Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. - Wordsworth

believe, achieve, succeed!

Being that Sunday was Mother's Day, I was visiting my mother ;) and my little brother had two of those silicone bracelets on his wrist. These ones he won for receiving good grades, and they said "Believe, Achieve, and Succeed!" and on the other side they said "You can do it!"

I took one of them from him ;)   (don't worry, he let me! lol)

And I've been wearing it since then. I've tried changing my attitude lately about all the various goals I'm trying to reach, but especially in my Mary Kay business beacuse I find it so hard to reach out to others, namely new people. 

So my director gave me a challenge today! Sell $500 by the end of the month and I will be rewarded with 10% cash back and $100 in free product!

SO of course this had me a little motivated, but on my lunch break I was driving back to work thinking about how God has blessed me in the past four years. I promised him to believe. Believe in myself, believe in others. Believe that I could do this!

Didn't I get back to work and find a message from a customer, wishing to order 5 tubes of Satin Hands??

WHAT AM I TELLING YOU.

Believe = Achieve. 

Now I have to start believing that my ankles will get thinner and that I will look awesome for our trip to OC in August ;)  I have lost so many inches with Body Revolution! I tried on my bridesmaid dress that I purchased in march and now it doesn't fit me AT ALL. Will definitely need alterations.

But I have a date with Jillian in a few minutes actually.. :) And nothing has been more motivating than our recent decision to get to Ocean City in the summer... not even a wedding!

But anyway... I'm very grateful for all of the good in my life. I need to remain focused on it. It's the only way you can overcome the negative that constantly threatens to take away the light! 

I can't recommend Mary Kay enough though. The products, the company. I was wary of getting involved with the girls in my unit at first, but I'm glad I went to a meeting and met some of them. If you're a part of Mary Kay, I encourage you to attend meetings if your director has them, or if you have an adopted director.

My website, for anyone interested is www.marykay.com/kmaria

This month I am offering 15% off your ENTIRE order with the purchase of a miracle set! That is a really great discount! Only until the end of May though :) 

I'm gonna go work out these blossoming muscles now ;)   then I think I will indulge in a nice bath with some LUSH that I received for my birthday... gonna be a good night! check you all later!

Uhhh

I love my hair!

new hair

Got my hair colored and trimmed today. I love the length she cut my bangs to this time. They were getting really long and being shorter will definitely help me survive when it gets to about the six week mark before I go back again!

After I got my hair cut today, I stopped at The Flaming Ice Cube with my friend Sarah, which is a vegan restaurant in this area.

It was so.. so delicious. I had a mushroom "burger"... it tasted like a real burger. And whatever the "cheese" was... that tasted better than cheese. It was topped with sauteed onions and mushrooms, and some kind of vegan version of mayo.

UGH TO DIE FOR. I love this new lifestyle HAHA! I also tried my first vegan baked goods... i grabbed a small bag of choc. peanut butter oatmeal cookies. Honestly they are JUST AS GOOD as "regular" cookies, only BETTER 'cause they are cruelty free!!

Lately I have been sticking to vegetarian on my own, because vegan is just such a challenging transition for someone who is new to vegetarianism in the first place.. but there is a health food store next to this cafe that has a ton of acceptable things on its' shelves... so I can't wait to splurge a little in there.

Tonight I am going on a "double date" with my friend Jill. Bobby and I are introducing her to a really nice, sweet guy. I think it's gonna go great, they've been talking for a few weeks via text!!

In other news...

 

... got an iphone 4 thanks to my amazing fiance... he knew my samsung was giving me serious problems so he got me a used one on amazon. it's flawless though!!!

... going to OC, MD in August :) Just me and Bobby!! seriously cannot wait...

I can't think of anything else!! Have a fabulous weekend.

twenty six

Well, being on the other side of 25 certainly makes me realize I have a lot I want to accomplish before I turn 30 =) 

No one can believe I'm 26! Everyone jokes "What are you, 15 now" but say they would really guess me around 19-21. Thank you people, I will appreciate that when I finally do turn 30.

My birthday was the 20th and it was wonderful. My presents from Bobby were my kindle, case and accessories. Oh and The Sims 3 Pets... I still need showtime! His parents got me a very cute shirt and a purse and Tricia got me some LUSH & gave me the new Jason Mraz Cd- Love is a Four Letter Word. I am very grateful for everything. Also, Anna sent me a spin brush pro, which was really sweet of her and I love that too! Still getting the hang of using it, haha. 

