.:happy humpday!:.

humpday is quite an exciting checkpoint for myself and my surrounding cube-mates. it's not only allows us to see the light of the weekend, but it also means payday is tomorrow and, let's be honest, humpday jokes break up the day as well.

i am proud to tell you all that i made it to the gym last night and worked out for an entire 1 1/2 hours burning over 700 calories. i have not worked out like (or felt this sore) in a long time.

my workout routine included:.
-30 min run on the treamill, starting out at 6.0 speed and increasing every 5 mins until i reached 7.8 speed. lucky for me, this was another run where my legs wanted to out run my heart regardless of the fact that i spent most of the time with a heart rate over 175 bpm. heart, i am sorry that i'm not sorry.
-weightlifting-i am hoping for this to become more methodical, so i can share some secrets with you until then, i just do basic squats, benchpress, incline dumbbell press and more squats....
-abs-my mf decided we should do the ab workout from p90x together. after about 2 sets, he got distracted by intramural soccer (soccer being his main love) that was going on. before we started he heeded a warning, do what you can, so i was glad to have only done 2 sets. :)
- we ended up playing in a game of intramural soccer, so i guess that counts as working out, right?

before working out, i tried out a recipe like i promised! i made eggocupcakes (egg cupcakes). the recipe is cheap and the procedure is simple:.

.:eggocakes:.
>approx 10 eggs
>approx 1 cup of milk
>salt or seasoning salt & pepper
>veggies:. peppers, mushrooms, whatever you like in your omelets
>cheese
>cupcake pan
>non-stick cooking spray

preheat oven to 375°. in a mixing bowl, create scrambled egg mixture with eggs, milk, and salt  & pepper. pour mixture into the cupcake pan (sprayed with the non-sticky stuff). cut up your choice of veggies and sprinkle them in with the cheese. bake for 30 mins. pop them out of the cupcake pan and refigerate. they're easy and healthy for breakfast on the run or quick post-workout protein. i made mine with almond milk and quinoa (for a little extra protein kick). now, this was my first time playing with quinoa, i am pretty sure i made it right, but i am going to have to play with it a little more before i know for sure. i soaked it in cold water for about 7 mins before draining it. i used 1 cup quinoa: 1 1/2 cup cold water, brought it to a boil and let it simmer for about 15 mins, essentially, until all the water was absorbed. next time, i may try this recipe with skim milk and skip the quinoa....

pictures of the recipe will be on later tonight (i can blog at my cubicle, but cannot upload pics)

anyway friends, i am off for a night of basketball practice and hopefully a few drinks to celebrate humpday (i'll be honest, a workout tonight is not in the forecast)

always striving for me,
dee b.

.:just another manic monday:.

that is exactly how i feel today...i feel a little off, emotional and edgy.


i had a full weekend of activities and not much time for sleeping, but i am ready for a new week! yes, mondays suck, but doesn't it feel like mondays can also mean a fresh start? a jumping off point for starting to achieve a new goal, feeling refreshed to hone in your work duties or just simply, moving forward to bigger and better things? i needed a monday, i needed a fresh start and i needed a clean slate to move forward.


which leads me to...

.....guilty as charged. although, i have picked up my game at the yoga studio, my attendance in the weight room is non-existent. it is too early to hibernate and let's face it, how else am i suppose to survive this unforgiving MN winter without working out? tonight, i have the evening off of coaching and i have a date with my mf (man friend) and the weight room. what's better than working out with your mf? i'm sure most of you laughed and said, 'PLENTY', but working out for both of us is a way to decompress, to keep our sanity, so truly, heading to the gym together is like a date for us (which usually leads to drinks afterwards, but that helps keep our sanity too).

i have accomplished yet another goal! my baby, henry, will be going in on thursday to be neutered and declawed, poor guy doesn't even know what is coming! also, this week i have plans to attempt a few new recipes (egg cupcakes for breakfast and possibly something in the crockpot....) along with homemade laundry detergent, things could get dangerous around my house.

as i was driving to basketball practice last night, i thought of goals to put in here (don't mind the randomness, it just happens):.

>sweat once a day:. yoga, weight lifting, running, anything! i gotta get moving even if it is for only 30 mins/day

>catch more ZZZzzzs! this is always easier said than done, but recently recovering from a cold makes you motivated to sleep more. i've realized that my body will never crash for 12-15 hours at a time to get caught up on sleep, so i must hold myself accountable for getting my 8 hours. more sleep will also promote more energy for working out (can anyone say, 6 am yoga?)

