's girl my whole life it is nice to be able to share my day with my dad. He will be there to walk me down the aisle (with mom of course!). I am very lucky to have my dad at my wedding as some people are not so fortunate. B says my dad's biggest gift today is getting to give me away to someone else who will spoil me.

Thanks again, dad, for sharing your day!


By the way - all he wanted for father's day was a rotating hot dog roasting stick! He got two... because mom needs one too.

What the Truck?!

This looks amazing. Edmonton is having its first celebration of food trucks. My food truck obsession started in Portland, Oregon last summer.

I cannot wait to go! It will be our first planned outing in Edmonton after the wedding and should be great time!

A Confession

I may have a small confession to make...
It appears as though I am obsessed with crafting. Not only crafting, but going to Michaels on a daily basis with a 50% off coupon so get all of my craft supplies on sale. I may also take B with me so he can use a coupon too. Yes, I am driving him nuts! I am usually not this bad but considering the week before the wedding I have quite a few wedding related crafts to complete. My craft of choice (or leisure activity) is knitting.

I keep my knitting supplies here:

I also have a great container for all my knitting needles that my grandmother custom ordered for me. She is great for gifts like that! Last Christmas I got a yarn ball winder from B's aunt and uncle... hence why most of the yarn is nicely wound into a center pull ball.

I also have some half completed projects here:

Did you know old Lululemon bags are great for holding knitting projects?

When projects are complete, they can be found in multiple places until they are given away as gifts:

 

Does anyone else out there have a crafting obsession too?
After reading this I am too ashamed to display my scrapbooking, paper crafts, wrapping paper, and wedding craft supplies.

OBSESSED!

Must Keep Running...

Tonight was bootcamp. We spent an hour doing various cardio activities... mostly running the stairs again. I completed 3 full laps of the Glenora stairs (202 steps) in 9 minutes 42 seconds. New personal best for me. Thank you Phat Training Inc. for kicking my butt into shape for the wedding.

After a wedding usually comes vacations... I will need to keep up this hard work on my upcoming vacations. When we travel, I love to go to different studios and try new classes while B works. I hope to do some reviews on what I have tried while we are away. I hope to go to spin, a barre class, and something new!

Fuel's My Fire

What keeps you going during a workout? It is the instructor, fresh air, the music? Lately for me, when I have really enjoyed a workout I always end up commenting on how much I loved the music. Music can make or break my workout.

Lately, the instructors at the YMCA have great play lists during MAX class.  Kudos to them!

When I do my own workouts, I try to have great playlists. Thanks to the girls at Tone It Up, I recently discovered DJ Lindsay Luv. I highly recommend downloading some of her mixes. They are usually 1-2 hours long so you have no reason to break between songs!

What about the time where you forget to charge your iPod and your battery dies mid workout? I always try to finish my workout but I get distracted by the noises (or should I say grunts) of others around me. I am thinking of one specific person at the YMCA who grunts constantly. I had no clue this terrible noise existed until my iPod died.

Now stop reading, go download some DJ Linsday Luv songs and get moving!

P.S. Send me some recommendations a new playlist!

Leisure

Last, but definitely not least, leisure.

In adulthood, individuals place great importance on their leisure time, often pursuing hobbies, interests, and opportunities for socialization. Leisure activities may include quiet recreation such as reading or crafts, active recreation such as travel or community outings, and socialization such as visiting with friends and family.

What do I do for leisure? This is where my self-care and productivity activities multi-task! Leisure for me is walking outside, running with my iPod, spin class, hot yoga, knitting, gardening, shopping, reading, cooking, and traveling.  I consider myself very lucky that I have all of these leisure activities in my life. I am also very lucky to have B in my life. He travels lots for his work... I  like to tag along and see new places.

I hope to do many blog posts about leisure in the future. This may include new recipes, the book I am reading, a garden update, or new places I am exploring. I think I am looking forward to this area of my blog the most!

Productivity

Now that you know what self-care is, you should get a refresher on productivity.

Productivity includes:

Productivity refers to an individual's contributions to society through both paid and unpaid work. Older adults often take part in the productivity occupations of household management, caring for family members, volunteer work, or paid employment. The physical and/or cognitive limitations that older adults may encounter can affect an individual's ability to fulfill productivity roles and responsibilities.

What do I do for productivity? Lots!

1. I work full-time in healthcare... no, you don't get to hear about my work as healthcare information is confidential. I love my job. I find it challenging and intriguing.

