Tag Archives: Shopping

#NaBloPoMo, Inspiration, NaBloPoMO, Randomness

Things I’m Luving Now

Hello Luv-lies,

Happy Monday

I have tons of running around to do today.  Trying to get the house ready for the holiday.  That usually means a trip to some of  my favorite shopping digs.  Have to find new shower curtains, bath rugs, decorative soaps, candles…..  You get the picture 🙂

I’m mostly a brick and mortar shopper.  I prefer to touch things before I buy them – go figure.  Now don’t get me wrong, I spend my fair share of surfing the ‘net for goodies & gadgets.  And every now and then, they’ll be some juicy little tidbit that beckons me to give in to my ‘touchy-feely’ need.

So, while I wait for the doors to open, thought I’d let you take a peek in on the on-line goodies that are inspiring me now::

desk

I  LUVVVV this buffet.  It’s actually called a ‘commode buffet’.  If this is really  a water closet,

I would have to gut all the plumbing and make it a desk.  It is far too pretty to sit on.  Now sitting behind (pun intended :)) …. that I can see!

crochet shoes{via}

These are just toooooo cuuuuute!  I don’t have anyone to gift these to and that’s too bad, because they are too adorable!

retrochristmascardcompany{via}

Don’t you just luv the look and feel of this retro christmas card? There’s something to be said about the peace that come with the nostalgic  ‘June Cleaver’  look. {okay all of you young’ins, click the link to see who I’m talking about}

How long is your Christmas Card list?  Well, fortunately for me, my  list is small enough that I can send unique greetings to all.  And this, my Luv-lies, will be on the must buy/must send list {so many lists!}.  I have the perfect person!

  Do you send everyone on your list a unique card?  Every now and then, I find boxed cards that are toooooo bee-you-ti-ful to pass up.  Don’t you find that today’s boxed cards are far better than yesteryear?  And, Yes! Everyone on the list gets the same card.  Hey. All I can say is “my Friends understand me”.

How many of you Luv-lies have, either sent or received E-Holiday Cards?   *No judgment*  I really like the animated  ones.  And you can’t beat the variety.

I’m thinking….. perhaps next year, I’ll host a holiday card swap :).   Thoughts?

Fun! Fun! Fun!

cuff{via}

A Little arm candy….. must have!  Dreamy….

That’s all.  I’m on my way….

What are you Luving Now?

Do Tell….

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Goals, My Weight Loss, The Weight-ing Game, Weight Watchers ... The Way I See It

WEIGHT…! That’s The Wrong Direction…!!

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Good Morning Luv-lies,

I’ve been absent for a minute…. just a brief minute 🙂

I’m sure that this has, or will (at some point in your journey) happened to you….
you’ve been tracking, getting in enough physical activity to smile *widely* about,… just plain ol’ working ‘The Program’.

You know, successfully on your way to that pot of gold at the end of this proverbial rainbow. When….. everything, either, comes to a screeching halt! or/and the weight seems to be creeping back on….’GO FIGURE’ ! 😦

I knew that I was not going to be special enough to escape the always spirit-breaking ‘plateau’, but boy I darn sure was not ready for it this soon!!!

“I JUST CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I’VE BEEN SPINNING IN CIRCLES FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS! … YES!!!! FOUR WHOLE MONTHS!!!
….please accept my apologies for yelling….* demure smile*

Our friend, Alzabees over at “My Little Pumpkin Muffie blogged about it, not once but twice…. and I still was not ready for the deflation that must be part and parcel of this whole ‘plateau-ing’ thing….

Now, I have not spent the last two months brooding ~ only the last two weeks….
After about three days of attempting to figure out the possible reasons that I’m in stall mode, I decided to focus on some things about the last two months that have been, well, quite fruitful.

So here is ‘The Fruit’ among ‘The Stall’:

* My arms, thighs, calves and abs have become much more toned

* The tuning of the above muscles have resulted in a total lost of almost 10 inches

* I am down two more dress sizes…. *yippee!!*

* I am a half shoe size down (that equals one whole size since starting the program
…..does that mean I get a new pair of ‘Choos?’)

* My family’s, friends’ and co-workers’ compliments are almost followed by..
“…. girl you’ve gotten small enough…” (…. and I’m literally at the halfway
point in my journey!!! YEY! ME)

* …. and overall, I must say that I ‘I feel MAH-VA-LOUS’

So I guess the lesson to self is to find the sunshine in every plateau… because standing still has its perks….

Have you reached that plateau? How did/would you handle it?
Do tell…..

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Pamper Party

Anchors… & ‘… you mean I can’t eat a whole cheesecake?

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Hello Luv-lies,

It’s been a few days since we’ve talked {major bummer :-P}. So what’s been going on in your world? How’s the program going? Any challenges? Successes {of course}? Do share….do share.