That night I went to L'uva Bella Winery with Bobby, Tricia & her husband Troy. I drank way too much delicious wine and we all shared pizza and desserts. I really should have taken more pictures, but I have none! We also got their special ho ho cake for dessert.... it is ridiculous. And delicious!

But yeah, I had a great birthday and I am so grateful for my family and friends. Today I indulged myself by sleeping until 11:30 (Bobby said "I wish I had your weekends!") and had a nice LUSH bath. 

Sundays are supposed to be my "focus and write" days. Last sunday was successful, but unfortunately this Sunday I have to work out (I know I already took a relaxing bath-  I do everything backwards!) and clean. Ate too many carbs this weekend :) So I have Jillians Cardio 3 DVD to do of her Body Revolution series, which is KILLER by the way... and I might top it off with one of my Julianne Hough dance dvd's :)

This coming Saturday, the 28th, I am having my first official Mary Kay party at our studio in Poland. I'm really just afraid that no one will show up. The thought is terrifying! I might make strawberry cupcakes with some pink vanilla frosting for the occasion :)

We'll see...

For now though, I should get to it. I will probably just read some more Disney trip reports online before I get around to laundry and working out though, lol!

feeling the burn...

Hello party people. 

It's been an entire month and an entire new trip to the salon since I last updated, LOL. This time (last Sat.) I had my stylist color my hair and I LOVE it. It is so much more vibrant and shiny now. Interestingly, the hair dye she used on me did not burn or make my scalp itch the way my perfect 10 did!! I loved the experience.

I'll take a photo tomorrow or something, I just got done getting my ass kicked by Jillian. I'm on workouts 7 & 8 in Phase 2 right now.

My body is definitely changing for the better. I'm losing inches everywhere but I haven't stepped on the scale since March 7 and quite frankly, I'm afraid to! Because that number won't be as low as I want to be or something!

Maybe I will do it tomorrow! Ahh!

I e-mailed my Mary Kay Director tonight for some advice because I feel like it's make it or break it time. I don't know why I am so hesitant to hold parties and to ASK people if they want parties... Failure of success? I have no idea. But when i think about giving up the venture, I get sad. So I know that is not an option. But I want to amp it up and make it a viable opportunity for myself! I have a handful of loyal customers, but I want more out of this business. It would be great to support myself on Mary Kay alone some day.

www.marykay.com/kmaria  - IF you see this and want to order - type KMARIA in the comment section of your order and I will take 15% off of your order!!! :)

If you have ever been curious about MaryKay, check it out! Truly, I love the skincare and I am dyyying to try the new botanicals line. I need to order that ASAP. It just doesn't have all of the anti-aging benefits of TimeWise.

Bobby and I are considering a lakefront cabin on Erie this summer for vacation :) I am SO THRILLED about that. It started as wanting to go camping, but when he found out we'd be in a tent (what the heck did he think we'd be in???? do you see an RV around my driveway?) he was much more supportive of the cabin idea ;)    Love you Bobby :)

So I have that to look forward to! I'm nervous about my friends wedding that I'm in, because I really don't want to look like a yellow whale in yet another bridesmaid dress (it's the same exact color as tricias was) so I'm hoping Jillian can kick my ass into shape before the end of July this time :)

I really am hopeful about it. I'm feeling so much better, despite the fact that I know I have a long road ahead of me. Plus i'm having my engagement photos taken this fall & again if it snows this winter (ha!) AND dress shopping. SO i have a lot of motivation :)

So excited.... so restless..

maybe i'll just go paint my nails now :)

i'm sexy and i know it - i work out!

LOL that song is stuck in my head. BUT REALLY, I GOT BANGS TODAY. I haven't had bangs since my best friend cut them one dark summer night on my front porch in 7th grade LOL. I was sooo nervous to get these cut because the woman who was previously cutting my hair (I go to a really nice place now and I LOVE my stylist!) discouraged me from getting them but I think it was because she didn't know what she was doing. She messed my hair up a lot, lol. Family friend... that's why I kept going back.