>live in a different state or country:. don't get me wrong, i absolutely love MN and believe we have a beautiful state, but i think experiencing living somewhere else, even for a short period, would make me appreciate it even more

>travel, travel, travel:. i have really been bitten by the travel bug, unfortunately, my bank account laughs at me when i look at it for extra money to put away to for a trip, but that will come....

>earn full-time status at my current job:. ok, it's not my ideal job, but everyone has to start somewhere and to get anywhere, you need money (i.e. go back to school). i am working hard in my suffocating cubicle to receive full-time which means benefits and more money (refer back to travel, travel, travel)

>organize my life:. it's really not that serious and i can't be the only one who struggles with this (right?), but going from work to coaching along with packing different outfits to try to fit in yoga or a run in between can cause a chaotic room and car. i've always found that it's much easier to STAY organized than to GET organized, but i tend to forget that when i'm flying out the door and won't be back for 12+ hours.

>get another tattoo:. i realize i do need money for this as well, so i'm not going to be able to get this done for awhile, but it will happen!

>start christmas shopping NOW:. and yes, i mean now! living simply and christmas shopping do not go hand in hand, so i must start being creative for christmas gifts and spread out that expense over the next month and a half.

i'm slowly starting to feel stressed and that the walls of my cubicle are moving in on me as i make this list, so that's all i'm going to 'mention' for now.

i'm off to answer my phone and change people's lives!

always striving for more,

dee b.

.:simple or free-spirited?:.

i stumbled upon the excerpt below on none other, than pinterest! i really think it pertains to my personality and this new concept of living simple. i find that i can not only relate to a few of these (celebrate authenticity, LOL, enjoy simple things), but i can also look at this for inspiration. in times that i am feeling stuck in my cubicle, wondering how in the world did i end up here, or where will my career end up, OR what for/when i will go back to school, i can pull this up, take a deep breath and just live. everyone has unanswered questions that they'd like an 'easy' answer to, but it's how we go about finding those answers that defines us. live life, friends and enjoy the journey (this journey is promised to be bumpy, hard hat may be required in some situations).
 

we've reached another friday, any big plans this weekend?

i am so excited for 5 o'clock when i am done with work! my mf and i are going for a walk down by the stone arch bridge. awwww, precious, i know, i know. i love going for walks and want to get in as many as i can before the it gets unbearably cold! like i said, some of the best things in life are free. tomorrow night, i get to go to my first bachelorette party for my good friend, emily. i am so excited to catch up with friends from high school and celebrate emily, who deserves the best night ever! in between, i have to work my shift at the yoga studio and run basketball practice for my girls (our next tournament is next weekend!).

.:GOALS/TO-DO:.

-make an appt for mr. henry to get neutered/declawed (sorry, dude)

-go for a run and/or to yoga sometime  

-prepare for an upcoming t-giving day 5k--i almost forgot i was a runner thanks to my knees and sickness, maybe i should run outside a couple times before to make sure i still got it?

-try out some new recipes from http://www.bhg.com/recipes/healthy/dinner/cheap-heart-healthy-dinner-ideas/#page=8

-attempt to make homemade laundry detergent

-create a practice plan for my girls to prepare for our tournament

i'm surprised that i can't think of any other ones? i've done quite well staying on top of my laundry/cleaning which normally rules my goals list....

any goals you would like to accomplish before winter hits?

always striving for more,

dee b.

.:bliss is a constant state of mind, undisturbed by gain or loss:.

i did it, i sucked it up and made my first attempt to run in weeks and i survived! i only had time for a 25 minute run before i had hit the court for basketball, but i didn't take a single minute for granted! it felt great to get moving, get my heart rate up and burn some serious calories in a short amount of time. i am happy to share with you that my mix from rockmyrun.com was fantastic. inspiration 4 perspiration may now be my go-to mix for working out. it's a 45 minute playlist that mixes rap and hip hop, i am now motivated to workout long enough to hear the entire playlist. again, i highly suggest this website for FREE mix playlists that range from hip hop to country to rock. i can't wait to download more!

running is my time to think. on my run today, i thought about how simple my life has become in a short amount of time. i went from going to college full-time, working 2 jobs and sharing any spare time that i had with socializing and running. my money was spent on expensive food, going out (to eat and for drinks) and 'retail therapy'. i considered myself frugal. since then, i have cut down to one full time job (thankfully), food i can make in bulk (that freezes well)and an expensive night is hitting up late night happy at green mill with the man friend. i am happy, happier then what i have ever been, in fact. it's been months since i have even considered taking a happy pill (read anti-depressant, that before, i thought i needed in times of 'stress'. most of my money has a place to go (loans/bills) before it's even in my account, but i wouldn't change a thing in my life. i can put all my energy into this one job to be successful at it, share my large(and cheap) meals with my man friend and i enjoy the little victories in life. some of the best things are free.