2. I teach reformer Pilates... not very often, maybe once a week

3. I teach a course on interprofessional health team development with health care students

4. I am on the board for Emerging Health Leaders - Edmonton

I also find crafting to be productivity for me. Gardening would fit in this category too. I love to knit. I started to knit as a diet strategy. It keeps my hands busy in the evening so I snack less. I taught myself to knit but I do have a knitting hotline I can call... it is labelled Gramma. 

I plan to share my projects... and maybe some patterns.

Wedding Stationary!

I picked up our wedding stationary last evening. Since I am a visual person I like things to be aesthetically pleasing. I also love crafting, so I refuse to pay anyone to do the assembly! I have been very busy completing the finishing touches on the day of stationary. This involved tying tags on the favor boxes and rounding corners on various programs, cards, etc.

All I have left to do is assemble the ceremony programs fans and finish knitting the basket that will contain them. Simple? Sure! Why not? I love the dandelion theme.

Can't wait for everyone to see the final product at the wedding!
Thanks E for all your help with these!  Thanks B for helping with assembly!
___

In other interesting news, I ran the stairs in 1:03:06 last evening. It was a new personal best for me. I was quite impressed with myself as I did not stop the whole time. I love seeing improvements!

Have a great day!
C

Self-care

Did you read about my blog and wonder, "what is self-care, productivity, and leisure all about?" Well let me tell you! I am an Occupational Therapist. We focus on occupations for our patients. Occupations, or the things we do everyday, include self-care, productivity, and leisure.

This blog will not focus on my patients... its all about my self-care, productivity, and leisure... or the things I  do everyday! Well what is self-care? The technical definition tells us this:

The area of self-care encompasses all of the tasks an individual does throughout the day to look after his or herself. It includes activities such as personal care, functional mobility, and community management. Personal care includes such tasks as feeding oneself, bathing, personal hygiene, dressing, and toileting. Activities involved in community management may include driving, taking public transportation, grocery shopping, completing community errands, and managing one's finances.

Do you want to hear about all of this in my life? Obviously not!

So what do I consider self-care in my life? Things that complete me. Yes, I value hygiene. Yes, I walk, jog, run, spin, etc. Yes, I manage my own community, with my husband. We are a one car family... if there were carpool lanes in Canada, you would see us in that lane. We shop together, usually I run errands while he works  (by errands, I mean go shopping), and we manage the finances together. Seriously... I actually manage my own finances... who would have thought that 4 years ago!

Why do I want to talk about self-care? I think it is very important to take care of yourself. Without taking care of yourself, it is very hard to live a productive and enjoyable life. My self-care includes exercise (check out my fitness page for more info on this), healthy eating, travelling, and being thrifty (yes, I love Groupon and Living Social).

I hope to do frequent posts on self-care and what I am currently doing in the area.

Stay tuned for productivity and leisure!

The first... but not the last

Good morning!

Today is my first ever blog post. After months of reading blogs I have decided to start my own. I love reading blogs of fitness, fashion, personal improvement, and local events. I feel like I have gotten to know many bloggers through reading their blogs. As a newlywed, ok the wedding is in 11 days from when I am writing this, I wondered what am I going to do with my time now that the wedding is over? Blogging! I would love to start a blog, to share my thoughts with others, maybe provide some expertise, and get to know myself better. The experts always say the best way to stay accountable is to write everything down and tell others. Isn't a blog doing all of this at once?

I do have some personal goals. I would like to love 20 pounds, I want to run a 5km race (maybe a longer one someday), and I want to continue to improve my knitting skills so I can make more gifts for those I love. I do have tons of other goals, but I will share those as we go. You can hold me accountable and challenge me to continue to improve everyday and I can inspire you to do the same. Deal?

So how do I start my day? I always check my calendar, emails, and blogs. Okay, maybe I creep Facebook too. I tend to live a very busy lifestyle. I put everything in my calendar. I make tons of lists. I have a book in my purse with a to-do list, shopping lists, and goals. Lists are everywhere in my life.

Today's plan includes working all day, getting groceries (the first tuesday of the month is always 10% off so we go buy staples that will last the month), outdoor bootcamp class, and helping a friend plant flowers in her yard. Oh and my wedding day stationary should be ready to pick up from the printer tonight!

Here is my nemesis tonight:

Yup. 202 stairs! It would not be as bad if we did not run them at the end of a strength workout! I wonder what else I will have to do tonight? Plyometrics? Burpees? Running? Hills? Core? I love not knowing what the workout will be until it starts. I also love the challenge of this class... okay and my husband goes with me and I always try to beat him in everything I do. I am only slightly competitive!

Have a wonderful day.

C