Anyway here are the results after i came home and curled it with my styling wand:

They don't look like the inspiration pics I brought to show her but I did ask her to make them work on MY face. It was really exciting because I've wanted this for a long time and I was finally getting it!! She was laughing at me because I was like "i'm excited like a five year old!" haha. I told her my horror story and why I never had it done, and she told me I'm probably right, that she just didn't feel comfortable cutting them because they would look cute. OH well, I have them now.

On the way out I told her I was just going to stop coloring my hair, and she said next time I come in we can do my roots. I've been doing it from a box, Perfect 10 Medium Ash Brown. I love the color but it fades so much and looks like this warm golden brown instead of the cooler toned one I want. So she told me I shouldn't be applying the dye to my entire head every time. Woopsies!

In any case... I'm happy with the results. I have a lot more layers now too but I didn't have the patience to use my wand on each separate layer today. Maybe tomorrow! 

Oh- Jillian Body Revolution is going great! I haven't missed a day yet, but admittedly I have not done todays cardio yet LOL. I either need to get the energy when I come home from Bobby's later, or do it tomorrow after workout 3.

By the way, workouts 3 and 4 are definitely more challenging, as they are supposed to be. I find workout 3 to be harder than workout 4, but I think it's just because we're working different muscles on different days, and those muscles just happen to be more challenging.

I'm feeling a lot better! Can't wait to weigh in again!

Have a great weekend everyone. Weekend getaway in 12 days! Woo woo!!!

atlas browsing

This weekend has been pretty great. Probably not for weightloss! But in general ;). It's true, my diet these past few days has been sprinkled with things like cupcakes and tortilla chips & gaucamole or chili cheese dip, lol. Ah well. I haven't stepped on the scale again yet but my body feels like it is tightening up overall. My sides feel less mushy, my arms have a LOT more muscle & tone. All good things. Today is day 11 I think! Workout 1 again. I'm excited to finish up this first two weeks. Starting Thursday next week I begin workouts 3 & 4 and I'm very interested to see if I will be incredibly sore all over again after day 1 of those!!

Anywho... Bobby and I have been thinking more seriously about where he is going to be applying for teaching jobs. He does have a connection in Erie, but if that doesn't pan out, I think we will be heading south.

He has a few family members down there that may be able to give us valuable information on where we should be looking into relocating. An aunt, one of his dads cousins. His aunt lives in Rock Hill, SC and the cousin lives in Cary, NC. However... he is also thinking about Georgia. I am okay with any of these options, though I think i'd rather live in northern SC or southern NC. :) We don't want to live TOO close to the coast, but maybe no more than an hour drive or so.

His parents have been very sweet and supportive. His dad took a moment last night as we were pouring over the resources to say that he is completely supportive with us packing up and taking off, because he understands that is what we will probably have to do in order for Bobby to get a job, make a good living.

It's nice to hear, even if that is the way it should be. I know my mom will throw a fit! She wants to see her grandbabies on the regular LOL. 

Anyway though... It's very unsettling for me to think about, because this may happen before our wedding even happens. Can you imagine? This entire time i've been lusting throughout this long engagement for our wedding and before it even arrives we might move entirely out of state? 

And if we move down south or even to Erie, we will probably buy a house rather than get into an apartment. So I may not ever live in the apartment i've been dreaming of or any apartment at all. It's very weird to think about!!!

I really wouldn't mind living down south. I will be a much shorter drive to disney world : ) 

The most interesting thing about life is that it hardly ever follows your own plans for it. I would have preferred more time for ourselves before starting a family... but since I want to be done with babies by 32 or so, we really won't have THAT much time to get crackin'.  I'll be 27 when we're married. And then Bobby wants to get his masters, and we want to wait for kids until after that time. I think by two years of marriage we will be ready for kids, but honestly it sucks for me to think that he will be going to school during those 2 years. Because they won't feel exclusively ours.... It will always be something though, isn't that right?

God is probably laughing at these plans. But I feel that if things go the way we're seeing them, we'll be starting a family when I'm 29. 

But honestly. My biggest question mark right now is where in the world will we be next spring??? He finishes this December, and this Fall he will be sending his resumes every which way.

So a lot of "where" depends on "who" ... Who calls him back.

Alright that was a huge mind dump... but yes. I have to get my workout done now. Have a great Sunday!