there are a few things that i have come to really enjoy while living simple: a good cup of coffee or tea, catching up with a friend over the phone or over spaghetti (shout out to my fellow poor friends), enjoying a yoga class, the smell of library books, reading in the glow of a burning candle, bubble baths, watching old tv shows online, criminal minds marathon with my mf(man friend), pinterest, or being greeted by my kitten when i walk in the door.

i challenge you friends, that thing you need want, wait a week or two. see how you managed survive without it and re-evaluate that need. like me, you may surprise yourself at how happy you will be living simple.

i'd love to hear ideas on how you all manage to cut costs and 'tighten that belt' of finances!

always striving for more,
dee b.

happy tuesday!


i have survived monday (barely) and have officially been sick for a week! i am proud to say that i pushed through a yoga sculpt class (burning 454 cals in 1 hr) last night which sets me up to accomplish my goal of attending 3 yoga classes this week, yaay! i am very motivated to start getting back into the gym, i've let my new work and coaching schedule get in the way too much and it's time to start making this a priority again. does anyone else feel empowered when leaving the gym? well, i'm starting to forget what that feeling is.....


alright friends, i have a confession to make, i'm an addict. i am officially confessing my addiction to pinterest; it is the first thing i log in to at work (after the necessary login windows). i really enjoy finding out new recipes (many will be posted here after i try them), getting fun ideas for DIY projects or simply scrolling through all the pictures (and sharing them with my man friend which he is so enthused about). if you haven't checked it out, i highly suggest it!

here is a picture of my dad and i sharing our first father/daughter dance a few years ago at my cousin's wedding.  i'm sharing this picture with you to tell you how truly blessed i am to have this man as my father. although this picture may show otherwise, i was not always a daddy's girl. i have 2 older brothers who bonded more with him growing up than i thought i ever could. over the years, we have grown closer and i matured to appreciate his advice and guidance. i may have hated having to do chores and things called responsibilities when i was younger, but today, i look back and know that i would not be where i am at today without that type of push. my dad travels a lot for his job and he was in middle of nowhere WI last night when he hit a deer, the airbags deployed and his new business car may be totaled, but he was able to walk away. events like this make you reflect and be thankful for all the moments you had with that certain someone. my dad and i get each other. we make ridiculous jokes (sorry, mom), quotes movies (joe dirt) and interrupt dinner prayers (dear 6 lb 7 oz baby Jesus). my dad takes care of me, from supplying the extra car parts i have in the trunk of my car to making sure i have enough food to eat to washing my car while i sleep in on saturday mornings. i know one day i will have to face this world without him, but i know the values that he's instilled (and i'm sure i'll still have some of those extra car parts) will live on. for now, i can't wait to continue the memories and to share our father/daughter dance at my own wedding (which we already have a song pick out for :) ). Love you Dad!

i am spending this quiet evening (rare) getting caught up on laundry, cleaning, making a good meal (pot roast) and simply relaxing with my 2 guys (kitten and bf). i am in high hopes that i will feel better soon and i can get started on a new workout plan tomorrow and try out my new workout mix! i am excited to share with you a website that offers free mixes to help inspire your runs or push you through those last few reps. this wonderful website is rockmyrun.com and they offer various mixes that range in BPM to specialize to your workouts. i haven't tried out my mixes yet thanks to this cold, but i will let you know how they go!




now that it's getting cold outside, what's your favorite way to sweat?


always striving for more,
dee b.


p.s. the recipe for my pot roast is simple, healthy, yet delicious!
all you need to do is a crock pot, roast, carrots and potatoes. first, put the roast in and fill around it with carrots and cut up potatoes. pour a cup of water into the crock pot and let sit for 6-8 hours. you know it's done when the roast is falling apart :)


i promise more interesting recipes are on the way!