So this week’s topic was about anchors. I forgot to bring my ‘anchor’ to share with my fellow ‘green seat’ luv-lies {and of course, I wanted to melt into the ground! Everyone else had managed to remember ‘their’ anchor…Whoa hoo!}. As I listened intently to the objects/episodes/experiences and comments that was just the motivation that my fellow ‘green seat’ Luv-lies needed to make the commitment to start living a healthy lifestyle…. minus the unwanted pounds. What is your anchor? What was the objects/episodes/experiences and/or comments that made you say ‘…that’s it! the weight has to go!…’?

Even though I did not remember to bring my anchor, the comments from, both, the Leader and the ‘green seat’ Luv-lies made me begin to ponder my ‘anchor’. What was the objects/episodes/experiences/comments that drove me to finally say
“That’s it! I deserve to live a healthier lifestyle! I deserve to feel great when I’m shopping for that seasonal wardrobe!…?” By the meeting’s end, I had realized that my anchor was that I had been blaming my weight gain and subsequently, the inability to take off the weight to having a child. What’s the problem with that? I’m sure you’re asking yourself. Lots of women gain unwanted pounds while carrying a bambino! The answer would be – nothing is wrong with gaining a few {unwanted} pounds while growing a child… UNLESS… that was an experience that happened thirty years ago!!!!

YES!!! My one and only offspring is now an intelligent, warm, loving thirty year old mother of three wonderful children! That being said, with much resolve, on January 1st 2013, I committed to stop blaming my unknowing, loving Daughter for my lack of taking control of my unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle.
I’m sure that she will be glad to relieved of that fifty pound weight ! 🙂

…. AS FOR THAT CHEESECAKE …

Blueberry Cheese Cake

So it’s that time during the meeting that we celebrate our ‘losses’… YEAH!!! I’m a little quiet about sharing my ‘loss’ successes. So I was surprised to find out that I had, again, reached another five pound weight loss! Whoa Hoo!!! Not being the only ‘biggest losing green seat’ Luv-lie, the Leader, after giving out all of the BRAVO stickers, asked the group how we celebrated our ‘losses’.

There were several ways that many of us ‘green seat’ Luv-lies rewarded our great efforts at taking off the pounds… getting a mani/pedi, nonfood shopping trips, new outfit… just to name a few. We were on the right track encouraged our Leader. We seemed to grasp the concept of rewarding our wins {or losses} with nonfood kudos. It was then that she told us the story of a meeting that she conducted; in which, one of the green seat Luv-lies’ intention, when she reaches her goal weight, is to “hurt a buffet”…OUCH!!

When I reach goal weight, I’m sure that I won’t be putting a “hurting on anybody’s buffet”, or downing a whole Oreo Cookie cheesecake!

I’m opting for a full mani/pedi…….

What’s your anchor?

How will you reward your goal weight success?
Do share, Luv-lies…
Do share

* {pic via::special thanx}

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Fitness

Just Call Me a Flying Karamazov

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Hello Luv-lies,

As you well know, the road to a healthy, successful weight loss (and maintenance) is not one void of roadblocks, detours, red lights & right of ways.

For me, one of the many challenges HAS NOT been meeting the activity piece of the program. I have Jazzercised, competed in Spinning class fundraisers, participated in a multitude of aquatic workouts and presently have found great pleasure in Pole Fitness. So, when invited by a friend to try-out an Aerial Fitness class, I thought “why not. This sounds fun and fascinating!

So dressed in my usual yoga-style attire, I awoke early  Saturday morning to meet her for my first seventy-minute aerial workout. I dare not have my usual breakfast and coffee prior to this challenge (WARNING-UNABASHED VERBAL VISUAL::goodness forbid that my breakfast make a spontaneous and impromptu appearance on the floor of the studio. (I would have been horrified!). Our drive to the studio consisted of a nonstop prep (and pep) talk about what I could expect once reached our destination…. that the class would take us through standing and seated poses, inversions and balancing postures – all using an aerial hammock suspended from the ceiling (by two hooks!). More eager than ever, we finally reached our destination. And the fun began!
Fast forward two hours later…. back in the car (and now on our way to lunch…yes! I survived and was famished and ready to eat) with great enthusiasm, I shared with my friend – who was excited to hear about my new experience. Initially I didn’t really ‘know’ what to expect, but I was elated with the lightness that came with soaring through the air in an almost defying gravity manner! I had not anticipated, but now welcomed, the ‘clearness’ of mind that the resulted from the many inversions and poses. So refreshing and liberating!
The workouts help with flexiblity and agililty and builds core and upper body strength. The are many mind and body benefits that result from this type of workout and for those reasons I will be soaring through the air again

 

…..like a flying Karamazov.

The Karamozov Brothers

Besides….It’s a great way to blow off steam and release stress! 🙂

 

What new work-out have your activity list?

 

Do Tell….

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