=)

I really just could not think of a subject, ha! Well folk, total weight loss for week one of Body Revolution was 2 lbs! I would have looooved for it to be more, but a loss is a loss! (And i'm not exactly 17 day dieting it up here). Also, I am gaining a LOT of muscle tone. My thighs, my arms most notably. 

But the best part is that overall I just feel STRONGER. This was day 8 and I can tell you my stability has definitely improved from Day 1. I'm trying to add in more of the dumb bell action that she makes the buff men do as an advanced move :) I'm working with 5lb weights right now. Initially I was only working with 3's and boy do I feel the difference now!! 

I think the best part about this program, the part that really makes me happy I purchased it, is the fact that I go to bed excited to wake up every morning so that I can work out.

I push myself for those 30 minutes and then I'm done. She says "Now bring this energy to the rest of your day!" and I take it to heart. I really feel better. Consistent exercise in general? Yeah, likely. But I think it's the fact that I know I'm working toward harder and harder workouts. It's really motivating. I want to be able to perform in those later phases, so I need to get my butt moving in these earlier ones to give myself the strength and endurance I need. 

I made the inspiration board. I've got motivational images and messages staring me in the face every time I sit at this desk/ do my daily workout. It really helps you push through those reps that make you want to say "enough!" : )

My best friend is starting it on Monday and I can't wait to hear what she thinks of it :)

Now I'm gonna dye my hair and give myself a manicure! LOL. Happy almost-friday :)

An amazing Tuesday???? & Body Revolution Day #5

Today was amazing. Not just because it was day five of my program and because tomorrow is my rest day, but because I got the first pay that reflects my raise (woo woo!) AND I made it out of work by 5:30. 

On a Tuesday.

A Tuesday!!! I had the paper built in no time today and even with some setbacks, I still had all of them sent to the printer by 5:30. HOW... how did everyone else stay so late?

I'm sure I will have my days when things take longer, esp. considering the special tabs we do and the fact that the paper really gets bigger through the summer/fall. But I can't see myself ever being there until 10 or 11 like Kaitlan used to be.

Ah well. I'm just glad I got home early and was pumped to work out! I've never been so enthusiastic about a workout program before. I think it's because this one is seriously structured, she makes it so easy to follow  and it's Jillian, so it doesn't seem as scary as P90x or something like that. And 30 minutes? Hell yeah I've got thirty minutes if it'll get me a better, healthier body :)

I weigh myself tomorrow! SCARED! Again, not following her diet plan that comes with the program, but trying to be careful nonetheless. 

I'll let ya know :)

I did have a really healthy/yummy dinner. I toasted two pieces of whole grain bread and put some of that laughing cow cheese on one slice, and then I laid some avocado down on another slice and topped it with a slice of tomato. Sprinkled some salt and pepper, slapped the bread together and it was an awesome sandwich!  Had a 100 cal. yogurt afterward.

I also caught up on the last two episodes of Pan Am. If any of you follow it, I really think Amanda is either faking being pregnant, or she had someone/is planning to have someone else knock her up. Because she did say to Laura "You won't have it with Teddy" ... and I think that was her coniving way of making sure of it. Damn the woman! I love Laura and Ted together! 

I see good things for Colette and Dean though... :)

Body Revolution Day #3

Holy crap!! I literally just finished today's workout (btw, i'm not doing the kickstart. just don't have the schedule for it!) Which was Cardio 1.

It's amazing. I love that these week 1 workouts are simple enough that you can actually do the moves but they STILL kick your butt.  I seriously loved todays workout. She is such a great motivator in this series!! She was good in 30DS too, but much more so in this one : )

I promised myself I wouldn't weigh myself but once a week, but I cheated and stepped on the scale this morning. I've lost almost 2 lbs since the 16th. Haven't been following her meal plan, but still trying to keep my calorie intake around 1200.

And I was so sore yesterday I didn't even think I was going to be able to work out today. But once you get going, you don't even notice it anymore!! I can't wait to see how my strength and endurance improves into week 2. 

Today I'm going to be dropping off some mary kay orders and then spending the evening with my man! His parents called me this morning from columbus (we got them blake shelton tix for xmas) and they LOVED the show last night and asked me to look up information for the c-bus zoo for them, lol. I love them. They don't get a chance to have weekends like these very often, so I'm very happy they are enjoying themselves!

Have  great weekend!!!