.:no struggle, no progress:.

here, i find myself on a late sunday night again, trying to post before i go to bed. i must apologize for letting my blog slack so early in its existence, but to my defense i was quite sick all week. i woke up tuesday with a nasty sore throat and it has progressed into a strong cough (hacking or wheezing may be more accurate). alas, i survived this week and am hoping to be back to 100% soon!

so many things to update you on! first and foremost, a goal was nixed off the list! the cutest guy i know is now the smartest guy i know, he passed his important test! ok, maybe i really didn't have to do much (besides help him celebrate) and it was more his goal than mine, but nonetheless i am uber proud of him and can't wait to see where this takes his career! 

another big goal was accomplished this weekend, successfully getting my girls through their first basketball tournament! i am proud to announce that we placed 4th (out of 8 teams). we did a lot of great things this weekend, but we have also have a lot of work to do before our next tournament. the biggest (and most important) feat accomplished was how the girls realized they are going to have to take their 'in house' basketball skills up a level to compete in traveling and they reacted. for that, i am proud of them. we are ready to hit the court hard this week, make adjustments and continue to get better. 

it's intimidating knowing that i am making a big impact on these girls' basketball careers as well as their overall growth into teenagers. on the other hand, they may be impacting me more. remember turning double digits for the first time? how simple life was, yet how hard it seemed? these girls inspire me to celebrate the little victories and to remain optimistic even when its easier get down. an example of this:. a player came into a huddle at the end of the 3rd quarter and exclaimed, 'coach, we're not winning yet!', a teammate replied for me, 'it doesn't matter if we're winning or losing, it matters that we're trying our best!'. i couldn't have said it better myself. we may have been down by 20-some points, but i left that game knowing the girls remained positive and held each other up as team.

i'll admit things as a new college grad is not easy. it's exciting, exhausting and scary. you have a plan that you made for yourself in high school, you were hell-bound to make that plan happen and nothing was going to stand in your way. according to my plan, at 22, i was going to be attending a top-notch physical therapy school, married with a dog and possibly a cute starter house. i heard a saying, if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans. well God, i'll laugh with you on that one. things don't always go as planned, but as long as you're trying your best, that's all that matters. 

the time has come to buck up and set some more goals for myself because lately, i am feeling unaccomplished:.

-get better **

-attend yoga at least 3 times this week

-organize my car

-get 8 hours of sleep/night 

-not spend any money between now and thursday (ok, my gas light just turned out, so after that i'm done!)

keeping it simple this week, friends!

i'll leave you with one more picture....

here was my attempt to enjoy a bubble bath and catching up on gossip girls while sick this week. he doesn't seem very sympathetic, does he? thank you, henry!

i promise you will be seeing more of me this week!

always striving for more,

dee b. 

.:done looking for the critics cause they're everywhere:.

well friends, here i lay in bed when i should be at work, but i went home sick, thanks to a sore throat and quite possibly those 5th graders i coach....


although my paycheck may take a cut, i got to take time to hang with my kitty, dr. phil and ellen while blogging, so i guess i'll won't complain....


anyway, friends, how was your halloween? anything exciting happen? i got to spend my halloween handing candy out (with the cute guy) to the precious kids of Van Buren Ave followed by a late night workout. this workout (and P!nk's F* Perfect song) made me realize an important question to ask you....


who is your biggest critic, that one person who you strive to impress??? is it  friend (or enemy),  family member, significant other, co-worker??? are you ready for mine??? it's me, i am my own biggest critic. this may true for you as well, but unfortunately, mine is to a fault. 


i've heard plenty of times from my mom, 'you're too hard on yourself', or from a friend, "i don't know how you do it'. the answer is, i do it because i make myself do it. i put everything i have into every element of my life; my job, relationships, working out and schoolwork (this one could be debatable). 


you see my workout last night wasn't up to 'my standards', so i left the gym feeling like i shouldn't have even wasted my time instead of relishing in the fact that i had gone to gym at all. laying in bed last night (thinking i was being lazy for going to sleep instead of blogging), i decided it's time to cut myself some slack. right now my life can get too busy for working out everyday and i have to be ok with that. i may have to learn to say the word 'NO' in order to catch up on sleep or take an evening for a bubble bath. some days i may be sick and have to lay around all day (although i still think i should have sucked it up and stayed at work) and it's time to start listening to my body and bask in the successes not the failures. of course there are responsibilities, and you better believe i'll still be setting goals, but it's time to teach myself it's unhealthy to give to everything else and not to myself. my time to live simply is long overdue. so friends, here is my pledge to stop feeling guilty or selfish when i simply can't do it all. any suggestions on accomplishing this? maybe i should start with ordering mocha with the whipped cream and whole milk....


here is a picture to remind myself, that sleep is sooo necessary.....

please realize, this dude leads a hard life, he is a 6 month old kitten after all. i've decided that he is either extremely tired from cuddling with me all day or trying not breath in the germs....


alas, the nyquil is kicking in and i need to chug one more glass of warm honey water with hopes of waking up fully recovered ready to answer life and death questions of senior citizens! 


always striving for more,
dee b.